Goblin Timeline - HELP!!!!

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collector2

collector2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Messages
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Location
Moose Jaw, Sk
Hi guys. I've decided to try working on a time line for Goblin cleaners. In going through the pamphlets, copies of Which, copies of ads etc that I have this is what I come up with so far. I have listed the machines that I know were in production that year (of course there were more but I havnt anything that lists them) and added in the models where ever I could in brackets but some (like the Wizard) have several models and I dont know which came out when as they dont list the number in the ads. Some of the machines will probably have been produced earlier or later too but this is all I can prove.

Please jump in and add anything you can. I'll keep updating this. As well I'd like to try to put up pictures of the various models.

Here's what I've got so far:

1921 - BVC ? (1st upright - from co history)
1923/4 ? - BVC Turbinet (1st tank type - from co history)
1926 - Goblin Wizard (1st Goblin - co history)
1931 - Major, Clean Sweep (23)
1933 - Clean Sweep (23), Magic Wand, Reliance, Wizard
1934 - Clean Sweep (23), Wizard
1936 - Triumph (45), Major
1937 - Triumph (45), Ace - 1 ft wheel (55), Triumph (45), Clean Sweep (23)
1938 - Triumph (45), Wizard
1939 - Clean Sweep (23), Monarch, Ace - 1 ft wheel (55), Wizard
1940 - Wizard, Monarch, Ace - 1 ft wheel (55), Triumph (45), Clean Sweep (23)
1946 - Ace - 2 ft wheels
1947 - Ace - 2 ft wheels
1948 - Triumph (46), Ace
1950 - Triumph (46), Ace
1954 - Regal (38)
1960 - Ace (G71)

Wizard models that I have seen so far were 30, 31 and G41

Based on this I can come up with:

BVC Turbinett - 1923/4 - ?
Goblin Wizard (30, 31, G41) - 1926 - 1960
Goblin Marvel ?
Goblin Brownie ?
Goblin Clean Sweep (31) - 1931-1940
Goblin Major - 1931 - 1936
Goblin Magic Wand - 1933
Goblin Reliance - 1933
Goblin Triumph (45) - 1936 - 1940
Goblin Ace - 1 ft wheel (55) - 1937 - 1940
Goblin Monarch - 1939 - 1940
Goblin Ace - 2 ft wheels - 1946 - 1950
Goblin Triumph (46) - 1948 - 1950
Goblin model 39
Goblin Regal (38) - 1954
Goblin Ace (G71) - 1960



I'll start the pictures with the Goblin Clean Sweep model 23

8-31-2008-12-20-25--collector2.jpg
 
Hello Doug,

1921 BVC Upright. I've seen on ebay a period add for one of these along with a Turbinet; it was very similar in style to a suction only EUREKA or HAWKINS style of cleaner.

The Triumph I saw about 3 years ago in a genuine catalogue of 1934 along with a Magic wand and Clean Sweep all fitted with a Vactric De-luxe top swivel style of carpet tool.

On Sunday a friend actually gave me a Turbinet type of cleaner which is just like a long thin turbinet, 17 inches long from suction opening to the end where the motor housing / couling protrudes, thats 3 1/2 long. Dark red crocodile body covering with round brass / black plate 'GOBLIN ELECTRIC CLEANER - BVC PRODUCT'. No model no, no wattage rating. Sliding on/ off switch at end of motor couling. Could this be a BROWNIE or MARVEL ?

I know form info from the London Science Museum that the Major was 350 watts and was £15 gs circa 1935.

The Reliance, I am given to under stand was somewhere between the Triumph and the earliest 'one front, two rear wheeled' Ace.

Sorry I can't offer more.

Regards.

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Interesting project Doug, which 'Which' reports have you seen? I've got the 1960, 63, 66 and 68 ones if you haven't seen them.

Si
 
Oh, what wonderful machines! Such high styling. Hope you can turn up more specimens from this company!! Is my understanding correct that Goblin was still in business into at least the mid 1960s?
 
Hi Walter:

This ad is from the 1920's and I believe its the machine they refer to as the Turbinet although its never actually named except as a Goblin Electric Cleaner. If its the same as yours please post a picture of it as I'd love to see the actual machine and its parts.

Thank for the additional information. That means the Magic Wand was also in production in 1934. I'll post my 1933 ad in the next posting that shows the Magic Wand, Clean Sweep, Reliance and Wizard.

Re the Brownie and Marvel - from the very poor copy of an ad that I have both of those models were even cheaper than the Wizard or Clean Sweep so were the bottom end of the line. I would not be surprised if one or both of them were hand vacs.

It appears the Reliance was the Delux machine of the time and was replaced by the Ace.

Doug

9-3-2008-21-38-13--collector2.jpg
 
Hi Si:

The only Which page I have is a copy of the 1960 one and its almost unreadable. I'd love to have copys of all of them as they would give alot of information.

Anything you have about Goblin would be a help in putting this together.

Doug

PS Walter - I cant get your link to work.

PPS - this is the 1933 line ad copy I have

9-3-2008-21-45-59--collector2.jpg
 
Hi Charlie:

Actually I believe Goblin is still in business though, like Hoover, it has been taken over and the product is not what it used to be.

This is another one that I'm not certain of. Its a Goblin model 39 which I believe was from the 1950's but I dont have an exact date for it. Again - this picture is just from the web - unfortunately its not mine.

Doug

9-3-2008-21-50-13--collector2.jpg
 
Interesting to note the various similarities to the Lux XII, although this Goblin was rather more advanced in that it has wheels. Lovely machine!
 
Goblin Wizard...

Here's mine, next to my 800 for size comparison; it really is a miniscule machine! I believe mine may be the first model of Wizard (from 1926, according to your list), but I'm not 100% sure.

It was in very poor condition when I got it, and it's not much better now. It doesn't work - or at least, when current's applied to it, it doesn't run. I can't get the motor cap off because age has fused the screws into the chassis.

But still, a cute little display vac!

9-4-2008-06-14-58--vintagehoover.jpg
 
Hi Jack:

Thats definately either a 30 or early 31 as the nozzle connection is metal, not bakelite. Nice machine!!! Did you get the rest of the attachments with it? There should have been two brushes, a small nozzle and a wand (see below).

Doug

9-4-2008-08-24-7--collector2.jpg
 
Hi Doug,

no, sadly there were no other attachments with it, just what you see in the picture. A few other Wizards have come and gone on eBay over the years, usually making around £30 or so. I paid £9 for mine, but it was in an awful state. I've never bid on any of the others because as much as I like them, they've always clashed with an auction for something Hoover-related that I've wanted more!

I remember seeing a picture of Goblin Wizard in a newspaper article when I was little, and being fascinated at how it looked - like nothing else I'd seen at that time! Shortly after, I saw one in a museum, and decided then and there than I would one day have one of my own!

At school, my Design Technology teacher had one in mint condition suspended above his desk in his office. As I've mentioned before, he ended up giving me about 10 or so cleaners from the department, but he kept the Wizard, unfortunately.
 
Goblin Wizard

I remember an episode of "The Grand", a 1997/98 series about a Manchester hotel (by one Russell T. Davies - the Dr Who producer).

In this episode, the housekeeper ordered the staff to assemble in the dining-room for a demonstration of the new vacuum cleaners. One of the staff was scared of the machines.

Later in the episode a maid cleaning a room, over-stretched the flex, which was plugged into an overhead pendant fitting. She pulled down the light fitting and a good lump of plaster!
 
That sounds like it would have been an interesting one to see. I noticed in Are You Being Served? Again!! that the Goblin Wizard is often seen prominently in the hotel and actually used in one episode. (Yes I like the BBC shows, especially the comedies and mysteries, and have that series on DVD)

Doug
 

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