Eureka Emperor Upright - 1967 TV Commercial

[eurekaprince]

Was so excited to see this TV commercial on YouTube! Never saw it before! See link below….

A few questions:

1. Was this the first Japanese-made vacuum sold by an American company? I know this was made by Matsushita/National/Panasonic in Japan.

2. Did Matsushita start selling Panasonic-branded vacuums in North America before the debut of the Eureka Emperor? Trying to figure out how Eureka’s execs would have known about Panasonic vacuums in the mid 1960’s. Maybe the arrival of both the Panasonic vacs and the Emperor was a joint effort by both companies?

3. Did the Emperor have a rubber flexible channel to get the dirt up from the motor head into the bag compartment? If yes, that must have been the inspiration for the black rubber channel Eureka had on the Ultra upright 20 years later.

4. I read somewhere that the motor in the Emperor is seated sideways with the fan facing one side like a Bravo or an Elite. Is this in fact how things are laid out under the hood?

Fascinating piece of Eureka history here…

 

[paul]

Very cool commercial, Brian!

I would encourage you to contact the McLean Museum of History to seek answers to your queries about Eureka's association with Panasonic in the production of the Emperor Model 1212. Nick and I have done so and were given an email address of a former employee; I am sure you would be welcome to contact the person, as well.

My Matsushita/Panasonic online fact-finding expedition did produce some information for you:

1. In 1955 the Panasonic brand was first used on a loudspeaker for the U.S. market (and possibly Canada) as the National brand used by Matsushita's other worldwide markets was already in use here.

2. While I was unable to verify Panasonic's first North American vacuum cleaner rebrand model (which may have been Eureka Williams' Emperor), it seems as though the Jet-Flo series was the first to bear the "Panasonic" moniker; making its debut in 1979 with the canister Model MC-771 and "Panamatic" (Power Team) Model MC-881; the upright models MC-661 (standard) and MC-663 (with headlight & 3-speed switch) were first advertised in North America in early 1980 according to the newspaper database I use.

3. Here's a link that shows Panasonic's (Matsushita was the name of the company prior to 2008) appliance timeline, although it makes no mention of its exports that I could tell: https://www.panasonic.com/global/consumer/history.html

4. Matsushita produced the industry's first plastic-bodied vacuum cleaner when it launched its Model MC-1000C cylinder vacuum cleaner in 1965.

 

[eurekaprince]

Thanks for your reply Paul!

I think I will reach out to that McClean Museum (such an appropriate name!) for more information.

The Jet-Flo series was not the first line of Panasonic vacs sold in North America. There was an earlier line up that has been talked about at Vacuumland over the years (which I have now perused and reread). I am just trying to determine which came first: the Emperor or that line-up of early Panasonics. That earlier line up was marked by more metal and steel and colourful rectangular push buttons for power selection. They used similar push buttons on their imported blenders. I think the Jet-Flo series only came later in the 1970’s after Matsushita bought the Hoover Dial-a-Matic design.

Something tells me that indeed Eureka Williams was indeed instrumental in bringing cleaners made by Matsushita to the North American market, which was a big milestone considering the long successful history of Panasonic cleaners in North America - something which has sadly come to an end.

My theory is that Matsushita was the driver behind getting their vacuums on the market in North America since they were already working hard on selling home entertainment products here. Considering they eventually convinced Hoover to sell them its patented Dial-a-Matic design, it seems that they were the driving force in bringing Panasonic cleaners to the North American market. So maybe they were contacting both Hoover and Eureka in the 1960’s to see how they could make a dent here. Which is why I think the 1967 Emperor really was the very first Panasonic upright sold on the North American market.

 

[luxlife]

McClean Museum has Eureka literature........

I added the link to their collection, which comprises 9 boxes of Literature spanning the history of Eureka from its early beginnings to the Electrolux years. I don't believe any of it is digitized and I didn't find any vacuums when I looked through their online page of the Merwin Gallery.

By the way, Dysonman01 has a Eureka Emperor in his collection.

https://mchistory.org/assets/resources/finding-aids/eureka-william-electrolux-collection.pdf

 

[luxlife]

Link to the museum......

Here's the link to the museum’s main page:
[this post was last edited: 1/10/2024-11:26]

https://mchistory.org/

 

[paul]

You're welcome, Brian!

Hmmm, it's interesting that when I entered "Panasonic Vacuum Cleaner" in the database nothing was found in periodical advertising until the very end of 1979. In fact, not until 1979 did I find any other print material that referenced Panasonic brand vacuum cleaners: the CONSUMERS INDEX TO PRODUCT EVALUATIONS AND INFORMATION (no online preview available) and BUILDING OPERATING MANAGEMENT magazine (Volume 26, p.77; online preview)—"The Panasonic Small Appliance Department , Secaucus , NJ , has introduced a vacuum cleaner line including three Upright models - MC - 661 (basic), MC - 662 (headlight) , MC - 663 (electronic 3-speed, headlight)- two Canisters MC - 771 (basic) and MC - 772 and three" [PowerTeams MC-881 (basic), 882 (electronic 4-speed), MC-883 (4-speeds, headlight)]

Also, the following April 28, 1981, advertisement in the OTTAWA CITIZEN implies that the Jet-Flo series is Panasonic's first line of vacuum cleaners. Or were you referencing a rebrand series?

 

[paul]

Oh yeah, The Illinois county is McLean (I'd made the same spelling error initially). It does still contain cLean in the name, though!

 

[panasonicvac]

From my understanding, the MC-6100 was the first Panasonic upright in North America. I'm pretty sure the Eureka Emperor came before the Panasonic branded version but don't quote me.

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Paul,

Click on the link below…it will take you to another Vacuumland thread about old Japanese vacuums. In the thread there is a post showing a Panasonic brochure from 1973 that shows the pre Jet-Flo line up of cleaners imported for the US and Canada. The push buttons and dust bag indicator are very similar to those found on the Eureka Emperor.

There is also a post showing a Viking canister made by Panasonic and sold at Canada’s Eaton’s department stores. This canister looks like an earlier version of the ones sold by Panasonic in 1973.

https://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?8341

 

[paul]

Model MC-558

Thread 1678 showed some photos of a 1970s Panasonic brochure showing an upright (posted by Ian) and a booklet showing several models with their model numbers (posted by Alan). The only one I was able to locate in the database was Model MC-558 (not all model numbers were clear to me, so I was unable to search them). It may be that their availability was limited to catalog purchases or redemption centers where no periodical advertising was necessary.

The two 1974 references of the Model MC-558 were an index and a magazine; but no periodical advertisements:

1. CATALOGING RESEARCH BULLETIN ANNUAL CUMULATIVE INDEX

2. HANDBOOK OF BUYING magazine by Consumers Research, Inc.

Both previews of the resources were about the same, so I just copied one:

 

[paul]

Hi Brian,

I was composing my last message when you posted yours—thanks!

 

[eurekaprince]

Haha!

 

[eurekaprince]

Considering how much I have admired vacuums by both Eureka and Panasonic over the years, it’s nice knowing that it was Eureka that brought the first Matsushita vacuum to the North American market!

Would love to see a colour picture of the Emperor’s tool kit as shown in the TV commercial!

Footnote: I seem to remember that the Eureka Easy Clean electric carpet sweeper was also made by Matsushita in Japan. I think there is also another Vacuumland thread that mentions this.

 

[eurekaprince]

Thanks for your post Alex! Indeed, it seems clear that the fan-first MC 6100 was the first Panasonic branded upright sold by Matsushita in North America in 1973 before the company bought the rights to the Hoover Dial-a-Matic design. From many previous Vacuumland threads about these Japanese uprights, it’s clear that the Emperor came first. The configuration of the side-ways motor and fan are the same in both cleaners, except that the earlier Emperor had the brush roll belt running from the fan spindle in the same channel that sucked up the dirt. The later Panasonic version separated the two functions with the belt connected to a spindle on the other side of the motor….which helped protect the belt.

 

[dysonman1]

Patents expire after 18 years. Hoover got their dial-a-matic patent in 1962. Panasonic debuted their Jet Flo line after Hoover's patent was expired. I doubt greatly there was any money involved, as in Panasonic didn't 'buy' Hoover's design.

 

[paul]

Hey Brian,

In the interest of accuracy, Doug Smith stated in that other thread that the brochure he posted was from around 1973. I only mention it, because I was only able to find that 1974 entry. The MC-6100 and the other Panasonic cleaners of that time may very well have been introduced in '73, but I don't think we know that for sure at this point.

Also, I was thinking that Matsushita would likely have made a National brand upright very. much the same as the Eureka Emperor Model 1212. Maybe another collector such as Tom or Doug has National literature from the '60s.

Btw, is the carpet sweeper you referenced the same one mentioned in these newspaper ads from December 1965 and January 1982, or was there another (neither was identified as an Easy Clean or EZ Kleen)?

 

[paul]

P.S. This December 1979 newspaper ad identifies the carpet sweeper's model number as C205:

 

[evolutionclean1]

Panasonic has

A very rich history, and as I've said many times, they produced arguably some of the best machines. They're almost all quiet, powerful, and if maintained, last forever. I have an early 80s model that'll probably run for another 30 years if I keep using the HEPA bags.

Now, I don't know if it is true, but I have been told by multiple people who KNOW Hoover's history inside and out, and they have all said that Panasonic purchased the design from Hoover to build their clean air uprights. There are certain members out there who think that they are the only ones who have any knowledge...
Regardless, I love my Pannys and honestly wish that they hadn't left the market. Cleva just don't build them like they used to.

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Paul,

I made a mistake - the electric carpet sweeper made by Eureka was called the “Easy Glide.” You can easily find the advertising post card for this on the internet.

The “Easy Glide” was also made by Matsushita who made a similar cleaner for Sears Kenmore at the time (late 1960’s). These cleaners could fall into the category called “bag in the base” vacuums. I think General Electric was the very first manufacturer to sell a “bag in the base” vacuum - it really did look like a simple electric carpet sweeper that was enhanced by a motor driven brush roll and a suction producing fan.

Other more complicated “bag in the base” cleaners would be the Westinghouse Convertovac, and the more recent Miele Art.