62 | JUNE 16 • 2022 

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Blast from the Past
M

oving to a new home, or just 
renovating and need a few 
new appliances? Maybe a 
stove, refrigerator or new cooling sys-
tem? Well, I’ve got some suggestions 
for you from the William Davidson 
Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit 
History.
If you need a new stove or water 
heater, the Detroit City Gas Company 
has the perfect solution 
(assuming that you have 
gas lines to your house 
in 1920): the Citygas 
Garland Special. When 
the advertisement ran in 
the Aug. 6, 1920, issue 
of the Jewish Chronicle,
the company claimed 
that 23,527 gas stoves were in use in 
Detroit, “So, Why Experiment? Need a 
water heater as well, City Gas had the 
KompaK Automatic Gas Heater. Only 
$175 installed, and ‘especially adapted 
to restaurants, hotel, apartment house 
and large barber shop use.’”
Need a fridge? The 1937 Norge 
might be for you. The Schecter 
Furniture Company had the latest 
models as low as $109 (about $2,200 
today). The Norge was “superpowered,” 
had a 10-year warranty and “absolute 
protection against food spoilage” (Sept. 
3, 1937, Chronicle). Hmm — would 
potato salad last forever? 
Need to upgrade your sound system? 
In 1929, Newman-Gornbein Furniture 
Co. had a wide selection of radios. 
This is an interesting ad since it was 
published only seven years after WJR 
began the first radio programming 
in Detroit (Dec. 27, 1929, Chronicle). 
Newman-Gornbein’s advertisements 
for Majestic and Zenith Automatic 
Radios (is everything new “automatic” 
in the old days?) also carried important 
messages. The first one suggests that an 
intelligent person “knows what’s going 

on in the world,” and that the way to 
gain such knowledge is “only by use of 
a Majestic radio.” 
Newman-Gornbein also had the 
cure for domestic conflict. Its ad for 
Zenith radios claim that, for a 
constantly quarreling couple, the 
company had “stepped in as a 
peacemaker” with a Zenith radio. 
Obviously, divorce rates would be 
much lower if everyone bought 
Zenith Radios. Hmm — Majestic 
vs. Zenith, world knowledge vs. a 
peacemaker? Tough choice. 
Looking for something smaller? 
The Hadley Finsterwald Co. had 
the answer, and it was “Thrilled-
Packed.” The Admiral Combination 
was an automatic (there’s that word 
again) record player and AM radio, 
in a mahogany finish cabinet with a 
gold French grille. Very swanky and 
only $69.95 (about $800 today) or pay 
$1 weekly (Dec. 31, 1949). 
For another form of entertainment, 
see the Grinnell Brothers. After all, 
“there is no need of being without a 
piano.” Moreover, pianos were mag-
nificent gifts for “the June Bride, the 
Daughter soon to graduate or for the 
Wedding Anniversary.” Apparently, no 
single boys or men allowed.
Perhaps you would just like to cool 
your home? Indeed, “Why Make Faces 
at the Sun?” Get a Hunter Attic Fan 
from Schiller Construction Co. (Aug. 
8, 1955, JN). The guy in the ad does 
look a bit perturbed while the sun is 
grinning at him. 
 
Finally, if all the shopping and mov-
ing of the fridges, stoves and radios 
has tired you out, don’t worry. A 1967 
ad for the Detroit Jewish News had “Just 
what the doctor ordered.” 

Want to learn more?
Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available 
for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

cure for domestic conflict. Its ad for 

Looking for something smaller? 

Packed.” The Admiral Combination 
was an automatic (there’s that word 
again) record player and AM radio, 
in a mahogany finish cabinet with a 
gold French grille. Very swanky and 
only $69.95 (about $800 today) or pay 

For another form of entertainment, 

your home? Indeed, “Why Make Faces 

from Schiller Construction Co. (Aug. 

 
Finally, if all the shopping and mov-

has tired you out, don’t worry. A 1967 

had “Just 

Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available 

