Tappan Deluxe Wall Oven

I received the following photo from Andrew. I've also included our email exchange.  Watch for a follow up post on a similar wall oven......



"Hi,

I came across your site while attempting to learn more about the oven shown in the attached photograph. I found the photo in a bin full of vintage photographs at an antique store, so I know little about the background. I can tell you that it appears to have been taken at a trade show in the late 1950's. The company that took the image was Chicago Photographers, once located at 26 E. Huron St. in Chicago, and the file number (if it should ever be handy) is #23463-5.

I don't know the model # (it is a Deluxe), and haven't found any examples online yet that match. Perhaps you know?

Andrew"

"Wow, thanks for sharing the photo.  Would you mind if I posted it on my blog for readers to see?  It's interesting to me that the oven appears to have the same handles w. a crest as a mid-50's Deluxe model.  Behind the men to the left must be the built in cooktop. I wonder is those are some of the Tappan executive. 

Very interesting!

TappanTalk"

"Hi TT,

Sure, go ahead and use the photo on your blog. I sent it to you in the hope that you'd share it with your followers.

I suppose the trade show might have been earlier than I'm guessing - I was going by the woman's dress which looks more late 50's than mid. But the guy on the left has on a wild tie more typical of the early to mid 50's. And the guy on the right looks like Dick Clark era stuff. So I was really just taking a stab at the date. Any idea what model it is?

I wonder if there's any information out there on the dates that Tappan participated in a trade show in Chicago. 

Andrew"

"Great, thanks. It may take a few weeks before I post, as I have a bit of a backlog in reader's stove pics to post first. [that turned out to be an understatement]

My guess is that if this was a trade show, this was an early prototype model that showed the future of Tappan products.  This would explain the older Deluxe handles.  It would also explain the round clock, etc.  If you hit the "mid-century" label on the side of my blog, you will see late 50's -early 60's versions of this type of model.  They have slim oven handles and elongated clocks.

If you look at my Feb 2nd post, that shows an ad for new Tappan wall ovens.  It has one similar (except the handles) to yours.  If you look close, the cabinets even have the same hardware as your photo.  We know that one is from a 1955 magazine.  I believe your's is just a tad earlier (because of the handles).  Of course, it's all just conjecture.

It would be fun to see if the Chicago show could be tracked down (one reader traced his stove to a state fair exhibit).  I keep hoping a Tappan employee old timer will find the blog.....

TT"

Andrew, thanks for sharing this great photo!

Fabulous 400

I am going to take a short little break from posting photos of readers' stoves. Don't worry, I still have quite a few of reader's stoves in queue to post.

I ran across some info. on the Tappan 400 Series stoves. Up until now, I have focused on older Tappans, but these all-in-one units are very cool and it's fun to see what features Tappan carried forward and what features changed over time.

Electric Tappan

Leah sent me a photo of an unusual Tappan she was thinking about buying. It's an electric model with a coveted griddle in the center. Leah was hoping for advice on how difficult it is to find an element for an electric stove if the original goes bad.  I've never owned an electric stove, so I don't have any advice to offer on that issue. Readers?

My guess based on the back splash and the oven door handles is late 1950's or early 1960's. What do you think.



Thanks, Leah!

Griddle in the Middle

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the pictures of this stove.

Jeremiah and Leah sent the following email along with the photo of their Tappan stove:

"My wife and I received a Tappan range from my grandmother that they bought in 1960.  They only used it for 6 months before my grandfather was transferred overseas and then it sat in storage for 40 years!  I have attached a picture of the stove and of the model number plate.  The model number looks like OK 30-3.  Didn't see any info for this model under the model info on the site.  It has 4 top burners and griddle in the center.  The oven thermostat is a Wilcolator." 

I have heard that the Tappan company was somehow affiliated with O'Keefe & Merrit for a short period of time and produced stoves. I strongly suspect this stove is one of those collaborations. It has all of the earmarks of an O'Keefe & Merrit stove (swoon). I think they used to call them "O'Tappan" stoves as a little joke.

Beautiful, no?