Filtex on eBay

[electrolux~137]

These don't show up very often on eBay. The Filtex was made in Los Angeles. The company's president was a woman, which was mentioned in their advertising.

These machines have great suction. This one will need a hose transplant but other than that it's in great condition.



http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-FILTEX-...310246757435?pt=US_Vacuum&hash=item483c25d43b

 

[suckolux]

A friend had one in the 70s, I remember thinking it a heavy Lux

 

[electrolux~137]

Actually, the Filtex is not all that heavy. The bag chamber enclosure is made of heavy-gauge fiber board! It may sound cheap and flimsy but it's actually very durable. I've seen quite a few of them over the years and have never seen one with any damage to them other than scratches on the leatherette covering.

Now, the first model, from 1937, is kinda heavy - heavier than the Electrolux XXX but not as heavy as the LX. It's a beautiful machine, I'd say second only to the XXX for its time period.

 

[electrolux~137]

I have three of the first model, and they're all slightly different in certain little details. One of them Stan Kann gave me, one of them I found at a thrift shop in Palm Desert, California, and ... hmmm ... I don't remember now where I found the third one.

 

[electrolux~137]

 

[electrolux~137]

 

[electrolux~137]

I used to have this really pretty version in turquoise, which I believe was the last tank vacuum cleaner the company made. I gave it away somewhere along the line in one of my Great American Garage Clean-ups.

 

[electrolux~137]

 

[electrolux~137]

 

[electrolux~137]

 

[dualsanitronic]

So cool! A well thought out machine,ahead of the Electrolux in some ways, namely the diffused exhaust and the wheels instead of "skis". Why other tanks wanted to be sleds is beyond me,lol!