Hamilton Beach Model 14

[electrolux137]

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A friend who owns a vacuum cleaner shop here in Los Angeles called me the other day. He said a lady had brought in an "old vacuum cleaner" and wanted to know if he wanted it. He said he did not, but knew someone who would!
 
So I stopped by last week and picked up this beautiful Hamilton Beach Model 14. It has a bojack bag but it is lovely and the original color.
 
I've never seen a Hamilton Beach finished in hammertone before but I'm pretty sure it's original. It looks too perfect to have been a vac-shop job.
 
It has a beautiful attachment set with some unusual details and features, such as the "H" embossed in the wand and the small tip on the other end that locks the floor brush in place.
 
It has excellent suction -- it pulls up the corner of the rug!
 
Another friend who is moving gave me a Kirby Sentria and a newer Royal with a dark blue bag. Photos of them to come!

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

Nice vacuum. I noticed bags are attached to the exhaust like Kirby and royal.
The vacuum front looks like an amphibious airplane and back kind of looks like a rocket tube.
Sweet vacuum. It joins your numerous Sweet vacuums.
Les

 

[madman]

Very nice machine!

 

[tolivac]

These is a similar vacuum hanging from the ceiling at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Greenville.Asked the manager if I could by it-he said wasn't for sale.

 

[rugsucker]

Hamilton Beach

Nice vac and great to get attachments with it.
I don't think bag is bojack even though I have seen a more Art Deco bag on polished models.Could this be a lower price painted model instead of polished?In the 90s Royal still offered both on metal uprights.
HB height adjuster is unique and easy to use.
Could the "H" in wand be a lucky accident as they were adding slots in wand with same idea as vertical or slanted slots in Elux & Hoover?
This style HB was in a 30s design book I have seen(possibly from MOMA)but do not have.

 

[luxlife]

I’d be curious what year it was made/sold. It’s got a great Streamline era design with the shrouded headlamp and motor, but I noticed the design motif on the belt cover looks to me like Art Deco. That hose looks to have seen very little use and I love that cobalt color!

 

[electrolux137]

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I'm not sure about the bag. The reason I thought it was bojack is because the graphics seem more modern than the machine, and the designation of "Champion" seems kind of generic. I have, or had, what I think is the original bag. The bag graphics match the graphics on the belt cap. I'll have to look and see if I do still have it.


 


Here's a great photo of the Hamilton Beach factory. It appears that the machine being manufactured is the polished version of the Model 14.

 

[lesinutah]

Hmm

They do have similar bag attachment as Kirby and royal. Is there any connection between companies. Like Kirby helped make Franz premier, geier health mor basically related in early production. Black,Decker, lamb and a few others partnered on a eeze or vacuette. I believe eeze was Franz premier vacuum. Black, Decker became black and Decker lamb obviously made motors.
Les

 

[hygiene903]

Congratulations Charles!

Congratulations on a nice, and rare find! Especially with the attachments, which I assume are more rare than the machine itself! A wonderful addition to your collection!
Jeff

 

[madman]

If I had to venture a guess, I would say post-war. Early 50s, perhaps. Just spitballing.

 

[kenkart]

Hamilton Beach 14

Was made a LONG time Up into the 50s.

 

[electrolux137]

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<span data-offset-key="8d6ij-0-0"><span data-text="true">As I said in my original post, I thought I recalled having a couple of original Hamilton Beach bags so today I went down to my workshop to look for them. VOILA! Behold its retro splendor! It really makes the whole machine look 100% nicer! (The last photo is of the replacement bag.)</span></span>

 

[kirby519]

@lesinutah

For some time James Kirby did design vacuums for other companies while he perfected what is now known as the Kirby Vacuum. Apex was one company he designed vacuums for and a few others. I don't remember the other ones. It is possible that this one is one of his designs or similar.

 

[oreck_xl]

If that's true, then I would say he definitely had a hand in designing the Eureka model M. Even the molded handle grip seems Kirby-esque.

 

[lesinutah]

Indeed

Kirby utility vacuum was actually the frantz premier vacuum. Black and decker, lamb, amongst others along with Jim Kirby are credited for building it. He did help on quite a few vacuums. This vacuum looks sort of like the Kirby tradition. It's linked to Jim Kirby and I I really like the way it looks. It's kind of like a late 30s Mercury coupe.