A couple of questions for DU "old stuff" afficianados. UPDATED

[blogslut]

Last edited Mon Apr 14, 2014, 07:31 PM - Edit history (1)

Preface: blogslut jr. recently moved into an apartment complex. The building was constructed in 1926 and while it's not in the greatest of shape the studio-sized units are totally charming with French doors, wood floors and assorted architectural details, the likes of which will never be seen again.

Question #1: Her stove/range. Gas, natch. Some vintage enameled beauty with four separate ovens and a space on top for what I image was a work surface. The question is about lighting the damned thing. Yes, I know, "ask the landlord. ask a neighbor." But blogslut jr is a retiring soul and quite shy about 'troubling' others. I have never seen a range top like it. There is a hole in the middle of the burners that could be a pilot light for the ovens. The burners themselves I have never encountered: The grid for each burner is almost plate-like - concave with four big holes. Underneath each burner, positioned at the one of the 4 holes is another hole that appears to be an individual pilot. We've turned on/off the switch for each burner and can tell the gas is hooked up and working but we're askeered to put flames to the darn things. Any suggestions on how to make 'cooking with gas' a reality for my princess?

Question #2: Each apartment in the complex features a small, floor-level door that at one time opened into the main hallway. The door is set about 5-6 inches into the apartment wall and is flush from outside in the hallway. The door is about 2ftx2ft square and is framed with wood moulding. I don't think these doors are remnants of dumbwaiters because they're not deep enough and the door is floor-level and besides, each apartment has its own kitchen sink, refrigerator and oven/range. What are these little doors? What was their purpose?

Thank you, in advance, for your answers. Sorry, no pics.

A pic for the stove and more info - It's a Nordic and I think it may have been manufactured in 1945. Here's a photo of the rangetop with the weird burners and that hole in the middle of them:



I was wrong about the burner plates being concave but they're still like no burner plates I've ever seen.

[catnhatnh]

1. On #2...

I'm betting in the old days you slid your garbage pail into the hallway and the building super emptied it...

[blogslut]

2. That makes sense.

The door is located in the kitchen area. I only know the year the place was built. I don't know whether or not it originally had 30-odd separate units or how many times the place has been re-designed. I do think any major re-construction was probably done before I was born in 1960. The stairs to each floor are tall and from seriously old wood - no carpet, and the banisters have finials and are as sturdy as stone.

[handmade34]

3. ned photo

for question 1... I used to light pilots directly but would not want to advise without photo..

#2... sounds like door where milk and ice may have been delivered before electricity?? although most urban areas had electricity by the 30's

good questions!

[blogslut]

5. Yeah.

I may have to revisit question #1 at a later time when I can get over there to take a photo. I may go helicopter mom and call her landlord to ask.

Trust me, I have scoured Google images for photos that look like her stovetop. I have never seen anything like it. Just the same, it's time to get on the ball about it because she deserves to cook properly in her own home. One can't live on the microwave alone!

As for #2 that makes even more sense considering our town totally had several dairies at one time and while ice delivery went out of style during that era, milk/grocery deliveries were not unheard of.

[elleng]

4. Call the gas company.

In ANY event, she MUST get used to 'troubling' the gas co. and other utilities, its a mandatory part of growing up SAFELY!

Sounds very nice, and I hope she enjoys the place.

[blogslut]

6. Awesome suggestion!

Thank you!

Kids these days. They're petrified to use their smartphones as telephones! What is up with that?

[elleng]

7. Glad you like it!

Let us know how things progress.

[marzipanni]

8. If there is a brand name on the stove check the internet.

Search for images, and "go to the page" if it isn't just a stove for sale.
Since many people like vintage gas stoves there is info for some online.

We have a 1940-ish Wedgewood that has 2 pilot flames with little metal tubes that bring ignited gas & air mix to the burner. The pilot lights can be accessed by lifting the black enameled panels that the burners rest on. There is a heavy grill in the middle which we don't use as a grill, but use as a work surface.

The oven has a red reset button inside the service door (which looks like a drawer below the pan storage area next to the oven) which you press before lighting the pilot light for the built-in heater and the oven.

The amount of gas coming out with the burner knob turned low would light safely with a match, but the stove might have pilots to light burners and oven "automatically" unless the stove is really old. Don't let gas accumulate or it lights with a POOF!

[mulsh]

9. #1 by all means call the local gas company. #2 it is probably a milk delivery space.

Our house had one but the previous owner sealed and stuccoed it out of existence. About half of my neighbors still have working doors. milk men and some grocery stores used to have regular home deliveries in some areas. They'd leave your order and pick up the empty milk bottles. Up until about 15 years ago we had one local dairy that still did home deliveries.

[NV Whino]

10. The door is for milk deliveries.

Stove is out of my range of knowledge.

[blogslut]

11. Yay! Thanks, all you wonderful people! Question #2 has an answer!

Milk Door! And this is totally what it looks like:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkman#Milk_deliveries

Whee!

Now, to get blogslut jr to stop with the hesitance and just get on the horn and call the freaking landlord about her stove.

Also, in the future, I will get a photo of her stove on here. It is quite lovely.

[tazkcmo]

17. That door is for wee elves

to enter and cobble shoes.

[blogslut]

12. I've included a photo of her stove in the OP

Here's a couple other pics:




Plus is pic of an old ad that, I think pegs the manufacture year:

[KamaAina]

13. That sounds like the first place I had in New Orleans.

The stove lit fine with long, wooden matches.

[blogslut]

14. But how?

Do you light the burners individually? Do you light the oven through that hole at the top or does it turn on automatically with the big middle switch?

My sis suggested that the hole in the middle lights all the burners at once but what if she only wants one or two burners lit at a time?

[KamaAina]

15. Through the hole at the top.

And she should turn the gas on to the burners she wants lit.

[blogslut]

16. cool

thanks!

Actually, that poses more questions for me.

If the hole in the middle is the main pilot, does that mean there's no switch to turn on the gas in order to light it?

Does lighting that tophole pilot make it so the oven lights up automatically if she turns on the big button?

Sorry to be such a nudge but I once had a gas oven blow up in my face when I tried to light it and I am forever askeered.

[KamaAina]

18. Mine didn't have a big button

and now you're making me miss that old place, right on the St. Charles streetcar line. (around the corner on S. Carrollton Ave.)