Clements Built Belknap Bluegrass Junior
- Thread starter hoover300
- Start date
centralsweeper63
Well-known member
Very cool.
madman
Well-known member
How'd you know it was made by Clements? I mean, yeah it was. It looks identical to the Cadillac handheld that I have. It seems they were very open to making vacs for other companies. They did usually say Clements on the model tag, though.
centralsweeper63
Well-known member
I wonder if it is a copy. It looks too similar to be similar though.
hygiene903
Well-known member
I've never seen one of those before, but yes, it does look identical to a Cadillac. And Clements did indeed make vacuums for other companies, as did Apex, Bertman, Royal, and several others.
Jeff
Jeff
centralsweeper63
Well-known member
It is funny that Bertman had vacuums made for them and made vacuums for others. Cool.
cheesewonton
Well-known member
I was not aware of Bertman buying vacuums from another company for sale under their name. Bertman Electric made vacuums for Kenmore until they were bought out by Whirlpool in 1957 or so. Not sure who else Bertman Electric made vacuums for but someone here will know.
huskyvacs
Well-known member
Oh wow, can't say it doesnt look like every other brands' hand vacs of the time.
Let me make a guess here;
E BG HC 29104
electric, blue grass, hand cleaner ? 104th day of 1929 (April 14, 1929)?
Belknap Hardware was one of the largest hardware companies in rural America in the early 1900s. The company's headquarters was in Louisville. They sold several lines of tools and home products under brand names John Primble, Pine Knot, and Blue Grass.
If anyone can look for these "Want books" / catalogs from 1929 and up, it likely might be in them somewhere.
What you found is a hardware store's private label hand vacuum, that's pretty rare, especially with original bag! Likely was sold to farmers to hoover out their town cars before church and market day, that's the only time a man would be vacuuming in those days! lol
Let me make a guess here;
E BG HC 29104
electric, blue grass, hand cleaner ? 104th day of 1929 (April 14, 1929)?
Belknap Hardware was one of the largest hardware companies in rural America in the early 1900s. The company's headquarters was in Louisville. They sold several lines of tools and home products under brand names John Primble, Pine Knot, and Blue Grass.
If anyone can look for these "Want books" / catalogs from 1929 and up, it likely might be in them somewhere.
What you found is a hardware store's private label hand vacuum, that's pretty rare, especially with original bag! Likely was sold to farmers to hoover out their town cars before church and market day, that's the only time a man would be vacuuming in those days! lol
Last edited:
centralsweeper63
Well-known member
In those days if men vacuumed anything other than the car or workshop they were considered gay.
hygiene903
Well-known member
Think you misunderstood me there, Elliot. Bertman did NOT have vacuums made for them, THEY MADE vacuums for other companies, especially Kenmore, for Sears, until Bertman was bought out by Whirlpool.
Jeff
centralsweeper63
Well-known member
Oh I see, sorry, thanks for the correction.
cheesewonton
Well-known member
Curious who else Birtman made vacuums for? Did they sell under their own name?
