Question about early 60's Maytag colors

Actually Mark you got it backwards Frigidaire came out with colors in 1954 and GE in January of 1955.

here is a history of color appliances that I have been working on and updating for a number of years now PAT COFFEY

Circa 1950
International Harvester and Caloric start offering different colored handles on their fridges and ranges respectively to give the woman of the house a choice of accent colors to harmonize with the color of her kitchen.

Late 1953-1954
Frigidaire introduces the first appliances in colors. You can choose Stratford Yellow, Sherwood Green, or White.

January 1955
GE introduces 5 new colors for their appliances, Woodtone Brown (the color of light chocolate milk), Turquoise Green, Cadet Blue (a sort of Navy Blue), Petal Pink, and Canary Yellow. Woodtone Brown and Cadet Blue are not very popular colors. Cadet Blue is gone by 1957 and Woodtone brown is replaced by Coppertone in the early 60's

1955-1956
Frigidaire adds Mayfair Pink and Sheffield Gray to its color palette for the 1956 line of appliances/ Maytag washers and dryers become available in Pasteltone Pink, Green, and Yellow, Kelvinator produces 8 new colors, Bermuda Pink, Spring Green, Fern Green, Dawn Gray, Sand Beige, Buttercup Yellow, Harvest Yellow, and Lagoon Blue, non of which are all that popular. The majority of these colors were dropped sometime around 1960 and replaced with the standard pink, turquoise, and yellow colors. It is also around this time that stainless steel appliances start to make their debut...especially in the new field of built in appliances range, oven fridge etc.).

1957
Frigidaire replaces Sheffield Gray with Charcoal Gray on its new Sheer Look line of appliances. This color is not at all popular and is discontinued after 1960

1958
Frigidaire replaces Sherwood Green and Stratford Yellow with Turqouise and Sunny Yellow (which is a more pastel Yellow)

1959
Frigidaire introduces Aztec Copper to its line of appliances and this color will eventually become know as Coppertone or Copper Brown and be offered all the way into the early 1980's

1963-1965
The number of companies offering Pink, Mint Green, and Yellow appliances have dwindled while the hot colors of the early 1960s are Copper Brown and Turquoise. About this time Frigidaire offers a color called Honey Beige which is lighter than Aztec Copper. Also about this time Whirlpool offers a very rare color on certain RCAWhirlpool and Sears Kenmore models that is very similar to the Woodtone Brown GE had offered a decade earlier, it is called Doeskin and is not very popular and is dropped rather quickly.

1966
GE introduces a new color just in time to go with the Danish modern look of the late 1960s.....Avocado. Maytag offers Turquoise for the last time on its redesigned Washpower automatics. RCA Whirlpool adds 2 more rare colors to their color pallet, Edged Fawn and Edged Sapphire. These to colors do not last long and are gone circa 1968

1967-1968
Around this time, Frigidaire also introduces its line of Fashion Colors which consists of Matador Red, Biscayne Blue, Tahitian Green, and what could be considered an early version of almond called Autumn Haze. Maytag appliances are offered in Cordoba Copper Spanish Avocado and Castillian Yellow. Castillian Yellow is replaced circa 1968 with California Gold (aka Harvest Gold). GE introduces another new color called Harvest (GE never called it Harvest Gold) which becomes available in the Spring of 1968.

Circa 1970
Frigidaire introduces the color poppy on its appliances

1971-1976
No major changes are made in colors during this period

1977
All the appliance manufactures get together through the American Home Appliance Manufactures Association [AHAM ] and agree on new colors that all match from brand to brand. GE is the first to introduce them and calles these colors the New Naturals. The colors are named, Onyx, Coffee, Harvest Wheat, Fresh Avocado, Snow, and a brand new color is added and is called Almond. These colors are more vivid then their predecessors and GE advertises The New Naturals in a huge campaign in all the "home magazines" of the day.

Early to late 1980's
Copper Brown and Avocado start to fall by the wayside as the favorite colors of the early 80s seems to be Almond and what is now known as Harvest Gold. During this time GE and Whirlpool experiment with a light brown/beige color that Whirlpool calls toast and GE calls Sand, as well as a silver/gray color that Whirlpool calls Platinum and GE calls Silver. Both of these colors prove not to be too popular and they are dropped after a few years. Also in the mid 80's Whirlpool starts offering the top of the line Lady Kenmore washers and dryers in black.


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Post# 691033 7/21/2013 at 21:16 (3,924 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)
Checkrate/Likes I know the available and popular colors in the late 50's / early 60's were Pink, White and Turquoise...............

Post# 691035 , Reply# 1 7/21/2013 at 21:21 (3,924 days old) by classiccaprice (Hampton, Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes *you forgot my favorite!* Yellow (it's next to your pink pick) I want to say there was a brown... But I could be wrong!

Post# 691036 , Reply# 2 7/21/2013 at 21:22 (3,924 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)
Checkrate/Likes *But...........* When (what year) did they start offering Sunny Yellow as part of the available color options? Was it available at the same time as the other colors or was it introduced later? For example, was it available in 1962? Thanks!

Post# 691037 , Reply# 3 7/21/2013 at 21:26 (3,924 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *you forgot my favorite!* No I did't forget it... the timer went off and I had to get the pizza out of the oven! LOL

Post# 691039 , Reply# 4 7/21/2013 at 21:33 (3,924 days old) by classiccaprice (Hampton, Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes *lol* To clarify, someone once told me there was a rare woodtone (I.e. Brown), but I've yet to see it. I look forward to the other answers to this thread.

Post# 691041 , Reply# 5 7/21/2013 at 21:45 (3,924 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes *Brown* Here's one that RCD snagged quite some time ago:

Post# 691043 , Reply# 6 7/21/2013 at 21:56 (3,924 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes That brown is not as rich and deep as the shaded coppertone in later 606/086 models.

Post# 691045 , Reply# 7 7/21/2013 at 22:15 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Here is a cut sheet with the FIRST Maytag color appliances from 1955. These are basically the same colors that GE unveiled in 1954 and Frigidaire in 1955.

Post# 691047 , Reply# 8 7/21/2013 at 22:16 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes By 1958 the color pallet had changed to the following:

Post# 691053 , Reply# 13 7/21/2013 at 22:29 (3,924 days old) by StrongEnough78 (California)
Checkrate/Likes *Hey RP2813* I was trying to find the original thread to that brown Maytag. Which one is it?

Post# 691069 , Reply# 16 7/21/2013 at 23:36 (3,924 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes Sorry, I saved that photo of RCD's brown machine when the related thread first ran. You would have to use the Searchalator or sift through RCD's posts to locate the thread now.

Post# 691078 , Reply# 18 7/22/2013 at 01:15 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
*This post has been removed by the member who posted it.*

Post# 691372 , Reply# 21 7/23/2013 at 10:12 (3,922 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)
Checkrate/Likes Mark: THANK YOU for all the chronological Maytag color information, that is awesome and I really appreciate it! I have NEVER seen a washer or dryer in that Pastel Green color. Does anyone here have one??? Pat: Thank you......... for all the GE and Frigidaire color info. Vern (and Ralph): Here it is from 3 1/2 years ago: http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?26327 Kevin

Post# 691048 , Reply# 9 7/21/2013 at 22:18 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes 1961 is the first year I see any mention of Coppertone. The brochure states that "Coppertone must be ordered directly from the factory in Newton." By 1962 these were colors in the brochure:

Post# 691049 , Reply# 10 7/21/2013 at 22:22 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes I'm not certain at what point plain Coppertone became "Shaded Coppertone". But by the introduction of the Washpower Automatics in 1966 this was the color scheme:

Post# 691050 , Reply# 11 7/21/2013 at 22:24 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes By 1968 the color schema took on a decidedly "Spanish" theme!!!

Post# 691051 , Reply# 12 7/21/2013 at 22:25 (3,924 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes I believe when Avocado came along, was about the time the darker, richer coppertone I've seen was released. Used to have a coworker in Houston (1980-1985)_ whose family had said 606 pair. I'd just go and stare at the breaqutiful deep shaded coppertone.

Post# 691054 , Reply# 14 7/21/2013 at 22:29 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes By 1970, Castillian Yellow had been dropped in favor of shaded "California Gold"

Post# 691061 , Reply# 15 7/21/2013 at 22:46 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes After that, nothing really changed until the industry-wide standardization 1977-ish. At that point ALL shading was dropped. That was also about the time Almond made its debut and Coppertone and Avocado gradually went away. I know that Kenmore offered Coppertone AND Avocado longer than Maytag did. By the introduction of the Maytag 10 series in 1980 your only Maytag options were white, almond and harvest.

Post# 691075 , Reply# 17 7/22/2013 at 01:03 (3,924 days old) by appliguy (Oakton Va.)
Checkrate/Likes *These are basically the same colors that GE unveiled in 1954* Actually Mark you got it backwards Frigidaire came out with colors in 1954 and GE in January of 1955. here is a history of color appliances that I have been working on and updating for a number of years now PAT COFFEY Circa 1950 International Harvester and Caloric start offering different colored handles on their fridges and ranges respectively to give the woman of the house a choice of accent colors to harmonize with the color of her kitchen. Late 1953-1954 Frigidaire introduces the first appliances in colors. You can choose Stratford Yellow, Sherwood Green, or White. January 1955 GE introduces 5 new colors for their appliances, Woodtone Brown (the color of light chocolate milk), Turquoise Green, Cadet Blue (a sort of Navy Blue), Petal Pink, and Canary Yellow. Woodtone Brown and Cadet Blue are not very popular colors. Cadet Blue is gone by 1957 and Woodtone brown is replaced by Coppertone in the early 60's 1955-1956 Frigidaire adds Mayfair Pink and Sheffield Gray to its color palette for the 1956 line of appliances/ Maytag washers and dryers become available in Pasteltone Pink, Green, and Yellow, Kelvinator produces 8 new colors, Bermuda Pink, Spring Green, Fern Green, Dawn Gray, Sand Beige, Buttercup Yellow, Harvest Yellow, and Lagoon Blue, non of which are all that popular. The majority of these colors were dropped sometime around 1960 and replaced with the standard pink, turquoise, and yellow colors. It is also around this time that stainless steel appliances start to make their debut...especially in the new field of built in appliances range, oven fridge etc.). 1957 Frigidaire replaces Sheffield Gray with Charcoal Gray on its new Sheer Look line of appliances. This color is not at all popular and is discontinued after 1960 1958 Frigidaire replaces Sherwood Green and Stratford Yellow with Turqouise and Sunny Yellow (which is a more pastel Yellow) 1959 Frigidaire introduces Aztec Copper to its line of appliances and this color will eventually become know as Coppertone or Copper Brown and be offered all the way into the early 1980's 1963-1965 The number of companies offering Pink, Mint Green, and Yellow appliances have dwindled while the hot colors of the early 1960s are Copper Brown and Turquoise. About this time Frigidaire offers a color called Honey Beige which is lighter than Aztec Copper. Also about this time Whirlpool offers a very rare color on certain RCAWhirlpool and Sears Kenmore models that is very similar to the Woodtone Brown GE had offered a decade earlier, it is called Doeskin and is not very popular and is dropped rather quickly. 1966 GE introduces a new color just in time to go with the Danish modern look of the late 1960s.....Avocado. Maytag offers Turquoise for the last time on its redesigned Washpower automatics. RCA Whirlpool adds 2 more rare colors to their color pallet, Edged Fawn and Edged Sapphire. These to colors do not last long and are gone circa 1968 1967-1968 Around this time, Frigidaire also introduces its line of Fashion Colors which consists of Matador Red, Biscayne Blue, Tahitian Green, and what could be considered an early version of almond called Autumn Haze. Maytag appliances are offered in Cordoba Copper Spanish Avocado and Castillian Yellow. Castillian Yellow is replaced circa 1968 with California Gold (aka Harvest Gold). GE introduces another new color called Harvest (GE never called it Harvest Gold) which becomes available in the Spring of 1968. Circa 1970 Frigidaire introduces the color poppy on its appliances 1971-1976 No major changes are made in colors during this period 1977 All the appliance manufactures get together through the American Home Appliance Manufactures Association [AHAM ] and agree on new colors that all match from brand to brand. GE is the first to introduce them and calles these colors the New Naturals. The colors are named, Onyx, Coffee, Harvest Wheat, Fresh Avocado, Snow, and a brand new color is added and is called Almond. These colors are more vivid then their predecessors and GE advertises The New Naturals in a huge campaign in all the "home magazines" of the day. Early to late 1980's Copper Brown and Avocado start to fall by the wayside as the favorite colors of the early 80s seems to be Almond and what is now known as Harvest Gold. During this time GE and Whirlpool experiment with a light brown/beige color that Whirlpool calls toast and GE calls Sand, as well as a silver/gray color that Whirlpool calls Platinum and GE calls Silver. Both of these colors prove not to be too popular and they are dropped after a few years. Also in the mid 80's Whirlpool starts offering the top of the line Lady Kenmore washers and dryers in black.

Post# 691079 , Reply# 19 7/22/2013 at 01:25 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks for clearing that up. Here's a 1954 Frigidaire ad showing their new color line-up This post was last edited 07/22/2013 at 01:43

Post# 691082 , Reply# 20 7/22/2013 at 01:47 (3,924 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes And a 1955 GE ad showing and touting their new color array...

Post# 691405 , Reply# 22 7/23/2013 at 14:16 (3,922 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes *Mark:* "But by the introduction of the Washpower Automatics in 1966 this was the color scheme:" Do you have any idea how incomplete my life feels without finding a Turquoise 906 pair? ;)

Post# 691409 , Reply# 23 7/23/2013 at 14:48 (3,922 days old) by alr2903 (TN)
Checkrate/Likes Turquoise, went to the commercial stable of appliance color. Speed queen had Turq. washers in the 1970's as well as the apple green color, white and orange. alr

Post# 691413 , Reply# 24 7/23/2013 at 15:08 (3,922 days old) by StrongEnough78 (California)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks Kevin!

Post# 691429 , Reply# 25 7/23/2013 at 15:56 (3,922 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Sandy, I'm guessing that there may have been a few Turquoise 906s made. Actually, all you would have to do is get a set of operational 906 control panels, sneak into Don's basement some night and PRESTO! A pair of Turquoise 906s!

Post# 691465 , Reply# 26 7/23/2013 at 18:04 (3,922 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Mark:* "....sneak into Don's basement some night...." Even if I didn't drown in the moat, the crocodiles would get me. ;)

Post# 691468 , Reply# 27 7/23/2013 at 18:17 (3,922 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )
*This post has been removed by the member who posted it.*

Post# 691469 , Reply# 28 7/23/2013 at 18:19 (3,922 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )
*This post has been removed by the member who posted it.*

Post# 691482 , Reply# 29 7/23/2013 at 21:57 (3,922 days old) by NEWVISTA58 (Northern NJ)
Checkrate/Likes *WHILE COLORS ARE BEING DISCUSSED....* I just wanted to throw a reminder out that I'm still looking for a Washer & Dryer, 1963 or Earlier, in Light Yellow or a Turquoise Set. I have a set of White Maytags A702S & DE700. I'd really appreciate knowing if anyone comes across a pair for sale, or is looking to part with a set. Thanks All. Louis

Post# 691484 , Reply# 30 7/23/2013 at 22:08 (3,922 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Sandy, there is also the electrified barbed wire and land mines... And then you have to drag the machines up those damned stairs!!!

Post# 691493 , Reply# 31 7/23/2013 at 23:56 (3,922 days old) by alr2903 (TN)
Checkrate/Likes Kevin thanks for posting a link to the old thread. alr

Post# 691576 , Reply# 32 7/24/2013 at 09:51 (3,921 days old) by lesto (Atlanta)
Checkrate/Likes Sunny yellow was my favorite Maytag color but you don't see nearly as many of those as you do turquoise and pink.