Thread Number: 78401  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Another Vintage Montgomery Ward Laundry Ad
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Post# 1024244   2/10/2019 at 19:53 (1,873 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

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Found this on ebay. Interesting that it’s plugging a wringer washer and ironer with an automatic dryer! I guess laundress’ of the day still preferred wringer washing machines versus automatic due to capacity? Any ideas on who the manufacturer was of the washer and dryer?

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Post# 1024257 , Reply# 1   2/10/2019 at 22:26 (1,872 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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"A Ward Home Laundry Saves Time and Money"

 

The font used for that heading looks identical to the last Wards logo before they folded (a little laundry reference).


Post# 1024265 , Reply# 2   2/11/2019 at 00:28 (1,872 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Wards Wasn't Alone

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General Electric and others during same period also promoted wringer (conventional) washers with tumble dryers and ironers.

We've had this discussion in bits and pieces before, but in summation not every housewife wanted or even could have an automatic washing machine. So they used (and or purchased) wringers. Not wanting to lose out on sales appliance manufactures pushed the benefits of a "complete" laundry regardless of washing machine.

Remember many homes even by the 1950's for various reasons couldn't have an automatic washer. Things like water pressure being low (which either required a machine that filled based upon water level sensors, or an adjustable timed fill), lack of on tap (and plentiful) hot water; or cold for that matter. Maybe the home was on a septic system and or otherwise had to watch how much water was consumed and sent down drains as sewage.

For those and a host of other reasons including Her Indoors wanting what she wanted, a wringer washer, those units continued to sell.

Being as this may given the rather weak extraction of even the best wringer washers a tumble dryer was welcomed regardless. It freed wash day from being tied to outdoor weather. This and or saving having to hang all that damp and dripping washing indoors with all the damp and mess that created; not to mention space taken up until the washing dried.

Having a tumble dryer also meant laundry could be done in one day regardless of washing machine type. This instead of waiting hours or maybe a day for things to line dry.

As for the ironer every appliance manufacturer tried their best to foist those machines on housewives. IIRC some members mentioned appliance dealers often sold automatic washing machines (and or dryers) as a package deal; that is you couldn't get one without the other. This is likely why so many ironers saw such low use and have sat sitting ever since.

Much of the need for ironing began to lessen when tumble dryers entered home laundries. More and more housewives simply began taking things from dryer, smoothing, then folding and putting away. This included flatwork such as table and bed linens that formerly always were ironed; well in the best homes anyway.

Things that really needed ironing were men's dress shirts; and many housewives simply sent those out rather than deal with all that washing and ironing every week.


Post# 1024274 , Reply# 3   2/11/2019 at 01:31 (1,872 days old) by abcomatic (Bradford, Illinois)        

Who made wringer washers for Wards? Norge perhaps or GE?


Post# 1024300 , Reply# 4   2/11/2019 at 11:15 (1,872 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Hamilton came out with the automatic dryer in the late 30s, when most homes still had a wringer washer or maybe a washer with spin drier. Easy was not the only brand offering those. But the real market was for a way to dry those clean and quite damp fabrics and the Hamilton dryer filled that niche. WWII halted production of most domestic laundry equipment and after the war, the manufacturers resumed producing the prewar models to meet pent-up demand so while they were working on newer and better they were producing tried (or tired) and true. Lots of wringer washers were sold because of cost, installation costs and logistics for automatics, and availability of both machines and housing. Lots of new families were in temporary rental housing so they went with a wringer washer even if they wanted an automatic. This was they heyday of the kitchen sinks with one bowl much deeper than the other. It was for laundry; for rinsing if you were lucky enough to have a washing machine and for both washing and rinsing if not. The front side of the deep bowl was slanted and ribbed for scrubbing. While waiting for an automatic washer, the Hamilton could fill a great need for many who could afford it and would be lasting far into the future, sitting in perhaps more than one laundry area  and keeping company with perhaps several washing machines.

 

If that picture in the ad is an accurate depiction of the Ward's dryer, it was a Hamilton design.




This post was last edited 02/11/2019 at 13:07
Post# 1024377 , Reply# 5   2/12/2019 at 11:07 (1,871 days old) by golittlesport (California)        
who made the Wards wringer washer?

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Based on the agitator shown in the photo, I believe that wringer washer was made by Apex.


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