maytagman1982
Member
I'm about to do a special tribute to Eureka for making good vacuums yesterday and in the past.
A Special Tribute To Eureka
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Very nice.
Our next V.C.C.C. newsletter is going to 'spotlight' The Eureka vacuums. The history of Eureka is not an easy 'read'. Lots happened.
Our next V.C.C.C. newsletter is going to 'spotlight' The Eureka vacuums. The history of Eureka is not an easy 'read'. Lots happened.
kirbylux77
Well-known member
Yes, for sure John. It's a shame Electrolux AB ruined the brand so much before they sold to Midea. Perhaps we will see some more innovative models from them in the future, and maybe even a bagless canister vacuum.
Rob
Rob
dysonman1
Well-known member
I love Eureka. They were a very progressive company. One of my favorite Eureka models was given to me by the late, great Stan Kann. I have multiple binders full of information about the company.
Well, Rob, I'm compiling
historical info now. Our VCCC member, John Lucia, is also a wealth of information.
All info must be true and accurate.
We're getting great photos too.
It'll be great.
It will give me something to focus on while I'm home.
historical info now. Our VCCC member, John Lucia, is also a wealth of information.
All info must be true and accurate.
We're getting great photos too.
It'll be great.
It will give me something to focus on while I'm home.
Eureka made some great canisters
I much prefer canisters over uprights, and Eureka made some great canisters, especially in the 1950's. I think it's somewhat ironic that Eureka and Hoover, two of the most well known vacuum companies were the last to market with power nozzle canisters. Maybe they had good reasons for waiting so long though I can't think of why they waited since all of the other companies were producing them, Kenmore, Electrolux, Air-way and Compact all had power nozzle canisters. I absolutely love my Eureka canned ham canister cleaner.
Mike
I much prefer canisters over uprights, and Eureka made some great canisters, especially in the 1950's. I think it's somewhat ironic that Eureka and Hoover, two of the most well known vacuum companies were the last to market with power nozzle canisters. Maybe they had good reasons for waiting so long though I can't think of why they waited since all of the other companies were producing them, Kenmore, Electrolux, Air-way and Compact all had power nozzle canisters. I absolutely love my Eureka canned ham canister cleaner.
Mike
dysonman1
Well-known member
Eureka came out with the roto-matic canister with its swivel top very early in the 50's. About the same time as the GE Swivel Top. They got the idea from the Air-Way model 55. They were quiet machines and Consumer Reports loved them, both as the Eureka and as the private labeled versions.
growing up we had a Eureka upright
When I was growing up, we had a Eureka upright that my mom and dad got for a wedding present from my grandmother. I think it may have been a dial-a-nap but not sure. The motor sounded just like the early 1970's Eureka vangard models. I remember the way the attachments were used was kind of unique. You didn't remove the brush roll assembly and attach an assembly for the hose. Instead there was a metal piece and this went over the brush roll assembly and made the seal, and the hose attached to the metal piece that fitted over the brush roll.
Eureka was famous for their VG brushes, interestingly, some seem to like the VG1 better and some like the VG2 better.
Mike
When I was growing up, we had a Eureka upright that my mom and dad got for a wedding present from my grandmother. I think it may have been a dial-a-nap but not sure. The motor sounded just like the early 1970's Eureka vangard models. I remember the way the attachments were used was kind of unique. You didn't remove the brush roll assembly and attach an assembly for the hose. Instead there was a metal piece and this went over the brush roll assembly and made the seal, and the hose attached to the metal piece that fitted over the brush roll.
Eureka was famous for their VG brushes, interestingly, some seem to like the VG1 better and some like the VG2 better.
Mike
Harol W. Schaefer - former Eureka Co. President
HAROLD W. SCHAEFER, 79, former president of the Eureka Co., a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners, died Monday in Bloomington, Ill.
Mr. Schaefer worked for Majestic Radio, where he invented a power supply system that helped to start the radio industry. From 1941 to 1943, he was director of engineering and manufacturing for the applied physics laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he worked on projects for the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development.
In 1943, Mr. Schaefer became manager of facilities planning and radio and television product development for the RCA Corp. But he left the next year to become division manager in charge of engineering, manufacturing and product development for the Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Mr. Schaefer joined Eureka in 1962 and was president and a director until his retirement in 1980.
HAROLD W. SCHAEFER, 79, former president of the Eureka Co., a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners, died Monday in Bloomington, Ill.
Mr. Schaefer worked for Majestic Radio, where he invented a power supply system that helped to start the radio industry. From 1941 to 1943, he was director of engineering and manufacturing for the applied physics laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he worked on projects for the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development.
In 1943, Mr. Schaefer became manager of facilities planning and radio and television product development for the RCA Corp. But he left the next year to become division manager in charge of engineering, manufacturing and product development for the Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Mr. Schaefer joined Eureka in 1962 and was president and a director until his retirement in 1980.
eurekaprince
Well-known member
Wow. Thanks for posting this. I have always wanted to know about the people who led Eureka during what I like to call it’s Golden Era: 1960 to 1990. It must have been difficult for Mr. Schaefer after the takeover by AB Electrolux in 1974…all of a sudden he had to report to new bosses in Sweden.
Would love to know more about Schaefer’s design team during his tenure….
Would love to know more about Schaefer’s design team during his tenure….
You bet, Brian! I'd typed his name in the VL search engine and when nothing came up I thought he deserved some credit on this site. Sometimes such information can explain some commonalities between companies such as Westinghouse and Eureka at the time. It can also provide rationale as to changes in Eureka's production in the early 1980s. Mr. Schaefer's departure may even be the reason the flying E/W and accompanying logotype were replaced a few years later.
Yes, I can imagine that there was a transition period when AB Electrolux bought National Union Electric Company, which could have been a challenge for Mr. Schaefer.
If I find any more online information about him and/or his Eureka team I'll post it.
Yes, I can imagine that there was a transition period when AB Electrolux bought National Union Electric Company, which could have been a challenge for Mr. Schaefer.
If I find any more online information about him and/or his Eureka team I'll post it.
Henry Burritt's obituary
From the SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE (Sarasota, Florida), April 10, 1961, p.2
Henry Way Burritt, 68, of 1364 Point Crisp Road, died Sunday morning at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Burritt was born in Cranford, N.J. to Dwight and Lydia Gertrude (Way) Burritt, August 22, 1892, and moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1919. He was graduated from Tufts College in New Jersey and was a graduate of the Detroit College of Law.
He was the head of the legal and tax department of Ford Motor Company from 1917 to 1923.
Mr. Burritt married the former Dorothy Nichols in 1923. He was treasurer and general manager of Grey Motors, president of the Leonard Refrigerator Co. in Detroit; vice president of the Kelvinator Corp. from 1927 to 1939; president and director of the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company/Eureka-Williams Corporation from 1939 to 1955. He retired from the board of directors in 1959 and moved to Sarasota.
He was a member of the Sarasota Bay Country Club and the Sanderling Beach Club; and a past member of the Shrine and Knights Templar of Bloomington, Ill.
He was given an honorary degree by Tufts College on his 25th commencement anniversary.
Mr. Burritt is survived by his widow; one daughter, Mrs. Richard R. Anderson, of Bloomington, Ill.; one sister, Mrs. James Fairfield of Woodstock, Conn.; and three grandchildren.
Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced by Toale Bros. Downtown Funeral Home, 40 N. Orange Ave., at a later date.
____________
His daughter, who had since become Mrs. Thomas Milne, appears to still be living at age 94 in Georgia.
From the SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE (Sarasota, Florida), April 10, 1961, p.2
Henry Way Burritt, 68, of 1364 Point Crisp Road, died Sunday morning at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Burritt was born in Cranford, N.J. to Dwight and Lydia Gertrude (Way) Burritt, August 22, 1892, and moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1919. He was graduated from Tufts College in New Jersey and was a graduate of the Detroit College of Law.
He was the head of the legal and tax department of Ford Motor Company from 1917 to 1923.
Mr. Burritt married the former Dorothy Nichols in 1923. He was treasurer and general manager of Grey Motors, president of the Leonard Refrigerator Co. in Detroit; vice president of the Kelvinator Corp. from 1927 to 1939; president and director of the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company/Eureka-Williams Corporation from 1939 to 1955. He retired from the board of directors in 1959 and moved to Sarasota.
He was a member of the Sarasota Bay Country Club and the Sanderling Beach Club; and a past member of the Shrine and Knights Templar of Bloomington, Ill.
He was given an honorary degree by Tufts College on his 25th commencement anniversary.
Mr. Burritt is survived by his widow; one daughter, Mrs. Richard R. Anderson, of Bloomington, Ill.; one sister, Mrs. James Fairfield of Woodstock, Conn.; and three grandchildren.
Funeral services are incomplete and will be announced by Toale Bros. Downtown Funeral Home, 40 N. Orange Ave., at a later date.
____________
His daughter, who had since become Mrs. Thomas Milne, appears to still be living at age 94 in Georgia.
My Eureka's
I only have two Eureka's in my collection, but I do hope to add more in the future. I have the model K and the model M. The model M is one of my favorite vacuums with its beautiful air-deco styling. I also love the fact that the Eureka logo is printed on both sides of the bag.
I have two other vacs with the side mounted bags. The Apollo, and the Universal E720. Both only have the logo printed on one side of the bag.
My model K has been modified with a paper bag set up, but you would never know by looking at it. [this post was last edited: 1/28/2023-09:52]
I only have two Eureka's in my collection, but I do hope to add more in the future. I have the model K and the model M. The model M is one of my favorite vacuums with its beautiful air-deco styling. I also love the fact that the Eureka logo is printed on both sides of the bag.
I have two other vacs with the side mounted bags. The Apollo, and the Universal E720. Both only have the logo printed on one side of the bag.
My model K has been modified with a paper bag set up, but you would never know by looking at it. [this post was last edited: 1/28/2023-09:52]
Jim
You sure you don't have a history in photography. Those are some great resto jobs. The old straight suction machines using a pvc pipe same diameter of the exhaust. You then use a 45 degree fitting and another 45 if desired and f@g setup is in pla c e. Impretty sure this is what you did. I won't take credit onery on here did a video on his royal 235 and he used this setup.
Very nice resto and photography.
You sure you don't have a history in photography. Those are some great resto jobs. The old straight suction machines using a pvc pipe same diameter of the exhaust. You then use a 45 degree fitting and another 45 if desired and f@g setup is in pla c e. Impretty sure this is what you did. I won't take credit onery on here did a video on his royal 235 and he used this setup.
Very nice resto and photography.
Les
Thanks so much for your comment, but as much as I would like to take credit for this one the truth is I bought this Eureka from another collector years ago who did all the work. This is one of two vacuums in my collection that required almost no work from me. Just a little hand polishing. I did take the pictures LOL! Thanks again Les.
Jim
Thanks so much for your comment, but as much as I would like to take credit for this one the truth is I bought this Eureka from another collector years ago who did all the work. This is one of two vacuums in my collection that required almost no work from me. Just a little hand polishing. I did take the pictures LOL! Thanks again Les.
Jim
