Hubley's Cast Iron Toy Ovens

Monday, April 15, 2013

Hubley's Cast Iron Toy Ovens

   I remember in the 1960's when there would be children's advertisements on toys for toy ovens. By then the ovens were plastic. I think some of them were electric or battery-operated, so the cooking labs at the companies must have invented special recipes to have children bake their pies and cupcakes at low temperatures. However, I later rad that there was a recall of these ovens because something had happened that might cause young children to get burned! 

   The reason I mentioned the plastic ovens is because, toy ovens go way back in terms of having been made for children.  I'd seen toy cast iron toy ovens before, but never looked at them closely. Yesterday however, I decided to, and there were very nice. I decided to present for today's post, just the Hubley company's toy ovens.  Of course, the other companies manufactured them, and perhaps, I'll write another post, but for today, Hubley appears on the marquis (the sign at the entrance to movie and Broadway play theatres). 

   What fascinated me most, was not the fact that cast iron ovens were manufactured, but that they were made so realistically, and with so many parts! And what even more fascinating, is that they still survive today. Yet even after 100 years, the value for these Hubley cast irons is not extravagant as far as buying one! The Arcade and Kenton  cast ovens seem to receive higher final bids, but that's a story for another day. 

     I have to tell you something "funny". When I first came upon the first image of one of these ovens, the description did not identify the manufacture. So, I naturally started the search for the "Eagle" company. I looked and looked, but to no avail! Then, on my last selection for today, the description identified the toy as a Hubley. I felt a bit silly, and should have known that perhaps there wasn't or isn't an Eagle toy manufacturing company!

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Most of today's  presentations are small - measuring  5 1/2" - 9 1/2" in height or 140mm - 242mm.

If a child had a large enough doll house, this toy might fit in the kitchen, along with the other appliances such as an icebox.

I left the above photo remain on a blue background. Sometimes Photoshop is not that easy to work with,and I was having to spend to much time trying to remove the blue. IN the ned I let the blue remain,because I hope that it will attract your attention. This "toy" is 22 1/2" or .571M wide!

These ovens are cast iron and most are nickel-plated. Some also came with piping for the smoke. I wonder if they were actually ever used, especially this very large one!

I even like the accessories that still survive to this day.

I'll have to research the date of this particular Eagle brand oven. I'm quite sure the finish informs me that this was a model made much later than the 1900'1910 era. The baked enamel. the smooth finish,  and the simpler design would appear to indicate a later-era manufacture. Also, if I'm not mistaken, I'd say this was a gas stove.

   Whoa! Now that's an oven I would have liked to have had way back in my house, had I lived way back and could afford such a beautiful oven. I'm not sure of the real ones were ever made with copper finishes, and if they were they would have been a reach job to clean.

   I like to cook and my wife and I alternate cooking days, although to be honest lately, I've been lazy, and she does most of the cooking. We just bought new electrical appliances, including an oven.It has a glass top with those fancy electrical heating elements. Honestly, they don't work as well as the older circular elements., and the glass is a real task to clean! I accidentally made a mess one day on the countertop, and thought I'd wipe it up with a J-Cloth! Was that a mistake to use a J-Cloth on a hot glass element. The material (I assume synthetic) melted and it took me 3 hours to finally clean it. 

   If you're a man or woman, I'm sure you must know how clean you're wife likes her kitchen to be.

I was sweating when my wife Heidi came home that day, after the mishap. FOr sure I thought she'd say something like "what did you do to the countertop?" However, the job that I did was so good, I passed the test after I told her!

   One last thing. We don't have gas at the end of our street. To connect gas to our house would cost $ 1500.00, unless I could convince several other people to do the same. The reason that I mention gas, is that for myself, it truly is the best heat source to cook with. Also whenever I go to a nearby high-end appliance store, I always am attracted to those beautiful Wolf ovens or the French ones!

Of course, spending $10,000.00 - $ 20,000.00 on an oven won't happen in my lifetime! 

Thanks for dropping by to read my blog.

And as always, have a fgreat part of the day,

wherever you may be right now.

Stacey