Electrolux Model XXX Designed & Sold in Sweden?

[ronni]

I was just visiting Electrolux Group's design history page of its website and noticed the following:


"1937

Electrolux launches the Model XXX vacuum cleaner, designed by Lurelle Guild. As cars and trains are streamlined, Axel Wenner-Gren, the founder of Electrolux, sees the value in bringing a similar sleek elegance to home appliances. He personally tracks down some of the leading industrial designers of the time, and invites them to work with Electrolux. The design and shape of a product becomes an important factor to attract consumers."

So was the US Model XXX designed in Sweden and sold there and here?

http://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/electrolux-design-history-12568/

 

[electrolux137]

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The Electrolux Model XXX was designed, manufactured and sold only in the U.S.-- no other countries. By that time, American Electrolux was independent of the Swedish company.

During the run of the XXX, other models were sold internationally (including Sweden) that basically were re-designs of the Model XII, and the same applies to the LX, E, E-Automatic and the other American machines that followed. The E-Automatic was sold briefly in Canada but was superceded by the Z88 which was sold from 1957-67.

http://www.luxinternational.com/about_us/history/

 

[collector2]

I think the misunderstanding is that, while Electrolux US and Canada were run independently of Electrolux AB they were still owned by Sweden so some major things were more than likely overseen by Sweden yet, such as the hiring of the top execs. Axel Werner-Gren probably did make the decisions in that respect.

 

[electrolux137]

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Here's the Swedish Electrolux Model Z36 vacuum cleaner, sold from 1942-1945 according to the person who posted the video. He has other videos of other vintage Swedish Electroluxes as well.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPedrXSbGVc

 

[ronni]

I just find it interesting that Electrolux Group mentions the Model XXX on its timeline if it weren't involved with its design or sales. Moreover, the Model Z36 is not mentioned in the aforementioned timeline. This may be due to the former's wider popularity.

AB Electrolux sold much of its stock in the US and Canadian subsidiaries sometime in the '30s making it a minority shareholder or consultant rather than the owner.

Thanks for the info. and links.

Does anyone have an exhaustive list of the Swedish machines and their years of production? The timeline indicates that the Luxomatic was the first of its kind when it debuted in 1964--approximately a decade after the first US automatic machine (LX, 1952).

 

[electrolux137]

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Here's the thing.

Accounts of Electrolux history -- printed, photographic, internet, what-have-you, are full of errors. Most of these reports are written by outside marketing people people who know little about the old machines and care even less about them. They do lazy research and half-ass writing. They put together a few "facts" and photos and call it a day. And since so many Electrolux personnel themselves wouldn't know a Model XXX from a Discovery, they can't thoroughly fact-check these documents.

Then there is the issue of the various countries involved. Right from the start, Electrolux vacuum cleaners were sold internationally. So when a marketing genius is hired by Electrolux to write a report or put together a web site, the task surely must be formidable and overwhelming.

When I used to call around to various Electrolux branch offices (who remembers those?!) to ask if they had any machines or original parts they'd say things like "Why do you want all that old junk? The new machines are so much superior. I'd be happy to sell you a brand-new Model ABC at my cost." etc. etc. etc.

If you've seen the various pictorial "models through the years" pieces, you would realize that no two of them are alike! Various machines are misidentified, misdated and sometimes left out entirely.

I hope this explains why there can be such glaring errors in historical documentations of Electrolux.

P.S.: I -have- met a few Electrolux oldtimers over the years who have indulged my interest in old to machines to some degree or other, ranging from one who sent me three large cartons of printed materials from the 1940s through the 1970s, including many issues of "Electrolux News" at his cost, to one who kinda made fun of me but then did begrudgingly send me a couple of old hoses and other stuff but charged high-dollar and made me pay the shipping.

 

[eurekaprince]

Sweden's AB Electrolux held minority ownership of America's Electrolux until 1968 when it's portion was bought by Consolidated Foods (Sara Lee). Up until that time, many Electrolux features, designs and ideas were born in Sweden and sold in the USA. It's hard to know what proportion of a 1937 Electrolux was the result of a Swedish designer or an American designer. Up until 1968, I'm sure Electrolux took the best design ideas from both countries. Legally, the Americans probably had to get approval from the Swedes in order to keep representing the corporate name Electrolux in the USA.

The same situation was probably replicated in many US companies whose parent company was overseas (Rolls Royce, Fiat, Nikon, Philips, Braun, etc)

 

[dysonman1]

Was the Z36 really being produced in Sweden and sold, while the entire world was at War? Wouldn't all of Europe have the same material shortages we had in the states?

 

[gsheen]

I agree with Tom , and if you thik about it WWII basically took place in Europe. This is were the war was happening on the ground. While every one was involved it was happening in Europe. I wonder how many could have been made and sold while this was happening.

 

[electrolux137]

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"It's hard to know what proportion of a 1937 Electrolux was the result of a Swedish designer or an American designer."

It's not hard to know that at all. The Electrolux Model XXX -- as well as many other Electrolux products (including the Model XX, the Model LX, the Model G, the air-powered floor polisher and Turb-O-Tool -- was designed by noted American Industrial Designer Lurelle V. A. Guild.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurelle_Guild

 

[electrolux137]

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More about Lurelle Guild and the Model XXX:



http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/1799/Vacuum_Cleaner

 

[caligula]

Electrolux XXX pictures.

Thank you Charles Richard:

Those are great Pictures. For those who don't know this model, picture #6 is the model XX (20)!

 

[eurekaprince]

Indeed, Guild's Model XXX must have been the start of real design independence from the Swedish parent company.

It would be interesting to find out if this truly American design was ever exported to Sweden or even reproduced in Swedish plants. I highly doubt it considering the outbreak of WWII. If not, it would also be interesting to see what AB Electrolux was selling in Europe in the 1940's at the same time that Electrolux Corporation was selling Guild's vacuum cleaner.

 

[electrolux137]

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Somewhat off-topic, here's an Electrolux from the Czech Republic! ("Who knew?!" It's clearly a variation of the Model XII.

Fascinating.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930s-Elect...inal-box-antique-vintage-vacuum-/221668512853

 

[gsheen]

This is very interesting. I have this Model 32 made in the USA but have two other virtually identical machines but badged as 1230's One made in London and one made in Sweden. The only difference between the 1230 and the 32 is the hose fitting and colour of the leather.
The 32 is a 220v machine which meant that the USA was exporting these to country's like South Africa at the same time that the UK and Sweden were doing the same thing.

 

[gsheen]

The model 1230