A visit to see 2 friends...

[kenkart]

Donald and I went to Baltimore this weekend two see 2 of my vacuum collector friends from the old days of the VCCC, Billy and Audrey Lipman and Roger Proehl and his partner Charles Miller, Billy and Roger were some of the first friends I made in the VCCC over 20 years ago, Billys wife Audrey fixed a fantastic dinner for us Saturday night, and we just had a great time, since im going to be 50 next month, I have splurged and bought a few machines from both of them, and one or two items from ebay, these guys really know vacuums, and I mean really old collectable vacuums!I forgot to take any pictures on the trip, but here are my latest finds,a Hamilton Beach 26 tank, a mid 50s Kenmore canister, a late 50s Singer canister, a Hamilton Beach hand vacuum,a Singer upright from the early 50s, a Eureka straight suction from the 20s , a Eureka model G from the 30s, a Kingston tank, and also a 50s Farberware electric frypan , the only square aluminum model they ever made and a General Mills waffle iron.....Now im broke but very satisfied!!LOL

 

[kenkart]

Billy and Roger

Were some of the FIRST VCCC members MANY years ago, their knowledge could fill several books.

 

[electrolux137]

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Hans, I'm so glad you got to visit Billy and Audrey but especially Roger and Charles. I know it was a wonderful time for everyone.

 

[dysonman1]

Billy and Roger are awesome guys. I met them a year or two before you did. We were some of the very first members of the VCCC.

Congratulations on the wonderful finds. The Kenmore is a fantastic cleaner - you're so lucky to have it. I love the Kingston, I had the Coronado badged version of that. I brought it to the meeting where we plugged in the Kirby to 240 volts and it wouldn't blow up. You ran it, I believe. No one else had the balls to do so.

Love the model 10 Eureka as well. One of Eureka's finest straight suction uprights.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I've met Billy at aVCCCconvention...great guy.

I hope to see him again. I taught in Baltimore at Peabody. I hope to visit him the next time I get to Peabody.

 

[kenkart]

Vacuum Collecting before the age of computers

The newer guys who collect can not imagine how exciting it was for me to find other guys who had the same interest, I first found out about the VCCC in 1994 from a ad Craig Long placed in the VDTA news, I called Alex Taber and John Lucia , ten the next people I got to know were Billy ,Charles Lester and Roger, I then got in touch with Tom Gasko and Clay Floyd, then Mike Hays and David Watters, so you see this group of friends became the best friends ever, in those days we were focused on vacuum collecting,and our yearly conventions were our vacations,we couldn't wait..then in 95 I met Mike Rogers , Tania Ruth Hollander, Mike Pletecher and Bob Kautzman, so you see we were MUCH smaller, but we had a beautiful hard copy newsletter and our conventions were inexpensive and wonderful, so to get to visit with these 2 friends meant so much to me.

 

[vacman1961]

Billy and Audrey and Roger and Charles are some of my greatest friends, I look forward to our frequent mini meets at Chuck Chatham's store in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, we have a great time when we meet there. Once again I want to thank Roger for the beautiful gift he gave gave me, a Premier PR21D upright vacuum, that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Great collectors and great friends.

 

[dysonman1]

Oh Hans:
Those were the days. We didn't need stupid banquets and awards. Our "no alcohol" policy worked great. I think our only elected 'officials' were the club President (that would have been ME) and a treasurer. Charles did the newsletters for a long time, and they were AWESOME. Hard copies (which I've kept and still refer to). None of this 'download' stuff. I remember getting lunch for everyone - we had all kinds of sandwiches and chips, potato salad and slaw, and all kinds of pop. Everyone was genuinely happy to be at a VCCC meeting - no 'cliques'. No snobbery. That all came later - after the club got more than about 75 members. Nothing like it is today. Some great times, and great memories. And GOOD FRIENDS who stayed friends for - well - more than two decades.

 

[kenkart]

Though we dont

Talk all that often, these friends are true, I can call any of them and ask for advice etc, and I never have to worry about it being gossip tomorrow...I have left out a few people on my list but not on purpose, Hey Tom, remember that restaurant in StLouis we went to in 96 that threw the rolls at you!!LOL, It was great! And remember me driving my 62 Plymouth and David Watters driving his 65 Chrysler and all the stares they got!.The main thing was friendship and collecting real collectables, im sorry but Hoover Elites and Eureka Bravos are NOT collectable in my mind!

 

[dysonman1]

Hans: I agree. Hoover Elites and Eureka Bravos are dumpster food. Loud, dust belching, plastic toys. And they were made in the USA - just not very well. Now a Hoover 61, or an Electrolux Automatic G - those are real vacuums.

I remember the first time all of us got together at my house. Do you remember? We emptied out Hoover type A bags from repair jobs at my vacuum shop. Threw the dirt on my rug, and had the cleaning contest. Jason Davis's Kirby model C stalled from all the dirt, but my Hoover 61 picked it right up. This is a picture from that day. We also met Tania that day, and Craig Long told about his "Miss Lady Beverly Whispertone" fantasy - with the poodle skirt. I was so embarrassed that Tania would be horrified. She wasn't.

 

[kenkart]

Lord have mERCY!

That was 96, we dumped dirt all over that plush carpet!!LOL, I would LOVE to see that in SOME houses!!LMAO!!!!I remember getting to your store about 7.00am , when you and David drove up he said.."Tom! Look at that OLD CAR!!" I then stepped out and surprised you, I wouldn't take anything for those memories, remember that fantastic lunch Ruth cooked for us!!Now Dennis is gone and we are all older...I see your hair was BLACK..I HAD some hair then..

 

[kenkart]

I believe that thing David is holding!

Is that Columbus, a REALLY rare old machine,I havent heard from Mike Pletcher in years, wonder how he is doing.

 

[dysonman1]

Yes Hans, that was David's Columbus - which now lives at America's only Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri.

Those were the days. My hair was black back then (actually, very dark brown). It's much lighter in color today, but still have a full head (knock on wood).

I can't begin to imagine what some people would do if we threw dirt all over their rugs. But heck, they're rugs and we have vacuums. Who cares. We never had to put on rubber gloves to touch sweepers either.

 

[kenkart]

Tom!..

You know as well as I do ,a house is to LIVE in and enjoy...And we sure enjoyed yours, I always felt at home and at ease there!