GE Baby Canister

[madman]

I was notified of an estate sale through videokarma.org, that had a lot of vintage electronics stuff. So I went there, and all the good stuff was gone already, but I did get a couple of nice things, including this baby GE canister vac, that was so cute I just had to have it. It also looked like it was in really good shape. Plus I got a Westinghouse iron and a really old wall phone.

The vac is a GE model AVT-160B, serial 40613, 310 watts. It had the hose on it, with the rubber horse hair brush, couldn't find anything else belonging to it. The hose is still supple, and isn't crushed or kinked. We'll have to see how well it holds air. Part of the reason I fell for this little vac is because it has a shoulder strap. As I had several things in my hands (some knick-knacks not pictured), I was walking around the house with the vac strapped over my shoulder. The ladies running the joint got a real kick out of that. Haven't tried to power it up yet, I'll have to take it to bits and make sure it's all ok first.

Oh yeah, so the phone I particularly wanted, but it was tagged at $60, which is crazy. I asked one lady if she could do a little better and she informed me that everything was half price as it was the last day. Also, she let me have everything for $40, which I'd say is a steal. I would've paid that just for the phone, or just for the vac, but I got both, and the iron, and a couple other things. So I'm happy

Also the iron has a very neat - never seen one before - cord storage system? Idk what to call it. The cord has a very specifically made metal spring wrapped around it, which forces the cord to maintain a coil shape. It's pretty cool! Also, also, I only realized when I got it home that the iron's resting plate is a thin piece of sheet metal with a bare asbestos pad underneath it. lol

 

[huskyvacs]

Very cool finds, and David Oreck thinks he invented the over-the-shoulder vac, haha I might have seen a vacuum like that on eBay before but no clue on how old it is.

I have never seen a wall phone that old before, I suspect it would have had a wooden case or something it would have gone in? Almost looks like something off a submarine!

Nice deal on all that, a lifetime of virtually indestructible appliances there.

 

[madman]

Come to think of it, you might be right about the phone. There was tons of naval stuff at that place too, including naval radio and ship to shore stuff.

 

[huskyvacs]

Oh wow, amazing. Yeah I didn't see a crank on it so I thought maybe it was like some kind of intercom maybe, and someone buzzes you and the phone rings and then you talk into it, like on a sub or ship.

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

Mad men
Wow I seriously realized after title after you mentioned it.
Sorry no bad intentions.
Les

 

[madman]

lol Les, don't apologize to ME, I wasn't offended. Just surprised.

----

Husky, the phone has a button on it, actually. I haven't had a chance to open it yet, so idk what it's all about.

 

[bikerray]

The phone looks like it was made by Couch.

 

[dysonman1]

That GE was called "The Tidy", it was sold along with their late 40's upright (both cleaners matched), as opposed to attachments for the upright. Kind of like what Awfulwreck did decades later.

 

[kenkart]

I have a couple

of those GEs they actually are very good little cleaners.

 

[madman]

So what you're saying is, I need to buy the matching upright vac? Gotcha.

"The Tidy" that's kinda neat, thanks for the info!