A Couple more Goblins for my collection

[collector2]

I've managed to pick up a couple more Goblins for my collection thanks to ebay and Al.

The first one was even more of a surprise than expected. This is the picture that was on ebay. Its a Goblin model G56 from 1956. Interesting two tone brown isnt it.

The only things missing are the wands and small nozzle (Dont surpose anyone has spares of them?) The wands were plastic so I suspect they were broken long ago.

 

[collector2]

Now the surprise. After spending the night taking the machine appart and scrubbing it down this was the result. Its actuall two tone GREY.

 

[collector2]

The second machine I picked up was a Goblin Model 300B. As you can see it has alot of tiny rust specs on it and the name plates are missing but the parts are like new (dusting brush is missing though). When I get time I'm going to see if I can match the peacock blue on it, sandblast it and repaint it. But thats a future project.

 

[watsonw]

Hello Doug,

Well done, I can remember a 300B, when still in production, being in the window of our local TV/HI-FI shop,around 1973, it seemed to be for sale for a long time; strange how that was the only Goblin they seem to have; well, thinking about it they only stocked a few cleaners and the ELECTRICITY BOARD SHOWROOM was only about 20 seconds along the street!

It was the range entry model with three other cylinder models above it (TOTL:702)a hand cleaner and the upright model 102 (very good): the competitor to the hoover junior model 1354A. All were had the same colour scheme.

Sorry I have no pictures.


Regards, Walter.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Lovely machines, but I was not aware of Goblin using plastic to make the wands. It was something which Electrolux trialled on the bulk of the model 64, and Hotpoint used them too, but it was a rare sight.

 

[collector2]

Hi Walter:

Thanks - it was quite a job getting it clean. Even with the scratches and chips on it its is a very nice looking machine. As far as the 300B goes, its a bit newer than I have been saving but its a good examply of that style, which was typical for the time period. Eventually the dusting brush will turn up.

Hey Benny:

I was very surprised to find out that they were plastic too. The handle on the hose is plastic as well. When I first saw pictures of it I had assumed it was painted metal. Nope!! They mustnt have used them for long though as the model 71 that took over from this machine had aluminium wands again. Probably broke too easy. I doubt I will ever find a set (Anyone have extra aluminium wands LOL)

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hello. I can see it now you mention it. That cleaner would have been from the same time as the Electrolux 64 and Hotpoint Masterclean, so it could of course been fashionable to try out plastic. One thing which Goblin did for a good deal of years was to switch between what we know today as 32 millimeter tubes and a smaller size, both of which it looks like you have there.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Ignore what I said about the ages of the cleaner as I see you said it was from 1956. That is old to have used plastic tubes. Very interesting. How did you get a date for it?

 

[collector2]

The motor has a plate on it dated Nov 1956 and I also have an 1956 ad which introduces the Goblin Model 56 with new "light weight" extensions.

 

[vintagerepairer]

This is where Goblin are a strange brand, because their vacuum cleaners do not always look consistent with their age. For instance, this cleaner from 1956 looks like it could have been from the early 1970's even as the design of our cleaners in the UK was not dissimilar. Contrast this with the picture of your blue 300B cleaner, and that looks like a machine from the 1940's, despite it being a model from the 60's onwards.

When I think back to the days when I first bought my shop in 1979, a good deal of Goblin cleaners looked rather dated rather quickly. I suppose you could say they probably looked old when new. Even their upright cleaner which looked like a Hoover Junior lacked the warmth and styling of cleaners of the time. The Housemaid upright was the first Goblin cleaner I can think of which was of a design current to it's age.

 

[collector2]

Goblin definately had a kind of strange idea for their designs. Often, in the later lines (60's on) the second model down in the line looked fancier and more colourful than the top of the line machine. Also, up till the late 50's they used very dull colour schemes (eg the grey above)