They might be a lot of work but these brilliant little Hostess range really are a thing to behold. These ranges would have been fitted to the vast majority of travelling wagons and van for both the showmen and gypsies of the late 19th/ early 20th century. This examples dates from circa 1920 and now restoration is complete it will be returned to its original van
We have just completed the restoration and installation of this fantastic New Gold Medal Eagle Range. It is original to the building, dating from circa 1920 and removed by our team two years ago when the work at Hinton House formally began. We successfully lit a fire in the grate for the first time in probably in excess of 70 years and it drew perfectly. Very pleased with this one.
Here is a picture our client at Gressenhall Museum and Workhouse sent us after they had put back all the period decorations on the kitchen range we restored for them a short while ago. This range is used regularly when the museum is open and I’m told they even teach visiting schools how to cook on it!
And here’s another beautiful Hostess No35 from a 1930s showman’s van. You can’t get much posher than this! We completed a full restoration on this including new casting, vitroeus enamel and nickel plating. A picture speaks a thousand words comes to mind.
Here is an image of the sand mould that has been prepared by packing the sand around the wooden pattern that we prepared a short while ago. The mould will now be closed and and liquid iron poured into the cavity that has been left and so producing the required iron casting for this project.
Here is an interesting closed range dating from circa 1910 but installed in an 18th century property in Kirkby Lonsdale. A huge amount of work was required to bring this range back to working order but we were extremely pleased to light tbe fire on the last day we were there and see the chimney puffing away for the first time in at least half a century.
This is one of our largest restorations to date. It is a fantastic examples of a 1920s kitchen range and was one of the most extensive and impressive models available at the time. With art deco styling, extensive polishing, nickel plating, tiles and even walnut oven knobs there is nothing quite like the ‘Wellstood sidelight’. This range has been restored back to fully operational condition and will be in regular use.
We completed the restoration of a nice early 20th c Beetonette Portable Range with high pressure boiler this week. It is now on its way to its new home in Ireland.
