~ For 1935: The Jubilee Hoover ~

[vintagehoover]

My Model 800, my all-time favourite vacuum cleaner, has been near-complete for several years; the cord and plug are both original, but the bag on it was the standard plain-black-with-ivory-lettering genuine 1930s Hoover replacement. These alone are pretty hard to find, since most surviving pre-war Hoovers you see now have the awful, ugly, dust-leaking battleship-grey 1970s Hoover replacement bags, or worse still, bojack bags. I considered myself incredibly lucky to have the attractive 1930s Hoover replacements for all of my cleaners.

However, thanks to a discovery by my good friend Mike King (in a moment similar to the unearthing of Tutankhamun's tomb!), my Model 800 is now graced with an ORIGINAL bag...but no ordinary original 800 bag...

In 1935, in celebration of King George V's Silver Jubilee, Hoover renamed their UK 370/450/800/925 line-up the Jubilee Range, and issued special-edition bags, marked with the words 'Jubilee Model'. The handle bail also bore an oval-shaped badge with the King's royal crest on it. The rarity of these Royal Jubilee bags is comparible to the rarity of Hoover's own 1932 'Silver Jubilee' bags, from the American versions of Models 425/750/900. Model 800 was produced at the London factory from 1934-36, and only 1935's machines featured the 'Jubilee Model' wording.

Mike, I can't thank you enough for this; you, and anyone who knows me well, will be aware how much your gift means to me

 

[vintagehoover]

In-situ, and feeling pretty jubilant!

 

[vintagehoover]

Those magic words in close-up...

 

[sireluxomatic]

A big congratulations, Jack, on finding that wonderful bag. It's been said before, I think, but your pictures are great...very high quality.

 

[tristar]

I love it! You even have a working retractor strap! My 800 only wishes it looked that nice!

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Ugh..

Such a gorgeous machine.

Incredible!

 

[kirbyvacuum]

Hoover

hi Jack VERY NICE machine and BAG. Everything looks bran new every time i see a older Hoover like that it makes me VERY SAD to think what has happened to a company like that.We have to prmote vacuums made in the good old USA even if they cost much more. Doug

 

[thunderhexed]

stunning!

That is one glistening beauty! Congrats on the legendary find!

Cory

 

[hoovercelebrity]

I just picked up...

A model 725 with an original bag and original cord. Cord looks pretty shot, and the bag has some holes in it that need patching.. but it still has its bag retractor hooked up and working. I saw it at an estate sale on Saturday, but didn't want to pay $40 for it. So I waited until today and got it for $24.

Pictures to follow shortly...

~F

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Not to hijack this thread...

But while we're on the subject of gorgeous original bags...

I plugged it in, and there's power going to it, but the motor is totally locked up. I couldn't even spin the fan by hand. The wheels are pretty badly rotten... cracking beyond the point of being use-able. ((Anyone know of a suitable replacement??))

I'm not sure at this point if I'm going to restore/rebuild it, or if I'm going to just take the bag off and put it on my 800 (which I think took a similar bag).

Either way, for that bag alone... ugh.. I'm in heaven!

I may be able to salvage the original cord, too. If not, I know those plugs come off and can be put on new cords.

~F

 

[hoovercelebrity]

***Bites lip***

Ugh, I've never just "found" an original bag--this old--in such delicious condition... with the original bag strappy retainer thing still hooked up and operational, to boot!

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Not too bad...

For being roughly 70 years old... it could be a LOT worse!

I'm sure the moment I touch that bumper, it's going to crumble to pieces... :-(

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Underneath..

Rotten wheels...

Agitator is missing a brush strip.. which I happen to have plenty of...

 

[vintagehoover]

Fred:

What you have there is a standard original Model 800 bag. Like mine, but without the 'Jubilee Model' wording. The 725 originally had a plain black bag featuring the design known as 'the question mark' - a single orange line running from the bottom to the top of the bag, ending in a spiral. The 575 had the same design in silver, but used the older 'spreader-top' bag.

WRT the motor locking up; have a look under the fan itself. I've found in 2 cases that all the crud and fluff that's worked it's way between the fan and lower bearing plate has fossilised over the years it's stood stationary, and jammed it solid. As soon as you scrape it off, it should work fine!

With those wheels, the rubber ones always seem to go like that! The later bakelite ones are far superior! If you do decide to go down the total-restoration route, I'll see if I have any spares I can send you - no promises, I've just sorted out 4 to send to someone else, and I think they may have been my last. Also, I'm not sure how - if it's even possible - to get the rear wheel on the height-adjuster side off :S

Congratulations on the bag, though - a great find! I'd have paid $40 for that bag alone; even better that you got the whole machine for half that

 

[petek]

Really nice Jack and I'll be sure to give Mike a big kiss, maybe two, for ya next time I see him. LOL

I'm wondering why it is I can't seem to find any of these old Hoovers here. It's not like they didn't sell them or manufacture any

 

[vacfanatic]

Source for NIB Vintage Hoover Bags...

Jack, I had a dream last night that I was helping you sort through all of your new in box vintage Hoover bags, and you were asking me to press them with the iron. So demanding you are!!!

Andrew

 

[turbopowerpaul]

Congrats to Jack!

Having seen the happiness written across your face over the weekend, whenever you picked up and held the bag I know just how much Mike's gift meant to you.

The cleaner looks absolutely stunning and I am so very pleased that you are now able to call your Model 800 complete.

I bet you were counting down the miles till Al got you home!

Really pleased for you.

Paul

 

[vintagehoover]

Bob - thank you, I always try and take decent pictures of my cleaners...I can't see the point otherwise. It's really not rocket science to get a clear picture, correctly sized and round the right way, especially in the age of digital photography! I use Windows Office Picture Manager to rotate, crop, and resize the photos, and to alter the brightness/contrast if needed. Take a tip, people!

Eric - I have, I think, 4 or 5 cleaners with their original retractor straps intact. The straps actually a pretty easy fix, although fiddly, because it usually requires all the electrics being removed from the handle. You usually find the tension spring and whatever's left of the strap inside the handle, where it shot back in when it broke! It depends on the original guide-wheel being present, though - often they were removed when the cleaner was converted. This is where having lots of scrap machines comes in handy!

Fred - thanks; how fateful that we both found great 800 bags within days of each other! We're working towards completing the Hoover Jigsaw on both sides of the Atlantic!

Doug - don't worry, I now know there are people within the TTI group who are just as passionate about Hoover's history as many of us are. One such person is reading my copies of 'Designing for People' and 'The Fabulous Dustpan' right now, so we may see better things in the future!

Cory - thanks! It'll always have pride of place in my collection from now on. Look out for a video of it on my YouTube account in the near-future!

Pete - look out for Models 850 and 600. If you ever see one of those, grab it and don't let go! They were Canada-exclusives, and must be incredibly rare. I've never seen one, although I have a manual for the 600.

Andrew - if my bags ever need sorting, I'll give you a call ;P

Paul - thanks so much! You were there to witness the magic first-hand! Thanks for posting that great picture of us all, too. I'll send you copies of mine when I get them sorted!

 

[vintagehoover]

'The New Jubilee Model'

Here's an ad for this machine - it's borrowed from Paul Linnell's wonderful 'Simply Switch On' website. Note how prominantly the royal crest is featured!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.linnell/sso/newcleanness.html