Fellow retro geeks, here’s look at a brand of steel kitchen cabinets that we don’t see too often in the wild: Beautycraft kitchen cabinets made by Miller Metal Products. Thanks to reader Janet for spotting this set of cheery yellow vintage steel kitchen cabinets on craigslist in Charleston, West Virginia (link long gone). The set comes with equally fabulous vintage GE appliances, in that same sunny shade.
We’ve seen this brand just once before, in green, in Dallas. The sink cabinets, brand-to-brand, almost always an important key to identification.
From the Craigslist listing:
MINT condition, vintage yellow metal cabinets made by Miller Metal Products in the 1960’s. Matching Mint condition General Electric appliances. Double oven, electric range with controls in the hood, refrigator with bottom freezer and swing out drawers. Fully operational
Since there weren’t any visible markings on the cabinets, Pam asked me to ask the seller if there were any emblems or tags identifying the cabinets. The seller emailed me back quickly, writing:
Hello Kate,
Great to hear from you! The cabinets are in great shape and I believe they would be a great find for someone looking for that style-any exposure would be greatly appreciated as being in WV makes it tough to get the word out sometimes!
I have attached the logo from the inside of the cabinet. I did some research on Miller Metal Products, Inc. (now out of business, not sure when) out of Baltimore, MD, and what I found was somewhat interesting. I found the info in a volume of Industrial Research from 1960 in google books. It seems these cabinets were made in the late 50s to early 60s. Originally, Miller Metal Products, Inc. primary business was the manufacturing of missile components, weapons and other related military equipment. My only guess is that they shifted their focus to manufacturing cabinets and other metal products as well as or in place of military weaponry.
Check out the range hood — it has a “tiled” effect to match the backsplash. Neat. And: Grab The Counter Tops, Too!!!!
The seller also sent me a close up of those cabinet handles — with a basket-weave texture. We do not believe these are original.
Currently, we have identified more than 70 brands of steel kitchen cabinets. Right now, Miller Metal cabinets and Beautycraft cabinets are identified as separate brands. We now tend to believe they are one in the same, although the Beautycraft brand label was perhaps used only at certain times??? This is our educated guess.
More info:
Omar says
Thank you.
Omar says
We are still use this range and range hood shown in your page . But we have a proplem to replace the control knobs for it
But we still loving using it since the80’s cause we taking good care of it.
Suddinly saw your web because i wanted to know how to replace the knobs by my self with out stranger technetion.
Can you help me in this matter???
pam kueber says
Omar, on issues like this, I suggest you consult with properly licensed professionals.
Thomas says
I just bought a house that has these in the kitchen. Both upper and lower with above stove part too. They are in great shape. Let me know if anyone has more information on them. Such as what they are worth,
pam kueber says
We don’t do valuations, Thomas. But we a story with some valuation discussions. It’s in Kitchen Help / Steel Kitchen cabinets subcategory.
Linda says
I have the same older GE double oven shown in the picture. I need to replace mine. Do you know the replacement size?
keith says
I just removed a set of Beauty Craft by Miller Metal Products. The home was built in 1956 and just 45 miles from Russell Street in Baltimore. Both wall cabinets and base cabinets were in great shape. The sink cabinet bottom was rusty due to water collecting over the years which was understandable. They even had two nice sized lazy Susan’s in the original design.
Now I reinstalled all the cabinets in the basement to store all my power tools and accessories. Beats any Craftsman tool chest or storage bin hands down. Plus I’m sure they’ll last another 50+ years.
Becky says
I was searching for ways to determine if my kitchen metal cabinets are worth anything and stumbled on your website. I have a pale green floor to ceiling (?) cabinet in the basement that apparently escaped the paint job that was done by someone on the kitchen cabinets. There is a sticker inside my green cabinet stating Beautycraft Curv-Line Kitchens. It also has “Beautycraft kitchens division Miller metal products, inc. Baltimore, 30, Maryland”. Maybe this clarifies for you? My google search also hit on a copyright listing from 1956:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qxshAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA403&lpg=PA403&dq=beautycraft+curv-line+kitchens&source=bl&ots=ir0Vw5DsGd&sig=uhNQ28bdgmUwuNBfVzzlbfq4V1k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rOxDVKywE4L4yQS714KQDg&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=beautycraft%20curv-line%20kitchens&f=false
pam kueber says
Sounds lovely, Becky! Be sure to see our entire category about Steel Kitchens (a subcategory in our Kitchen Help category) here — https://retrorenovation.com/category/kitchen/steel-kitchen-cabinets/
We have a 2010 story about pricing and several other stories related to value etc. Have fun!