My husband bought me a nice camera for Mother’s Day and I have only recently started to play around with it. At “the estate sale house” this weekend, I found lots of good subject matter. It was a c. 1910 house, but had been modestly updated in the 50s, when Pittsfield was a-boomin’.
I loved the Kenmore dryer so much that I went back a second time to take more shots. And imagine – it wasn’t til the second time I was in the house, that I spotted the retractable light in the dining room. It was kind of basic – but I loved the little round crystal ball finial, if that’s what you call it.
Teresa Noyes was running the sale. She remembered that I was into 50s stuff. I think I must have been very bemusing, what with lying on the bathroom floor and then all that time in the basement.
Of course, I made it worth their while by coming home with a few new treasures to sneak into the house.
chriss says
I LOVE automaticwasher.org! I have a beautiful matched set vintage washer/dryer from the late 60’s early 70’s. My dream is to procure a matched set of ’57 Pink Lady Kenmore washer/dryer. I found a dryer on Craigslist here in St. Louis for a mere $175 but I dragged my heals and lost out. Oh well, I’m happy with what I have….for now.
vintageappliguy says
Pam, I say if it is decent cosmetic shape, it still drys well and you like it GO GET IT!!!!! There are still ways to get parts for that dryer even though you can’t get them from Sears anymore. There are many other people who love thie vintage appliances big and small, like I do. Try visiting these places……
automaticwasher.org
vacuumland.org
vintageappliances.com
automaticbeyondbelief.com
toastercentral.com
toaster.org
ebay.com
homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.linnell/sso (this is a uk site but it is still cool and has some awesome stuff on it).
This will get you started….and you are always welcome to e-mail me at geguy212@aol.com….I love to share my knowledge with people. PAT COFFEY
50sPam says
Vintageappliguy, Thank you so much for this great info!! That dryer was one of the highlights of my weekend, to be sure. Should I go back and buy it? Are these known for still working and are they valuable? They certainly are gorgeous. And vintageappliguy, I have to say, you sound very interesting. Tell us more about your passion – appliances!
vintageappliguy says
That dryer is a 1960 Kenmore Model 70 Clothes dryer…There is a guy in California who has the matching washer. The way you set the dryer was by turning the knob to the letter that corresponded to the type of fabric you were drying. Depending on which letter you chose the heat and time were supposed to be correct for what you were drying. It was said to be fool proof. You did the same thing with the washer and depending on what letter you would chose the washer would automatically select the right wash time and speed as well as the right wash and rinse temprature. Alphabet washing and drying (as I call it) was a feature on different brands of washers and dryers through out the late 1950’s and the 1960’s but Kenmore held onto it the longest (I remember seeing at least one washer that still used that feature in their 1975 catalog). Just thought you might like a little more info about that dryer you liked…I did not meant to ramble. PAT COFFEY