Comparison/Contrast Model Table & Photos
Special thanks to Doug Smith (Collector2) who provided most of the photos and other information posted on his website and to Nick (texbodemer) for posting Eureka's May 1910-May 1964 Shipping Record on another thread.
Thanks also to Buffalo-Joe who provided the W-75-B photo (which I incorrectly identified as Model 600 in my original post).
I now have a hunch that the entire W-Series was styled by George Walker due to the 1942 ad I posted in Reply #24 in which he was credited for doing so. That may account for the 'W' model number prefix. Speaking of the ad, the tank colors are described as white, grey, and blue-chrome beauty. I inferred that this was the model W-64 and the one Doug posted in Reply #17 due to the cursive logo marks that changed to block lettering in the W-75s. The white has just yellowed.
So some of the table information is by conjecture due to limited online data and "filling in the blanks" among similar model details I did locate. Eureka's limited variations during that era led me to do so. The main differences besides color changes seems to have been between the lower-end 600 Series and the higher-end W and 700 Series.
The design of the W-Series tanks is very close to the Progress Cleaners that Eureka purchased in 1940. See thread 1326 for photos of a Progress Type 12 cleaner and some interesting information about the Progress Vacuum Corporation of Cleveland. Eureka actually sold five Progress models from 1939 to 1941, including the one it briefly dubbed "Sanitaire"; those are not included in the table due to very limited available information. I did attach an October 3, 1941, ad for a Progress tank from the MERIDEN RECORD that ran just prior to the Sanitaire ad that is nearly identical to it.
Some details left out of the table ... As far as I know all the models came from the factory with braided fabric hoses. One ad mentioned an 8-foot one, but it may be that other lengths were sold. I wonder, too, if Eureka used the Progress tool molds or if it designed its own; correspondingly, I'm unsure if new tools or tool styles were introduced after 1940. The throw-away bags were introduced by Eureka in 1949 with models 600 & 700.
Eureka discontinued its tank-type vacuum cleaners when it introduced the new Model 800 "Roto-Matic" tub canister in 1952.
Oh, btw, the highlighted model designations in the table indicate no photo or artwork to determine the styling.
Corrections and additions are welcome. Data collecting is ongoing with new revelations through personal reviews, online sales providing previously unknown features, and new discussions bringing further clarifications and details.
Photo 3 shows the "Viso-Tool Kit" with some of the Model 700 tools.
Euphoric Eurekaing!
