“Kitchen Range,” David Ramage, c. 1940. National Gallery of Art
Image Citation. https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.27043.html.
Vintage ovens did not have temperature gauges like they do now, and even older methods of cooking involved continued mediation of a wood-fueled fire.
Here are the conversions from the vintage terms for heat to the modern measurements.
| Vintage | Modern |
| Very Slow | 250° – 275° Fahrenheit |
| Slow | 300° – 325° Fahrenheit |
| Moderate | 350° – 375° Fahrenheit |
| Moderately Hot | 400° Fahrenheit |
| Hot | 425° Fahrenheit |
| Very Hot | 450° – 475° Fahrenheit |
These are not hard and fast guidelines, but they generally represent the parameters for the vague vintage language.
Sources
https://www.joyofbaking.com/OvenTemperatures.html
http://www.circlecity.co.uk/kitchen/conversions/gasmark_temperatures.php