2 speed Royal 259 !!!

[kenkart]

Since some of our younger members may have never seen one of these....

 

[kenkart]

side view

The castings are different on this ,the rug nozzle is cast with the fan housing, not 2 pieces as all Royals since.

 

[kenkart]

Bottom view

Brass covered brushroll!

 

[kenkart]

rear

same micrometric height adjustment as most Royals.

 

[kenkart]

Two speed!

Slow and Slower! LOL, but like all Royals, it cleans well,but is much heavier than say a 801 or an 880, I bought this from Roger Proehl,one of the first people I met in the vccc.Agreat friend and fine gentleman.

 

[electrolux~137]

That's a real beauty -- I've always wondered why Royal didn't stick to that design. It's certainly far lovelier than the exposed-motor idea which they cling to, to this very day, which really gives the machine a primitive appearance.

Stan Kann had one of these, too.

 

[kenkart]

I think!

They got away from this because of weight,this thing is about as heavy as a Kirby!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Hans, could you please give me a close-up of the nameplate on this machine?

~Ben

 

[vac_whisperer]

That brass brushroll must offer some serious agitation! Nice vac!

VW

 

[kenkart]

Brass brushroll..

Actually it is not much different from any Royal, except it had horsehair instead of nylon bristles, ... I will try to get a nameplate pic.if I can get it to focus.

 

[vac_whisperer]

How good of agitation does it have? I have a 1996 panasonic performance plus. It has a metal brushroll and the agitation is GREAT.

VW

 

[kenkart]

Not very..

Agressive, it cleans well, but dosen't really tear up the nap like a Eureka Disturbulator will.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I believe this is a post-war-era model (c. 1945-50) and before the time of the Korean War (1950-53).

~Ben

 

[hygiene903]

That's A Beautiful 259, Hans!

I'm thinking it was the top of the line model that sold next to the 189 (midrange) and 153 (economy). The bag looks just like the ones on my 189 and 153. Front cover plate looks like the one on my 189, too.
I think Ben is close on the dates, but it could have been built as late as 1951 or 52. I know my 189 was built in 1946, as when I was working on it I noticed the month and year were stamped on the armature. However, it doesn't have the fancy motor housing like yours.
Jeff

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

How many of you remember another version of the red and black bag, where on the black portion it says "R-O-Y-A-L" in red and the crown logo is on the red portion, the two portions separated by a vertical silver stripe?

This motif was briefly brought back in the mid '60s on models 602, 603, 801 and 880, for by 1967 the motif changed (esp. on the 880) to a light blue denim bag, with R-O-Y-A-L (lettering still red) with a big crown logo on top of all that.

~Ben

 

[kenkart]

259

I am not sure but I believe the 259 was made as far back as 1937, I have an old ad somewhere.