The Nearly Full Story of American Crown Range

What happened to American Crown Range, we asked.  A high end brand which disappeared in the 80's and for the 10 years it was missing from the Manufacturing List, it was never brought to our attention.  Were they bought out, liquidated, or met some other end? We understand that they were makers of 40" ranges with simmer control features on the cooktop burners.  That's a technology we could use now.  We received answers from all over the country.  Here are a few of them: 

• The Patent and Trademark Office lists American Crown as an expired trademark once owned by SCHREIBER ENGINEERING CORP. of South Gate, Calif.   Is this the same Schreiber that distributed Chambers in the 1980s?  If so, it may be that Schreiber was trying to develop and launch their own cooking appliance line under the American Crown name.  Schreiber (the Chambers distributor) went broke in the late 1980s - this might explain why the brand was not around very long.  The trademark application lists the first date of use as May of 1983.  I’ll try to determine when Schreiber went out of business.  I bet an old time California dealer would remember the product….if there are any old timers still around. 

• See photo on ebay.

• From George:
  Your information is correct about Schreiber owning this brand.  Ranges were originally built in Nashville Tn. and the factory burned.  Schreiber bought the patents and some machinery and tried to start their own manufacturing.  I attended an introduction party in Long Beach, their ambition exceeded their grasp. It was highly regarded for it's day.  Luxury brand(?), I suppose it could be considered as such.  I don't know more than what I shared with you.  I would think someone in Nashville would have archives.

• From James:
  In searching for American Crown Range, you might investigate in Nashville, TN. I recall that a company their acquired the old Crown Stove Co. (once based in Cicero, IL) and the range brand Royal Chef. The company went out of business in the mid-1980s when part of the roof of its manufacturing plant collapsed. Schreiber acquired parts of this firm, including the brand names. But the tools-and-dies for Crown ranges were acquired by Roper and may still be in Lafayette, GA plant GE acquired from Roper when that firm went under. If you contact the parts wholesaler API in Alsip, IL, you might ask for Loren Huck, the former national service manager for Crown who has earned a tidy living selling repair parts for Crown ranges, which were very popular in the upper Midwest.

We would like to hear from American Crown survivors:  Lee Kelly, Loren Huck,

• From: 
  Brian J McLaughlin
  Sr. Territory Manager
  Mid-Atlantic Region
  Miele Inc.
  Back in the late 70's and early 80's, I sold a Gas Range line called Crown Stove Works. They were originally manufactured in Cicero Ill. Yes they did make 40" Gas Double oven, double broiler, with 4 or 6 burners. Each burner did offer a small three point "star"; burner in the center for simmering. They also produced a 30" Astrobroiler; range which had the broiler located above the oven. This configuration allowed the end user to bake and broil at the same time. It was also produced with a second oven above the burners (remember Eyelevel ranges?!) The 40"; range sold real well in Black with Nickel Chrome Burner bowls.(Model # 845-242AKGOE). Crown was unique for producing their ranges per order. They were hand assembled and to some extent customizable by the consumers. During the 1976 Bicentennial they even made a 30" range with a red top, white, broiler and blue oven door. Unlike many manufactures at that time, they used electronic Spark Ignition for the ovens instead of Glow Coils Ignitors too. Sometime in the 80's they were sold and moved. They had a tremendous accident which brought the factory assembly area down to the ground and eventually out of business. A photo of the fallen plant was shared with us and the caption read "And then it was gone".  Soon after Gene Carr of Viking walked into our store and we had our next gas double oven on the floor.