The Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Co. 1910 incorporation, et cetera
Please, have a seat ...
The following data sheds light on the origin of Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company.
No wonder Eureka Williams celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1960. It also explains why I was unable to find any reference of The Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company prior to 1910.
1909, typically identified as the company's incorporation, likely came from a 1930 DETROIT NEWS article which quoted Mr. Wardell. Either he misspoke or the newspaper reporter erred. 1909 would more accurately be referenced as the business transaction between Mr. Wardell and a Mr. Dunkley (presumably Samuel J. Dunkley—1844-1918—of the Dunkley Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan), who, like James Spangler did for Hoover, developed the original design of Alfred J. Stecker's 1910 pneumatic cleaning machine casing patent (attached).
I have found no 1909 vacuum cleaner patents for the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company, Fred Wardell or Alfred J. Stecker; and Samuel J. Dunkley only patented inventions for his fruit canning company. The Dunkley Company did sell an auto vacuum cleaner, but did not appear to patent it (attached citing). That association gives me the idea that Sam was involved in what would become the Model 1 Eureka vacuum cleaner.
Interestingly, the original Eureka wordmark found on the early Eureka vacuum cleaners was actually trademarked in 1906 for The Eureka Vibrator Company.
Photos:
1. 1906 Eureka Trademark and Patent - Vibratory Massage Apparatus
2. 1909 COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF THE CITY OF DETROIT AND WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN - Title Page
3. 1909 COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF THE CITY OF DETROIT AND WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN - p. 700 Fred Wardell
4. 1909 COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF THE CITY OF DETROIT AND WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN - p. 701 Fred Wardell
5. Alfred J. Stecker Patent - Vibrator 1909/1909
6. 1909 June - Newly Patented Steam Devices heading
7. 1909 June - Newly Patented Steam Devices - A Stecker/F Wardell Liquid-Level Indicator
8. 1910 COMMERCIAL AMERICA, Vol. 7 - Eureka Vibrator Company ad
9. 1910 Apr 8/1910 Nov - Alfred J. Stecker Patent Assigned to Fred Wardell - Casing for Pneumatic Cleaning Machines
10. 1910 Apr POPULAR ELECTRICITY - Vol. 3 - Eureka Vacuum Cleaner ad
11. 1910 Aug 27 MICHIGAN MANUFACTURER masthead
12. 1910 Aug 27 MICHIGAN MANUFACTURER - Vol. 4 No. 17 - Fred Wardell incorporates business
13. 1930 INDUSTRIAL DETROIT - cover
14. 1930 INDUSTRIAL DETROIT by A. M. Smith - pamphlet compiled from articles in THE DETROIT NEWS - Origin of Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company - summary
15. 1930 INDUSTRIAL DETROIT by A. M. Smith - pamphlet compiled from articles in THE DETROIT NEWS - Origin of Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company (mentions "a man named Dunkley")- p. 29
16. 1930 INDUSTRIAL DETROIT by A. M. Smith - pamphlet compiled from articles in THE DETROIT NEWS - Origin of Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company - p. 30
17. 1918 Jun MOTOR RECORD, Vol. III, No. 6 masthead
18. 1918 Jun MOTOR RECORD, Vol. III, No. 6 Vacuum for Autos, Dunkley Company, Kalamazoo
19. Dunkley International profile and history
20. 1903 May 9 SOUTH HAVEN SENTINEL (last minute find)
