1964 Kirby cost vs competitors at the time

[gardenweasel]

I recently got possession of my grandma's 562 Sanitronic and I have her original receipt! She paid around $240 for the Kirby and all the various attachments including the Handi-Butler. She was not wealthy, and that was an enormous sum for her. I know my grandpa flipped out about it, but she did use the thing exclusively for over 40 years.

I'm wondering, if she had gone and bought a Convertible or a Eureka of the time what would that have cost? I can't find ads that feature prices.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

I know this might require some leg work, but it can be fun and addictive!
This site can search through old newspapers and other documents...
https://texashistory.unt.edu

A quick search found a few hits...
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth518944/m1/6/?q=+date:1963-1965+vacuum+cleaner
You can look in many different documents and search different years or terms, or just browse. Often the OCR will not identify some wording.

I had used this site to help find a Texas family that was in a story on a cassette tape that I had found in the trash back in the early 80's. I succeeded.

Enjoy!

 

[texaskirbyguy]

BTW - congrats on the acquisition of your grandma's Kirby!
They were costly back then, and for a good reason! When not abused, they can last as long as the buyer, with minimal repairs.

My mom still has and uses her Dual Santronic 50 that she got back in 1965 or so.
She has the receipt and original manual as well but I cannot remember the price though...
I restored it for her a few years back. A vacuum for life it was, and still is!

 

[bnsd60m9200]

the model 69 convertible was what was out in 1962 (part of a run from 1961-64) and well over half a million were sold. the selling price was $94.95 then just for the cleaner. A toolset was another $22

Will Hemb

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Very true.

Sometimes, you could get a sale.  My father bought a Convertible, model 67 in May of 1961, $84.00.


 


I was lucky to buy a Convertible, model 1076, July of 1975, clearance, $59.99 = $63.00 with tax.


 

 

[eurekaprince]

In 1956, the Eureka Super Automatic upright was selling for $90. Optional hose and tool kit cost extra.

I imagine the Eureka Super Automatic 260 was selling for about $100 by the early 1960’s.

 

[human]

Yeah, $240 was a lot of money back then, but your grandma got more than 40 years of use from it, so that equates to less than $6 a year, not including any maintenance and repair costs. When you consider that high end vacuum cleaners like Kirby and Electrolux were designed to last a lifetime or more, the total cost of ownership was pretty reasonable. It is a shame and a crime that our society has become so addicted to easy disposability these days, especially given the associated environmental costs.

 

[tylerhawkins84]

So True Human

The younger generation liberals are all about preserving the environment while they fill up the landfills faster than any previous generation. Such stupidity and hypocrisy!

 

[martin187]

Politics

Not sure why we need to bring liberal/conservative talk into this, this is about the cost of a vacuum in 1964.

 

[gardenweasel]

Thanks all!

And for the politics comment: what? Nobody asked.

 

[dysonman1]

In 1964, an Electrolux model G with the power nozzle was right at $200 plus tax. A Filter Queen model 31 was $189. A Compact C-6 was $229. The Fairfax S-1 was $199. A chrome dome Rainbow was $220. So the Kirby was in its correct price point given it has all the attachments.