Electrolux '50s, '60s & '70s Side-By-Side Guide
This is an old thread but just right for this post with its international Electrolux discussion and photos. We can start a new thread if needed, but I couldn't pass up starting on this one with all its information. I should point out to newbies, though, that I and others take exception to some of the years indicated on the Electrolux company posters due to sales peoples' and collectors' personal knowledge to the contrary. Those on the attached guide reflect that knowledge; albeit company records are the only way to be certain of 100% accuracy. Big deal? Not really, but it's difficult for an enthusiast and/or collector to fudge on the facts, ha.
My recent exchanges with Anthony from the UK on his recent ZC90a Luxomatic purchase and Doug Smith from CA motivated me to dust off some of my research over the years and go hunting for some more to create the attached "Side-By-Side Guide" of most of the UK, US, & CA Electrolux cleaners manufactured and marketed in the '50s, '60s, & '70s—except the uprights and commercial canisters.
I hope you find it as interesting to compare and contrast each country's models as I have. Special thanks to Doug for his own research that he's posted on his awesome website that features a wide variety of floor & surface care plug-in machine makes and models from around the world. Much of my information came from it. I really appreciate your attention to details and thoroughness along with your photos, Doug.
In order to aid comparisons, I devised a rating system for the guide using 'b' words: Budget (bare bones), Basic (more, but nothing fancy), Bargain (a cut above with a perk or two), Bonus (bells and whistles), and Best (Electrolux's full culminating features of the highlighted period). Sometimes a '+' or more was added to denote an upgrade that didn't quite bring it to the next level in my mind; and I wanted to avoid adding too many separate levels. I mainly compared each country's cleaners to one another while trying to be consistent among them as a whole. Bring on the conversation.
I did take some liberties along the way, too; such as listing my perceived names of the USA models F, R, G, and L. My rationale being that the company had done so with the earlier ones. So the monikers came from clues in ephemera and/or features. That's why the names are bracketed.
Color names, too, are mine or others' if they're uncapitalized. The UK company included color names in its model description pamphlets that Doug posted on another thread; a longtime Electrolux salesman knew the name of the Aquamarine Green Model G and tan Model L (the general consensus is that the second color of the Model G is bronze due to its darker metallic quality); and a Canadian ad for the Z88 E-Lux-O-Matic named its color Jamaica Bronze.
Fyi, the 'Electrux' trademark was filed in 1927 and granted in 1928 by the German Electrolux subsidiary. The UK budget models bear that name on their data plates and in literature, which likely indicates their German production and possible design.
Corrections and additions invited. This document is intended to be edited as discussion ensues.
Oh, and by the way, my general knowledge of other countries' Electrolux cleaners is slim which is why they're left out of the guide, so please contribute your knowledge. Better yet post your own guide, too.
Lingering questions my '50s, 60s, & '70s Electrolux research was unable to produce:
1. Lengths of hoses
2. Lengths of cords/cables
3. Rug & Carpet Shampooing in the UK with Electrolux products
Here's the link to Doug's website:
http://smithcollection.altervista.org
And, if you haven't checked out Electrolux Group's historical timeline, it too is chock full of data including photos.
https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/history-timeline-1919-1929-26396/
