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About 2 months ago my wife woke me up and asked if I'd go into town to see something she found on her morning walk. Shortly after my morning albutions, I was standing in front of an old stove with my wife and she was extoling on just how cute it was. She was so right, and after confirming that the seller could wait til I moved the three oven 6 burner converted wood gas stove that we were currently using, I wrote the check. Between moving the stoves and searching the net I found this site and now understand that our new project is not a run of the mill Chambers and just how special all Chamber stoves are. I've sent my first batch of hardware to California for new porcelain and am anxiously waiting for their return. Soon I hope to have the top half of the range in working order and will tackle the daunting task of the oven later. I can live awhile without an oven but miss the burners. While waiting, I've cleaned and greased in prep for the gas trials.
One of the things I think is unique to these older stoves is their ability to adjust the height of the broiler pan. The knob is four postioned with three labled (up,down, and broiler pan) the fourth is just a arrow pointing to the right. I've asked the forum about the holes that form in the top edge of the folding cover when up, before and still I am not sure what they are for. The lack of thumb latches is worth a mention and I also wonder just how consistent the sizing of the thermo-wells were between model changes. Any help, comments, and/or suggestions are welcomed and needed. Hopefully my wife and I will be able to boil water before the snow falls 'cause winter in Michigan without a good pot of tea is unthinkable. Thanks!!
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John:
Wow, what a gorgeous find. Can't help you with any answers but welcome to the clan and thanks so much for sharing your stove through the photos.
Joe P
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Hi John-
Very handsome stove. It looks to be in great shape too. These are from the early 30's, I think, just before the 'A' models came out. They seem to have the basic features of the later ranges, but with more of the earlier style body. You have a cast iron griddle with the big honking lift handle on the side, right? A couple of these came up on eBay a few weeks back. I'm not sure if the t-wells are the same size, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were.
At least one other board member has one of these & I seem to recall a thread on it not too long ago. Maybe if you searched for tri-color or something you could find it.
--Danny
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there was one of these on ebay a while ago that was from indiana. i just loved it but i have 3 and that's 2 too many.
enjoy
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oh, wow ... it's soooooo stunning, what a catch! a real dazzler and a cast iron griddle instead of aluminum! is the deepwell also cast iron? (I love cast iron).
congratulations, sincerely, and you weren't even looking for a Chambers! What a great way to find out about them!
when they redo your porcelaine they won't have to cover the pretty little blue chambers logo or any of the other decorative effects, will they?
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JOHN A.
IM NOT SURE WHAT THE HOLES ARE FOR. HOWEVER IM GOING TO GUESS THEY ARE FOR LETTING AIR\HEAT OUT WHEN THE LID IS DOWN AFTER COOKING. THAT STOVE LOOKS GREAT.
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The only parts I'm having reporcelained are the burners/drip pans. Just like the old Fords any color I want as long as its black Aside from a few tiny flakes, in the jade green on the oven door,lip for the gas levers and a corner of the cover, the stoves exterior is in great shape.
There are a couple of items on E-bay that have caught my interest.
First is a lamp/timer combo from a 1930s Chambers and its things like this that make me think that some accesory might fit into the holes of the raised cover. They can't be for venting heat as they are blocked and hidden the seam when down.
Second, I see someone is selling a spring for the cover of Chambers stove. I can't find any spring for mine or a place to mount one. Unless these darn holes are used somehow.
Thanks for all the feedback and encourgement
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I nearly fainted dead away when I saw the pictures of your chambers. My husband and I recently bought a very, very similar one at an estate sale to go in the kitchen of a 1925 Craftsman Airplane Bungalow that we are renovating. Years ago, I had a newer model Chambers and I loved it more than red meat but had to get rid of it because we moved so often. I am very interested in any information that you find and I have digital images of our oven that I will try to post if I can ever figure the system out. This is my very first post on any message board ever. I have read that it is dangerous to operate the oven without having a safety valve manufactured for it and have an estimate of $500. Can anyone out there advise me on the issue? My husband is an electrician and craftsman but has no experience in this area. He's really been a good sport as I am trying to make the kitchen renovation as authentic as possible without surrendering conveniences. We are also working around a mid-century bastian blessing bobtail soda fountain (don't even ask!) so there are a few challenges. Any advice from any of you more experience chambers lovers would be so appreciated. I so love that there is a site like this one. Thanks so much for all of your participation. It's just cool.
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Welcome Chocolat'
How wonderful to find another comrade in arms.
Just got my parts back from California and I have the top of the stove up and running. Thought I'd tackle the projects in steps. The gas to the oven is off and I think your estimate for the safety valve installation realistic. Lowracer has posted great instructions for the safty valve installation.
Our range resides in a 1887 Brick Vic in southwest Michigan that was updated (indoor plumbing, kitchen revamp and enclosed porches ) in 1927. So the stove fits right in with those updates.
Haven't had a chance to use the thermo-well yet, as we don't have any inserts, but we're finding the burners a lot hotter (better) that the ones we were used to. If you need to adjust your pilot, do it first thing as those valves gets very hot very fast. Needle valve on bottom- total gas flow, nuts in middle air mix adjust and lock. On the up side the spot just above the pilot is hot enough to melt butter or keep a small pot of tea nice and warm.
Please keep us up dated on your progress and lots of luck.
May all your flames be true blue,
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Thanks so much for the reply. I can see you are an old house lover as well. It is very nice to meet you and I do appreciate your guidance.
I was looking more closely at your pictures and I do see some significant differences in our stoves. Yours has the same flower shaped burners (or whatever they are called) while ours has a complete top of cast iron. The burners are all connected to one another and the grates are all one piece. It looks something like a barbeque grill. There is a porcelin drawer underneath with two decorative knobs that pull out for easy cleaning. Also yours has a themowell and I don't believe ours ever did. The griddle looks just the same and is worked with a handle on the side.
I am embarrased to say that I haven't figured out how to light any of the burners or the stove. Still, I love to cook and can hardly wait to test out that pretty blue flame.
I have read on several posts that the griddle is hard to clean. Do you treat yours differently because it is cast iron?
Again, I am just absolutely thrilled to see another chambers so close to ours. I feared that I had jumped into the deep end on this one.
