c1947 Roper Range

Tale of a Vintage Stove

On the eve of one of my biggest kitchen remodel-related purchases, I thought it only appropriate to share the story of my vintage, circa 1947, Roper range which, sadly, I will need to part with soon. I love, love, love my vintage stove, but at 40 inches wide it just won’t work in the new space.  Prior to moving to this home I had heard of the more popular vintage appliance brands – Wedgewood, Chambers, and O’Keefe & Merritt, to name a few.  But, I’d never heard of Roper before.  I did some research and learned that Ropers were one of the most popular ovens around in the early- to mid-1900s. The Ropers of the 1940s and 1950s were characterized by side-by-side doors (no windows) with one side being the oven and the other side being storage for pots and pans. The broiler was at the bottom, with the opposite side bottom being convenient storage for cookie sheets and muffin pans. My particular model has four burners in a staggered arrangement, and I love that there is plenty of room to set additional stuff on top, like the bowl of chopped veggies I need to toss into the pan after the onions and garlic have sautéed in oil for the appropriate period of time. 

History lesson of the day: Recently, in anticipation of the kitchen remodel, I had the range appraised and the company that performed the appraisal provided some history of the Roper Company within its report:

“Born during a difficult time in our nation’s history, George D. Roper lost his left arm in a train accident when he was just a child.  Though his future may have looked grim, Roper wasn’t about to let the incident keep him from being successful.  In 1857, Roper bought half interest in the Van Wie Gas Company of Springfield, IL and by 1894 became sole owner.  Less than two weeks later, though, the company burned to the ground.  Still determined, Roper rebuilt and renamed the company the Eclipse Gas Stove Company.  His business grew and eventually incorporated a fluid pumps division in the early 1900s.  In 1919, Roper restructured the business as the George D. Roper Corporation.  With gas stove production growing, Roper expanded into many other home related goods.  Roper’s kitchen appliance division held the public spotlight for the next several decades while the pump division grew steadily in the shadows.  In 1957 the Florence Stove Company acquired Roper and restructured under George D. Roper Corp.  The pump division was moved to Commerce, GA at that time.  Roper’s growth continued in numerous markets with the majority of their stoves being sold to Sears.  In 1981 during a leveraged buyout, the pump division of Roper became a private company known as Roper Industries and it continues to operate today.  In 1988 after a huge price war, GE acquired the manufacturing facilities of Roper and Whirlpool acquired the rights to the Roper name.  The brand continues as a subsidiary of Whirlpool to this day.”


I learned something else in the appraisal report. Namely, that my range has a pair of integrated porcelain salt and pepper shakers, something I had heretofore not had a clue about. Apparently, it was quite normal for older stoves to have this feature of convenience for the home chef. How cool is that?

Integrated salt and pepper shakers (in the non-working timer)

I had the oven’s ignition replaced a few years ago and was told by the technician that I should never get rid of it.  After all, he said, they don’t make them like they used to and 60 years from now none of the stoves being sold today will still be in use.  I have no doubt.  I also don’t follow instructions very well. So, off I go tomorrow to Pacific Sales where I will purchase energy efficient appliances, including a 30-inch wide slide in gas range.  The “mother earth” in me says this is the right thing to do in the long run. Sigh. Good-bye Roper range. It was great while the relationship lasted.

P.S. If you or anyone you know is in the market for an antique Roper range, give me a call. I’ve got a deal to make with you. J