“… Yes… we’re obsessed… but in positive way…”
This video is INSANE! This couple, Robert and Fred, have collected $40,000 worth of vintage appliances — a total of 400 appliances — including vintage Mixmasters, Hoover vacuums, Constellations, toasters. And, they have like 26 washers and dryers in their 1,200 basement alone. They now never use a washing machine made after 1965. These are our kind of people! Thanks to reader Amanda for the tip! Click on through to watch –>
- Are you interested in vintage appliances? Be sure to check out this story I wrote about 9 Online Resources for Parts, Service an Advice to Fix Old Stoves and Other Vintage Appliances. It incorporates tips from readers received over the past several year.
- Also see: 26 Places to Buy Restored Vintage Stoves.
Jill says
So Fab!
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I love how he’s so enthusiastic about washing machines. The way he describes how he likes seeing how they move, how they work, the lights and whistles, it makes me think I should get a set of 28 washing machines for my son who has autism. He loves watching that sort of thing, too. I agree, they’re obsessed, but in a positive way.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
Wow! This is right up my alley.
denise says
Wow!! love this. The display is so neat and tidy. Yey for them that they found each other and accept each other and the ‘newest’ arrival.
Jessica Karp says
I LOOOOOVE that dishwasher! That’s the only appliance I’m missing! I love how sane these guys make me look! 🙂
Chutti says
Another vote for an interview with this dynamic duo!
I am fortunate to come from a family that told me they wouldn’t give me their neat old stuff unless I was going to use it.
Hubs is the same-it needs to be used! These fellas made me so happy when I saw all their stuff in rotation.
That dishwasher is the greatest, though.
Hope you can locate them. I think I might ask them to adopt me. I would love to play Cinderella at their house!
Lauryn says
Oh my, do I love that pink dishwasher (and I hate dishwashers!) and how I would love to get my hands on just one of those mixers or blenders. They are definitely obsessed, but in an adorable way. What a fun story. (I have to ask though … did anyone else notice the sinister background music???)
Sherree says
Hi Pam,
I love this mix of aqua, pink and yellow in the kitchen. OH how I love that aqua fridge!
This show, My Crazy Obsession, also did a feature on a gal whose whole life revolves around the 50’s. She has nothing newer than 1959. House, clothes and car. She even cooks out of 50’s cookbooks! Her home was very cool. She even had someone come to teach her 1950’s etiquette. Not sure if there is a link for that but it would be worth checking out 🙂
Voodoo Kitten says
That was Miss Doris MayDay. She has a Facebook fan page.
Robert Seger says
Hi I am Robert Seger from the show. Just a heads up I can only get into your comment section for this piece via my iPhone. I get page not found errors on pc desktops?
pam kueber says
hmmmm, not sure about that, Robert. Can you clear your cache and try again?
Robert Seger says
Thanks Pam, the link works perfectly for me now.
Thank you all so much for your very kind comments, Fred and I are both honored to be included on Retro Renevation. This is a great blog! We love our vintage appliances, we collect vintage washers, dryers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, TV sets, small appliances and other 1940s-1970s vintage products and advertising for the home.
We did all of the plumbing and electrical work in the house ourselves, it’s easier than trying to explain it all to a contractors lol. We also do all the restoration and repairs on all of our stuff ourselves, it would very difficult and expensive to find any appliance server who knows how to work on this this old anymore.
The two dishwashers in our kitchen are a 1957 KitchenAid (pink) and a 1965 Lady Kenmore. I call these our “Pimp my Dishwasher” dishwashers. I always wanted a dishwasher with a see-thru window, so I cut the front of the dishwashers out with a jig saw, installed tempered glass in the doors, then I installed another window on the side of the machines and have lighting shine into the dishwashers when the door is opened or the cycle is running.
The vintage washing machines are so much fun to use, very splashy and dramatic, not to mention all the 50’s chrome and styling. The vintage TV sets are so much fun to watch TV shows from the 1950s on, watching a 1951 episode of I Love Lucy means so much more to us when we watch it on a 1951 TV set! Fred loves his vintage vacuum cleaners and let me to you it sure is nice having a spouse who likes to vacuum, we have one very dust free house!
The way we display our stuff in the house is also important to us, kind of takes some of the “crazy” out of the equation.
For anyone here who loves small vintage appliances, please see the “Super Forum” on my website, http://www.automaticwasher.org. We always welcome more fans of vintage appliances to join us in fun conversations!
Thank you all again for your very kind comments, we certainly appreciate it.
Chutti says
We’re not nearly as full of swell old appliances as you, but have the enthusiasm, anyway. Gave in a got a big new fridge instead of the GE monitor top we liked. I’m equally in love with Condiments, ya know?
But your enthusiasm for washers makes me really happy.
Have you ever heard of an industrial exhibit on Frigidaire washers that had a room sized lucite washer filled with giant clothes? It was actually a walk through thing, which I saw at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry as a kid in the late 60’s early 70’s.
You got to see everything agitating from within-there was a sort of hollow area you stood in, the rest was I guess 12 ft high?
In retrospect, it must have been left over from a worlds fair or something.
I just remember walking through again and again. Can’t imagine how much YOU would have enjoyed it.
Robert Seger says
Hi Chutti,
I’ve heard about this exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry for years, I would have LOVED to have seen this as a kid. I would have have made my parents move from NJ to Chicago had I known about it lol. It was actually a huge Maytag washer demonstration called “The Tale of a Tub”.
There is an old thread about it on my site, picture and all! Here is the link:
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?24728
Chutti says
THAT’s IT!!!! OK, so I thought it was bigger when I was a kid, but it was still one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.
Thanks for the memories.
You were clearly there with me in spirit.
Anna S. Byrne says
Oh I have died and gone to heaven !!!!
This is exactally vvhat I’ve been vvorking to do in my cottage and main house. I’ve only just started studying old repair manuals, but it excites me so ! Those vvashers and dryers just make me svvoon…I’ve been in search of a Speed Queen VVringer VVasher for months ! And I’m patient and persistant !
I’m heading over to your “Super Form”, right novv….Thank you Robert, and Thank you Pam !!!
I svvear Pam…you have made so many of my favorite things come to fruition, through your blog !
TappanTrailerTami says
Robert, you and Fred have a keen eye for display, and LOVE all of your wonderful appliances!
Out of curiosity, I’m wondering how many marriage proposals you and Fred will get out of this? Forget money, gotta love men who love vintage appliances – especially since you can fix them too – that is the ultimate vintage gold diggers’ dream, haha!
Hey everyone, don’t miss the wonderful vintage commercial library on Robert’s website – so fun to watch!
http://www.automaticwasher.org/vintage_video.htm
Jill says
I wish I’d known about you guys a few months ago; I had a 1959 Admiral Imperial working fridge with a pink interior (yes, really) for which I was trying to find a home. The good news is that it DID find a home, with a guy who was going to restore it for his retro man-cave.
Now about my harvest gold cooktop and wall oven…..
Jason says
Hello….I, too, have a house full of vintage appliances. Some I try to work on myself. Have you guys considered putting together a booklet or such about how to service/repair these appliances? Even if you charged something for them am sure people would buy them. I had an appliance guy come to look at my 1959 Frigidaire Frost Free refrigerator ans he seemed stumped. After reading…ALOT…about how these things work, I repaired it myself. And the problem wasn’t even what he thouht it was! C’mon….walk us through the repairs,,,,
Justin says
If you have any problems with one of your machines and can’t seem to fix it yourself. I know that you can go over to automaticwasher.org and anybody from that site will be more than willing to help you with anything. I have been helped a number of times with my vintage appliances. Some of them have their own appliance repair shop, and know how to work on the vintage appliances. Only problem with that is if they aren’t in your area, its a bit hard to get them to work on it. Also if you need a certain part that you can’t seem to find in your area, there are people there that might have the part or would know where to get the part. I know its not a manual, but you would be able to get a lot of help from the people at that site.
Vicki says
I did find them on Facebook. Pam, you should interview!