G. E. Vacuum Information

[dysonman1]

AFTER 1972, General Electric did not make vacuums any longer. They sold the vacuum factory and the rights to the design to another firm, who reused the name "Premier". This is the Premier upright and "lowboy" (meaning: shorter, single fan model) canister from 1976.

 

[paul]

Hans, Jimmy, Paul, and Tom,

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Thanks for your information and photos.  For as long as GE made vacuum cleaners I am surpised that there isn't a website dedicated to them with such data listed in an organized way such as Kirby has.  I have attached a photo of a current Ebay listing which features the C65 Swivel-Top owner's manual.  Also, I did check and found that the "other" machine I own besides the C13 is a C8.  Does anyone know when these two models were manufactured?  In addition, do you know if the machines have serial #s, and if so where I would find them?  </span>


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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Paul</span>

 

[dysonman1]

The model C-65 is called a "Lowboy" since it is only a single fan motor. There's also no blower port. It was the 'entry' level model (cheapest) in the lineup. It was made in the mid 1960's. They continued to make the same model (with different model numbers denoting the color changes) until 1972 when GE could cheapen it no more and decided to exit the vacuum cleaner business.

 

[paul]

Tom,

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Thanks for the 411.  The "lowboys" must have been a good sell if they were continued by Premier through the '70s.  It makes me wonder if they were more popular than the Swivel-Tops--because of their style, price, or both.   Any idea if the C-65 was the first of the lowboys?  I am also curious to know if the other lowboys' model ids were consecutive or if they skipped around?</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Paul</span>

 

[kenkart]

Thanks tom

That cannister and upright are exactly what im talking about!!!

 

[stricklybojack]

Kenkart...

That 1957 C-4 looks fantastic & if i find one it will be the first pre 60's vacuum i want to add to my collection...

 

[collector2]

Hi:

Just as a matter of interest CGE (Canadian General Electric) continued to produce vacuum cleaners till about 1984 when they sold their appliance division to Black and Decker. While very similar to the US models initially, the colours and model numbers were different. Around 1980 they switched from the style above to using the same design that had previously been used by Regina (Switson Industries).

As an example this is the model VC2B which was sold in Canada from 1956 to 1959.

 

[dysonman1]

@paul

The first lowboy model (single fan motor) was the blue one, followed by your C-65. Along the way, they continued to cheapen the machine to meet a certain price point, their competition was Sunbeam, who had a $29 canister with a single fan Lamb motor. Those cleaners (the lowboy models) were always "on sale". Heavily advertised as a "loss leader" for a store. You'll note the taller, heavier dual fan models had a lot more 'zip' to them. The single fan models were just loud and had fairly low airflow.

It's well to note that GE made the motor for the Air-Way models 55, 66, and 77 with virtually the same suction power as their dual fan Swivel Top cleaners. The 'start up' sound of the Air-Way and the GE dual fan Swivel tops, is virtually identical.

 

[paul]

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Thanks for the education, Douglas and Tom,</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I didn't realize that there was a Canadian General Electric--and that it made its own vacuum cleaners.  That VC2B has a cool retro style and is in awesome condition!</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Do you know the model id of the first blue lowboy, Tom;  was it a C-64?  Also, I am taking for granted that it debuted in 1964 if the C-65 was 1965.  Let me know if I'm wrong.  In case you haven't guessed I am into stats!</span>


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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Didn't know that GE made motors for several of the Air-Ways.  That practice seems to happen quite a bit in the appliance industry.  I just learned that AO Smith makes not only its own brand but many of the other models (can't call them competitors).  I understand brand loyalty to a point, but this is misleading to customers who think their preferred brands are unique to others'.  In my view it would be a more ethical practice to list the brands like:  Bradford White/AO Smith or Air-Way/GE.  I also understand that Kenmore has always been just a name--not a manufacturer.  I just spent a great deal of time researching--including reading customer reviews--before purchasing a water heater that I wouldn't have needed to do.  Instead, time better spent would have been to just research prices, purchase agreements, and efficiencies.   Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.</span>


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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>

 

[super-sweeper]

The General Electric upright,

I've always wanted one of those General-Electric/Premier standard uprights, and the U-1 low-profile cleaner of 1960 has been a dream machine yet to be found.

One day I'll simply have to make a trip to that museum!
-Alex.

 

[luxman107]

Great looking swivel tops. Would love to get my hands on a nice GE roll easy

 

[collector2]

Just re reading this thread and have another bit of info to add. Premier was not a separate company. Premier and Hotpoint were subsidiaries of GE, having been bought out by GE in the 20s if memory serves. For many years the same vacuum cleaners were marketed under all 3 names, just in different colours. So technically it was not a buy out when the vacuums were all changed to the Premier name. They just switched vacuum cleaner manufacturing to that division of the company in the US.

 

[cajunvac]

GE parts

I learned about GE not offering replacement parts long ago! Had an aunt that broke the bowl of her model 25 GE stand mixer. This was some time around 1965. I tried writing to their listed service center in New Orleans and Houston about a replacement. Both responded that they no had no parts available since it was a discontinued model. GE had changed the bowl bowl capacity/dimensions of subsequent models from 3 to 3.5 qts. The bowl I did buy fit the turntable but would have little distance between the bowl and stand support. Turntable dimensions from the first triple whip (3 beater models) until they stopped making stand mixer never changed. Early ones were metal and later to plastic. GE was a pioneer in the use of plastics in appliance housings and internal parts. They were also first in having the "throw-away" mentality constructing appliances not designed for servicing using rivets and fasteners not meant to be removed once installed.

 

[paul]

Promo Article

1963 Nov. 8 THE DISPATCH

 

[eurekaprince]

I am always interested in how companies expanded beyond the borders of their birthplace countries. General Electric is a great example, because the company set up both Canadian General Electric and Australian General Electric, both with modified versions of the famous cursive “GE in a circle” logo.

I wonder if British General Electric was connected to the American GE company. Same question for the German AEG company (do the initials stand for Algemeiner Electrische something or other?)

On another corporate footnote: The modern Korean LG company seems to have been inspired by GE. Though the initials represent the amalgamation of two older Korean corporations (Lucky and Goldstar), their logo looks like a modern version of GE’s, and their advertising slogan at one point was almost a carbon copy of “GE - We bring good things to life”…can’t remember now the LG slogan but it was very very similar!