My "vintage" Norge - circa late 40's early 50's is happily in the basement. He might get a 3rd chance to keep some side dishes warm at TG if he is lucky.

After cooking on that thing for nearly 5 years, I am so so done with him. As pretty as he still is, I need performance at my age, and so like so many women still in their prime, the old guy needs to go.

The first week we were here, 2005, I offered to make pumpkin pies for taking to TG at a friends house. I popped my pies into the oven, went upstairs to take a shower and within 15 minutes, smoke alarms were going off. Burned to a crisp. Frantic run to Whole Foods ensued.

Called the only guy in town who can fix these. He's in his late 70s. Says its the thermostat thing. See all this liquid leaking out? (would it be mercury? - I'm actually afraid to ask so I don'!?!). He's pretty sure he has one in his garage. 3 weeks later he calls me back and does indeed have said part. Great! Come install it!. - $325.

It pretty much worked, if you could ignore the pretty occasional pilot light out, hmm... smells like grandma's house... gas smell all the time odor. Baking was very inconsistent - just don't do more than 1 sheet of cookies so you can watch them like a hawk to see when they might actually all be done and ok...

Eventually, I disconnected the pilots fearing the children inhaling gas. The oven always did need to be lit and those darn Bic candle lighters are good about one out of 3 purchases. Still looking for a decent one that doesn't mind being used so frequently!

Now that the children are of age where i want them cooking, I didn't necessarily want them playing with fire or gas (silly over protective mom I know) . Never mind the stupid candle lighter things that seem to only work if you looked at it just right and said pretty please and showed it your drivers license. I wanted something a 10 year old could work.

So off he went to our temporary basement kitchen into the spot formerly owned by the gas dryer who got replaced with a top floor stackable by the bedroom. He'll stay there unless someone offers me something nice.

Oh, and on the trip downstairs, some part (same part?) decided it had enough too. Ka-ching - 325 more to bring stove guy back out of retirement once more.

It's in perfectly lovely condition. White enamel is nearly spotless.

But for cooking and baking, Mr. Miele is my new BFF. Mr. Norge, you can hang with Ms. Atlas Gas Furnace, b. 12/19/1941 (I got her birth certificate when I ordered a vent cover !). I'm hoping you both live long and happy lives down there. (Unless someone comes swooping in with that antique $ I keep hearing about).

Here's his photo. He's still cute, but alas, can't get my jobs done...

DH used to deliver antiques part-time and often got given things at the customers' homes. he got a nice but scruffy empire dresser that my stepson now has. And a 1940s O'Keefe & Merrit stove! We had delusions of getting the thing restored and installed in the 1925 house we had at the time, but it never seemed to rise to the top of the list of priorities. We gave it away when we moved three years ago -- it is probably sitting in that guy's garage as we speak.

Marcy, we had a 1957 Norge fridge that could keep your fella company. After six years of charm, giggles and conversation starting, I decided I really missed ice (much like you missed unburnt pies and conscious children). The Norge went to a nice home where the folks could afford to send it off and have it totally refurbished. I have friended its new mom on Facebook and she keeps me apprised of the progress. I feel like a birth mother keeping tabs on a child.

I ran into an old cabbage head fridge at a yard sale two weeks ago for $40. She still worked.

Briefly I thought... 'what if?'

And then I regained my senses.

There's a old latch door compressor on the top fridge on Craig's List here. They want an insane $500 for it. It supposedly still works too. It's really cool looking, and if it were $50, I might get it for my sis's future farmhouse reno and convert it to a storage cabinet, but at 10x more, they can keep the defrost needing energy hog.

Our 1949 O'Keefe & Merritt was the centerpiece of my own kitchen remodel -- we use it daily many times and it's an absolute workhorse. Have no desire for a modern stove after using our darling for 3 years now ...

I've got lots of older kitchen forum posts detailing how I refurbished mine, if anyone wants to hunt them down for reference.

ROFL! Just wanted to thank you ladies for giving me a good lunchtime laugh!

@circuspeanut, that's the first photo I've seen of your new hood---looks great! :)

jakabedy - Do you still have the radio???????? I need it.

circuspeanut - you were one of the first people I "met" on here and yet this is the first time I've seen your stove and hood. I like!! Maybe I didn't find it at the finished kitchens? I thought I'd looked at everything there but as many kitchens as there are, it can't be done in one sitting!

pinch me - we do still have the radio -- it's a Silvertone, sort of deco looking. DH is the clock and radio guy. I find them lurking in the strangest places . . .

circuspeanut -- I LOVE how that hood turned out. It totally looks vintage. Your whole kitchen is a triumph and makes me miss my 1920s house so much!!

jakabedy I ended up with this radio after I bought the cool reproduction wood radio that took up too much space. I found this at the Salvation Army store for a buck.

This has all the bells and whistles but takes up too much space.

Jakabedy, Yes, your birth fridge should me my lovely range! those handles are cool!

I just can't get past the energy thing. I just turned off my 18 c.f. GE fridge and I think that will save me 20 bucks a month. You know that dollar bill test on the seal? I think i could pass a wallet through. It's 25 years old and PG&E is paying ME $35 to take it away. Whew!