A Bonanza of Kirby Photos!

[charles~richard]

Maybe these photos will warm the cold hearts of those who loathe Kirbys. Just look at the gleaming aluminum and big puffy bags!

To those who LOVE Kirbys, I am of course "preaching to the choir."

Enjoy, either way...!

 

[briankirbyclass]

Thank you Charles Richard,,,those were great! I think i recgonized the 516 and is one of them a 518 or 519? What are all of the models pictured?

Love the DS50! Infact, i receintly aquired one,after several years of looking (Thanks Chad in KC!),,,and its going off to the factory for a rebuild,,,cant wait to get it back!
Ive been kicking myself for many years for having given away Grandma's beloved DS50,,now im back in business!

 

[mihi]

What a fantastic set of photo's!!!
And man you have a beautiful place.

 

[louvac]

Charlie.....

What is the model of the Kirby in the 7th and 9th pictures that is in front of the chair with pink hearts? We had a Kirby model 514 and I recall that it had that bag rather than the blue-gray speckled bag. What IS the correct bag for model 514?

 

[charles~richard]

Okay, I just did what I should have done in the first place -- added model numbers onto the photos. If you don't see a number on each picture, then refresh the page.

Those who may not know a lot about Kirbys may say, "Well, I don't see any difference between the 516, 517, 518, 519, 560, and 561..." And there is some truth to that; the differences are sometimes subtle and largely consist of aesthetic changes or slight improvements or enhancements to attachments; or in some cases the way certain parts or features were made.

I don't think Kirby's intent, really, was to roll out a new machine each year; rather, it's more likely that each successive year the model number was changed to reflect the year of manufacture.



http://137.com/kirby

 

[hygiene903]

Beautiful Kirbys, Charles!!

Thanks for sharing the photos. Some of them I've seen before in your website, but others are new to me. But they are all beautiful machines! Makes me want to get one of mine out and run it!
I noticed that some of the earlier ones didn't have the bag guard where the bag attaches to the sani-emptor and was wondering what model did they start putting the guard on? My 512 doesn't have a bag guard either.
Jeff

 

[normvac]

Charlie I love the Kirbys but am wondering who's wonderful Palm Springs mid century ranch and pool is in the 516 pictures. I recognize your apt surrounds on the inside pics.
Inquiring minds and interior designers notice these things !
Norm

 

[charles~richard]

Jeff, the first model with a bag guard was the 516, the first machine with the new, more-streamlined-design motor housing. It was also the company's 25th anniversary model.

Norm, the mid-century house and 516 belong to collector Rick Wilson of Palm Springs.

 

[charles~richard]

To Louvac, the 513 and 514 had the same bag - the one where the "K" and "Y" of "Kirby" come down the front of the bag in a long point and meet at the bottom. The 515 bag's logo was the same, but the bag had a "speckled" pattern as well. (Note that the speckling is slightly different than the later post-516 series.)

 

[tolivac]

BEAUTIFUL!!!EXCELLENT!!

 

[camelotshadow]

I'm partial to the 505
Black & silver
Its classic classy

The D50 tugs on my heart strings

512 & 513
glorious gray bags


That pool & ranch house
ooooh thats the life!

 

[briankirbyclass]

Thank you so much for posting these,,,i love the 500 series,,,they are so classy and elegant looking.

 

[normvac]

Thanks Charlie, Inquiring minds just need to know those sort of things. LOL!
Norm