1960's Shetland Lewyt Vacuums

[collector2]

Just working on updating the pictures of some of the Shetland-Lewyt machines in my collection so I thought I'd post some (and see if anyone has any extra parts to complete some of them)

First off the model 2190 - I'm missing the standard rug nozzle for this one - when I got it they had bought the optional vibra beat nozzle for it and didnt know what they had done with the regular rug nozzle. (The grey floor brush is original, not sure why they didnt use white for it but I have seen quite a few of these colour machines with the grey nozzle)

 

[collector2]

Next the model 2195 from 1968. This one is complete

 

[collector2]

Model 2812 - I actually need the dusting brush for this one. Stole the one from another machine for the picture - anyone have a spare? I was lucky enough to get the small nozzle and floor brush from a friend in Winnipeg last fall.

 

[collector2]

Model 2372. I've never even seen the rest of the parts for this machine. Need the rug nozzle, dusting brush, crevice tool and floor brush? (I dont know if there was a matching one or if it should be grey)

 

[normvac]

Great Pictures

Doug
A Friend of mine had the first one you showed. Probably 20 + years ago.
I got it back in running order. Then a couple of years later I got him
a Royal Can Vac. I think he still has it ! Sorry but not the Lewyt -
Shetland.
Norm

 

[collector2]

LOL Norm - ask her if she still has any of the parts kicking around.

 

[eurekaprince]

Love the dusting brush with the white bristles! I know American Electrolux also offered brushes with white bristles...

They kind of make you feel that they won't harm surfaces as much as the dark bristles would. Any idea what they are made of? Horsehair?

 

[collector2]

Hey Brian:

Most of the Shetland Lewyts had the white bristle brushes. They are a sinthetic of some sort though as I have seen them melted from cleaning radiators.

Doug

 

[eurekaprince]

Haha!!! . Melted dusting brush bristles! Sounds like a rock band!

Too bad they are synthetic - they look so soft.... :-(

 

[chan55]

Shetland

When did Shetland and Lewyt combine? When did they die?
Did they ever make uprights other then the broom vacs?

 

[collector2]

Hey John:

Problems with the way the power was delivered to the power nozzle on the models 111 and 121 caused a large number of lawsuits which bankrupted the company in 1961 and caused the assets to be sold off. The Shetland corporation bought the rights to the Lewyt name and some of the assets/patents including those for the parts. At the same time Holland Electro bought the patent rights for the big wheels machines. To my knowledge they produced machines under the Lewyt name until the late 80's.

In 1973-74 there were two of the Singer made uprights sold under the Lewyt name.

Doug

 

[eurekaprince]

I also seem to remember that the Smith Corona Marchand company (SCM) - the maker of typewriters - had the rights to the Lewyt name sometime in the 1970's. I don't know if they bought the Shetland Company, or if they just bought the rights to the Lewyt name. I remember that SCM Lewyt marketed what they called a self-serviceable modular canister vacuum that could easily be taken apart by the owner in order to replace used or damaged parts.

 

[collector2]

I had forgotten about that. Tried looking it up but all it says is that SMC bought Proctor Silex in 1971 as part of an expansion program. It would stand to reason that they might have bought out the Shetland Corp around the same time. That was also about the time that the style of machine radically changed again. I'll have to look into this more.

 

[eurekaprince]

Yes indeed Doug. Right when I began seeing SCM Lewyt vacs, I also remember seeing SCM Procter Silex kitchen appliances like mixers and toasters. The same logo for the letters SCM were used on both lines of appliances.

 

[eurekaprince]

Eureka!!! I found it!

Apparently, SCM acquired Proctor-Silex in 1966 and Shetland-Lewyt in 1967. Which means they got the rights to the Lewyt vacuum name at the time. These SCM Lewyts took on that distinctive "Eureka" canister look with the top side tool carrier. The fascinating history can be read at this link:




http://www.toaster.org/proctorhistory4.html

 

[chan55]

Lewyt

Very interesting stuff i have always had the feeling that Proctor Silex products were not made very well. Maybe in the old days they were, but not later versions. I remember my parents having a PS toaster back in the 70's and from day one every time it popped up, it got stuck, and would let out this horrible buzz that sounded like an alarm clock. You would then have to lift up the lever to save the toast or it would burn. They had that thing until they died!

There new products, coffee makers, irons, etc. seem very lightweight. They are always very low priced too.

When did the last Shetland Lewyt vac appear in the USA? Did I miss that part?

 

[eurekaprince]

John...it seems that when Lewyt lost those lawsuits in the early 1960's (due to a dangerous design for their latest power nozzle vacs), the Shetland company bought whatever was left of the Lewyt assets. Shetland had been making floor buffers and scrubbers and polishers up until that time. I think the link above states that Shetland bought Lewyt in 1962, then Smith Corona Marchanf bought Shetland in 1967.

 

[collector2]

Interesting- That was a piece of the history I hadnt seen before

 

[eurekaprince]

It would be fun to do a vacuum cleaner Jeopardy game at one of the conventions! We'd call one category "Corporate Takeovers"!!!!! (eg. "The year that Shetland bought Lewyt". or "The year that Matsushita bought the Whirlpool vacuum factory in Danville Kentucky"..