found 2 old mail order cataloges

[jmurray01]

Thank you very much for posting those catalogue pictures Anthony!

That 500 has stood up very well to 41 years of use!

You are right that they were very ahead of their time, but lets not forget that had the Hoover Convertible (Dial-A-Matic in America) not been the failure it was in terms of sales, we'd be sitting here saying the same thing about that model and the Electrolux would just be seen as a copy of it. Since the Convertible didn't sell well at all and Electrolux were shrewd enough to see a good opportunity and jump on it (without all the gimmicks of the Convertible), they made it successful and most people assume they created the concept of a clean fan upright vacuum cleaner with the above floor cleaning power of a cylinder.

Behind the Hoover Seniors and Juniors - the Lux 500 (and the other model variants that would follow) has to be the most popular and long running vacuum cleaner in the UK. It sold from 1970 to the mid 1990s (as the Twin Turbo) and is still in use today in Britains homes with enough spares available to keep them going for at least another decade.

In close - A damn good vacuum cleaner!

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Great...

Hi, Great pics, Thanks for posting them. Always nice to see old catalogue scans)
I don't think I've seen one with a Electrolux 310 automatic in.

James)

 

[watsonw]

Memories

..........Memories, I remember all of these cleaners when on the market.

My Granny traded in a luxz65 (early version) in part ex for a 500.....it went on for years!!

We still use twin-turbo's which I bought in 1994 & 5; one upstairs, one down.

So long as you carry out the basic maintenance as per the instructions the cleaner will serve you well.....so many people did not!!

My first new cleaner was the dustette featured above and then in addition I saved up and bought a lux 87 (late version with the 550 watt sealed motor with the large fans) a lovely cleaner; fantastic with the genuine replacement lux carpet/floor nozzle (white colour, grey furniture guard as seen on the 100).

The white all- plastic flip over nozzle supplied did not make the best use of the suction and made the motor race when used for carpets.

thank-you Anthony.

Regards, Walter.

 

[collector2]

@Hans and Brian:

Do NOT install a Euro outlet permanently in your home. Its not CSA or UL approved and, if by some chance it causes a fire, they can refuse to honor your insurance. The best way to do it is to take a dryer cord, connect it to a small electric panel (2-15A breakers in the panel is all that's needed) mounted on a board and run the appropriate outlets from that. Far less likely to have any problems as its only connected to the dryer outlet when you are using it.

Doug

 

[anthony]

the catalouges

were in the airing cupboard of a house i am doing up theres another one from 1962 i will put more pics on when i get time just think the bunny girl will be an old woman now well at least 60 says he who has just had his 56th birthday

 

[anthony]

has anyone noticed how the Selex cylinder

and the Spinney are almost identical

 

[anthony]

1961

this is from the 1961 john Mills cat dont they look nice when there brand new? note the Hoover cylinder has the new improved tools that came with the Connie

 

[anthony]

1990

1990

 

[anthony]

another

front cover missing off this one so not sure of its age

 

[anthony]

1988

1988

 

[anthony]

196667

66␳

 

[anthony]

196768

67␴

 

[anthony]

1963

1963

 

[anthony]

i know

there not vacs but couldnt resist

 

[collector2]

The delux Spinney on the 1966/67 page (4 above) was made by Goblin and the low model (blue) was made by Siroma Eng. I'm not sure who made the mid range one though. Both the Golden Spinny and the Spinny hand vac from the 1963 catalogue are also made by Goblin.

 

[jmurray01]

It is very interesting to see the Convertible in a catalogue!

 

[vacbear58]

Catalogues

Anthony

Thanks for taking the trouble to scan these - its great information. Note to readers though, the prices shown are NOT typical prices, catalogues (exception Argos) always have higher prices - its how they funded the "interest free" credit.

In reply 27, I would date that from around 1985 or perhaps 1986 - that freedom model continued until that year, even in the "regular" Hoover range.

I knew Doug would love to see those old Goblins badged as Spinney It was an arrangement they kept up into the Housemaid upright series As regards the 1966/67 Mid range (middle B) I would venture that to be by Siroma too as it has a designation only one up from the Siroma model. What looks to be the same model (at around the right price too) was tested by Which in 1968 but it was branded as Regina, as in the US company Regina, but manufactured in the UK.

As for 1961, better get those glasses tested mate, as the only thing it has in common with the Connie is the hose! The style of tools shown were first seen on the 402 in 1948. When the 417 was introduced it has the "Aerodyne" style floor nozzle that the later Connie had as well as the familiar hard floor nozzle that carried on from the 638 onwards. From memory it had the same dusting nozzle too, although it did have an upholstery nozzle rather then the general purpose brush that was on the Connie 822 and 822a.

When the Connie was introduced the 417 was "de-featured" becoming a much more budget model and it reverted back to the earlier style of tools although actually there was not much of a price difference between the two models. It was only the next series (the one shown is the 417E, the next one being 417G) that the tools were standardised with the rest of the range although its had a Hooverette style combo floor nozzle until the mid 1960s or so. At some point along the way the colour scheme was updated so the "G" was the same colour - the most obvious difference, apart from the tools, was the use of a red rocker switch in place of the step on switch.

Speaking of Hooverette, for US readers this was our version of the later series Lark, only ours always had a handle and used a Dustette/Pixie sliding switch.

Of course the thing that leaps out is that the Hoover range is virtually identicial, apart from styling differences between 1961 and 1972. The orange 427 is just an update of the earlier model 417. Although it looks superficially similar to the 427 Harlequin (the tartan one) they are completely different, the 427 being physically shorter than the 429.

I could (and probably will!) rant on some more, but that's it for now. Thanks again Anthony

Al

 

[vacbear58]

before I forget ...

Although the Spinney hand cleaner in 1963 was manufactured by Goblin, I believe this design and tooling was actually bought out of the liquidation of Vactric in 1960 - this design goes back almost as far as the Dustette

Al

 

[collector2]

LOL Al - The picture of the Hoover tank is with the old parts but in the write up it says "The accessories with this cleaner are now the improved type shown and described with item C and not as illustrated with item B" I am assuming that they are referring to either the machine below (no its not mine - just from the web) or the blue version of it. One of them must have replaced the one pictured about that time but they didn't get the picture of it in time to go in the catalogue.

And you're right - I do like the Golden Spinney. Nice colour combination.

Doug

 

[anthony]

hi Vacbear

it was the description i was going on about i read it to say if you bought the Hoover cylinder you would get the tools displayed with the Connie and not the ones in the photn the page with the washingmachines did anyone notice the clothes horse with the heater in the bottom my mum had one in the winter she would remove the clothes horse and slide the heater under the beds to warm them bear in mind the beds were quite high up off the floor with steel bars and springs still quite a fire hazard i would have thought.Theres another cat from 1959 i has no photos just very nice drawings if anyone is interested