Eureka Tank Vacuums

[paul]

The Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company had a comparatively short-term line of tank vacuum cleaners sold from 1941-42 and again from 1945 to 1954. Due to their rarity I thought I would start a thread to combine information I was able to locate from Vacuumland and other sources. Hopefully others will add photos and info.

I'm guessing that the model prefix "W" stood for "Whisk" that was later used by Eureka's handheld vacs from the '60s to the '80s as Eureka had a habit of reusing model names.

The production years correspond to electronic advertisements, so they may not be exact. It may be the W-75s were sold concurrently as the later 600 & 700 "De Luxe", but I was unable to verify it.

1941-42: W-64-A "Sanitaire" with chemically-treated Sanitaire germ trap - unknown colors; cloth bag
1945-46: W-75-A dark green tank & tan endcaps; cloth bag
1946-50: W-75-B red (color mate to D-272); cloth bag
1950-53: 600 2-tone tan (color mate to S-250 & S-250-A)
1950-54: 700 "Airomatic" green (color mate to 800 "Roto-Matic"); throw-away bag

_________


Photos:

1. 1941 Oct 22 HERALD-JOURNAL - "Sanitaire" model ad
2. Model W-75-A, by kirbyhoover (VL post)
3. Model W-75-B, by huskyvacs (VL post)
4. Model 600, by buffalo-joe (VL post
5. 1951 July 16 TOLEDO BLADE - Model 600 ad
6. Model 700, Worthpoint seller
7. 1952 Jan 27 - SPOKANE DAILY CHRONICLE - Eureka De Luxe Tank Cleaner (Model 700) ad

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for this! You may want to also research Montgomery Wards tank cleaners made by Eureka during this same time period. I seem to remember that there were several of these.

 

[luxlife]

Sanitaire tank

Looks like they were positioning themselves to go after Electro Hygiene, considering the name, styling, “germ trap”….

 

[paul]

Hi Brian!

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that and let you know if I am able to locate anything.

 

[paul]

Hey Brian,

Do you happen to have any specific MW model numbers? All that I'm finding in the 1940-1955 database are classified ads.

 

[paul]

3-Year Contract - Eureka & MW

1945 June 8 - EVENING INDEPENDENT

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Paul,

I could swear I saw some MW tanks that were Eureka made clones! But can’t find any pics on the internet right now. I will keep looking!

EP Brian

 

[canisterman]

I have a bunch of these

In about all the colors the 700 was also sold in tan, I have a Wards that is a square tank, then several versions with the cardboard tube body both Eureka and Wards.

 

[canisterman]

I have a bunch of these

In about all the colors the 700 was also sold in tan, I have a Wards that is a square tank, then several versions with the cardboard tube body both Eureka and Wards.

 

[collector2]

Hi - Picture #3 is from my web page of my W75. I also have the Model 600 pictured below.

 

[collector2]

Model 700 that was for sale about a year ago on Marketplace. Unfortunately someone beat me to it.

 

[collector2]

Eureka W60 (Old reference pics from the web)

 

[collector2]

Another version of the 700 (also from the web)

 

[collector2]

And, last but not least. A few pictures of Montgomery Ward machines, made by Eureka, that I have come across on the web

 

[eurekaprince]

Wow! There they are!!! Thanks Doug!!!!!

(So interesting that Eureka went with a light brown colour on that cylinder vacuum. Don’t think they used that colour again on a vac until the late 1960’s).

 

[paul]

I second Brian's initial comment to you, Doug! Thanks!

I wonder, now, if the W-60 was the "Sanitaire". I assumed the W-64 was.

I prefer the styling of the M/W ones.

 

[canisterman]

Talk about a pain!

That square tank is not fun to work on, i tore mine down and packed the bearings,

 

[collector2]

Hey Paul - I also have a picture (below) of one other model that I have no clue what model number it would have been.

 

[paul]

Re: Reply 17

Thanks, Doug!

I wonder a couple things: 1) Was the model refurbished or original? 2) Is it an alternate version of an aforementioned model like the Model 700 has? Did Eureka distributors back in the day sell tank vacuums in a different color scheme than retail stores; or did one or more chain stores do so as special promos?

Even though I hadn't discovered the Model W-60 in my online newspaper database or in a 1946 parts catalog until you posted photos of it here; I think my ideas are more probable than there being yet another model that I hadn't come across.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and photos.