Posted 5 years ago
Rattletrap
(915 items)
We bought this nice old Kelvinator porcelain sign in Okla as we headed to Joplin and eventually Branson on our last trip. I still haven’t figured out exactly where to display it in the Lakeside Museum Collection since it’s not Gas/Oil but I’ll find a place eventually. The sign is big and very heavy. I think it’s probably 40s era? Kelvinator began making porcelain lined refrigerators in 1914 to replace Ice Boxes that most of us still used in the early 40s. The young inventor was N. B. Wales who got financed by a Buick Auto Exec. They were eventually bought by the American Motors Car Company in the 50s And finally were sold to a foreign Company (Electrolux) in the late 60s, and while that’s more than most people want to know, it’s interesting to me.
Kelvinator invented the side by side doors on fridges, the freezer inside the fridge and other new, creative advancements we all take for granted these days.
Yes, this sign was originally a Neon lit sign.
I grew up poor and still remember the ice Man coming every few days to put ice in the Ice Box we had until we finally bought a real refrigerator.
Thank you for the history on Kelvinator, I knew I'd heard that name before! Congrats on this sign as well as your Frigidaire as I remember when all older fridges were called either iceboxes or frigidaires as a slang term. Very cool vintage signs! - Jenni
Jenni,
Thx for the comment. You’re exactly right. In the “old days” it was common to give the slang terms for appliances that everyone could easily recognize based upon their history. I remember being in charge of The daily burning of the trash in our backyard “incinerator”, which every family had. I also remember when the garbage disposal was introduced in the 40s and everyone followed the Brand name and called them “disposalls” as they were touted as being able to dispose of about anything. Language is an interesting thing and rapidly changes as time goes on. Hard for old people to keep up with the new meanings. “sick” now means good. “Cool” means very good. “Hot” means desirable. Etc etc etc. No wonder it was so hard to correctly translate the Bible in to English when people change the meaning of common words over time!
At first glance, I nearly thought that someone somewhere (probably *not* you BTW rattletrap) had somehow "married" the Kelvinator and vertical GoodYear signs together into some kinda "bench". SO GLAD that's not the case...I thought I knew you better than to commit that sort of travesty to fine vintage signs... <lol> ;-) :-) :-)
AnythingObscure,
Clarification: actually the picture is the one that was sent to me by the guy that I bought the signs from in Okla. The Goodyear sign just happens to be leaning on the wall next to the Kelvinator sign on the floor. Yes I bought them both and no they’re not attached in any way except to me, now that they’re mine.
Officialfuel,
Thx for the love it