Those Were the Days

In 1949, it seems that developing an optimal floor plan for the kitchen was still in its early stages; only later would people realize that putting the range in the middle of the room was not exactly the best way to go. But that is an insignificant quibble when compared to the many reasons for delight this ad presents. The fashionable ladies—young and matronly alike—are all so politely impressed by the appliance's 'Talking Colors': push-buttons whose hues indicated the temperature of the electric coils. And in an era when gloves were de rigueur, such 'finger-tip controls' were bound to receive a warm welcome.

One feature puzzles me—the 'Raisable 4th Surface Unit', which sounds like a military brigade of sorts. I call upon KBCULTURE readers for enlightenment.