All you ever wanted to know about the Hoover model 0- the first hoover vacuum

[brandon_w_t]

Hello Folks.

I have a good friend who lives about 45 minutes from me. He is an avid fan, classic car, and pump organ collector.

He is also the owner of many many very early very rare vacuum cleaners.


including.... The one and only (well not literally only one)

1908 Spangler Suction Sweeper...

The very cleaner that would become Hoovers first model.


Here is the history on the vacuum cleaner..... (written by him)

_________
This is a James Murray Spangler, Canton, Ohio -- which was THE FIRST home vac made for sale in the US. He used tin, wood, a pillow case, a broom handle and the motor from his folk's 1904 Emerson DC fan. Was patented in 1908 as I recall. Wt was 41 pounds. He sold the patent to his brother in law -- yes, William Hoover was his brother in law's name -- New Berlin, Ohio. Of course we all know Hoover made cleaners for 100 years (+ -) after that .

Hoover's first vacs were exactly like Spangler's vacs -- except Hoover painted them the color of dust as he knew they would be operating in a dusty situation. Spangler painted his black with lots of pin stripping and colorful wording. The Spangler cleaners are called "Electric Suction Sweepers" and the later ones made by Hoover are called "Hoover Suction Sweepers". Other than the painting, are the same. Fun stuff!!

Pic below of our black one. Mine is not perfect but is totally original and operates fine. Found mine in a Toronto antique shop. We were up there driving our old Packard with a caravan of Packard friends to the Packard Club National Meet -- held that year in Toronto. Have been collecting old cars for a very long time too.

 

[brandon_w_t]

Here is the cleaner when I got to see and use it. Absolutely amazing.

 

[brandon_w_t]

The front logo.

Incredible for being over 100

Way cooler than the hoover O in my opinion.

 

[brandon_w_t]

Motor cover.

Believe it or not, the tier just below the motor housing sticking out, with the red and gold rings running around it..... is made of wood!

 

[brandon_w_t]

The switch and original cord. Which is pathetically short!

 

[brandon_w_t]

The plug.

Ah yes... The days before 1915. Also known as the days before having modern 2 prong plugs!

 

[brandon_w_t]

Original bag.

 

[brandon_w_t]

Here she is running!

QUIETEST MACHINE EVER! Oh my. It is literally without a doubt silent when standing next to the machine. You have to literally be right next to the motor to hear the slight hum.


We flipped her over but I totally forgot to take pictures! :O

The original belt was a bit crusty I have to say! Rock solid. Actually frozen to the brush roll.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Wow, that's incredible, Brandon.

Simply beautiful! The detail and craftsmanship are both incredible... I may have to get you to arrange a meeting sometime when we're in Omaha! That would be fabulous to see in person!

Thanks for the fabulous pictures!

Fred

 

[akabent]

Model O

Well, you certainly got MY attention!! What an increcible machine/find, and what incredible shape. It's also incredible for it to have an original bag and cord. I can only imagine your excitement upon finding this in an antique store. THANK GOD IT GOT SAVED! It's even older than my Hoover Senior! AWESOME and congratulations!
Rick

 

[hoovercelebrity]

It's also incredible for it to have an original bag and

I know that you're a man after original bags and cords, just as much as I am!

 

[petek]

I'll bet some of the guys near Toronto will be feeling a little sick to the stomach now LOL
oh well, can't win them all.

 

[Automatic-Shift]

Model O My!

What a find! 103 years old, and the bag looks pristine. Amazing. I've always loved that machine. I'm glad all is original, as I too like everything to be as it was leaving the factory. Thanks, Ron

 

[brandon_w_t]

Sorry I forgot to post the rest of the history!

___________________________

Spangler was a very inventive fellow -- he was very asthmatic and could not breath well at all. He did inventing for a "living" -- and could not make enough $ to live so took a job at Zollinger's Dept Store there in Canton. He swept the carpeted isles there with a big broom -- raising much more dust making it harder yet for him to breathe. Such also covered the items for sale with dust too -- he then had to dust those items. More breathing problems.

He had seen the huge vacuums run by steam motors -- were on trailers and hauled (by horses) to big buildings to clean things up --they used a big hose to bring (the vacuum) into the buildings and did the vacuuming from that hose. He set out to use the same principal for a "home vacuum". This he did and was very proud of his Spangler Vac. He showed it to various folks who told him he ought to make that vac and sell it. So he borrowed all the $ he could from friends and relatives and set up his "shop" in a garage. No one knows how many he made but were few. He found he could make it easier than he could sell it because so very few houses had electricity at the time. Was about 06 or so. And, the ones who did have electricity, were the very wealthy households who had servants and workers to clean the big houses etc etc. And the owners really did not care much how well the new "Home Vac" would work as the owners did not do the cleaning work anyway.

With that background (made few -- hard to sell) he took one is his Spangler vacs and showed it to his cousin, Susan in New Berlin, Ohio -- suburb of Canton. She thought it was neat and bought one. Her husband had a leather factory and made stuff for horses etc etc. He could see that cars were coming into being, becoming more popular -- and were going to replace horses so was looking for another thing to make in his big factory. When his wife, Susan, showed him the vac, he right away recognized it as the "item" he wanted to make -- thinking that its future was really going to be good. Susan's husband's name was, of course, William Hoover. As we all know now, he bought the Patent from Spangler and started making the vacs. He hired Spangler to work for him at the Hoover Factory as well. He used the same Westinghouse motor which Spangler had bought from Westinghouse for his Spangler vacs on the "O". Really other than the color and some minor changes, the "O" was the same as Spangler's vac. As i think I told you, first thing Hoover did was paint them gray, the color of dust -- smart idea!!

But he knew they were too heavy at 41 pounds so set out to make them smaller/lighter. Believe his first effort, after the "O", was the "Baby Hoover" -- can't recall wt, but think might have been 14 or 19 ?? pounds -- ever so much lighter. I have that Baby Hoover in my collection too. Looks nothing like the Spangler vac -- being ever so much smaller etc etc.