chan55
Well-known member
Does anyone know any history on Hamilton Beach Vacs? When did they stop making them?
Hamilton Beach
- Thread starter chan55
- Start date
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normvac
Well-known member
OH MY !
Where is Crevice Tool, when we need him !
Where is Crevice Tool, when we need him !
kirbyvertibles
Well-known member
Pat might be able to shed some light on this.
rugsucker
Well-known member
Hamilton Beach vacs
I will start at what I think is the end and work back a ways hoping others can add to.In mid 60s there was a slightly smaller than usual full size upright with at least one ad in Readers Digest in cream/brown colors.I have the remains of one of these.There was also a round canister seen in a catalog resembling one of the Singers more than a GE type.I have a pack of bags for this.Before this they were more common and a good vac.After WW 2 there was the H-B 26 tank in various grey colors(one with painted wands).Last version was the Deep Clean in aqua type color with reddish atts.Probably most famous in late 50s was H-B Hatbox with styling by Lilly Dache who was hat designer.Also the Light Look square tapered canister also in white/yellow colors.Anyone with upright info or want to start at the beginning?
I will start at what I think is the end and work back a ways hoping others can add to.In mid 60s there was a slightly smaller than usual full size upright with at least one ad in Readers Digest in cream/brown colors.I have the remains of one of these.There was also a round canister seen in a catalog resembling one of the Singers more than a GE type.I have a pack of bags for this.Before this they were more common and a good vac.After WW 2 there was the H-B 26 tank in various grey colors(one with painted wands).Last version was the Deep Clean in aqua type color with reddish atts.Probably most famous in late 50s was H-B Hatbox with styling by Lilly Dache who was hat designer.Also the Light Look square tapered canister also in white/yellow colors.Anyone with upright info or want to start at the beginning?
mister299
Member
From what I can tell:
I have seen magazine ads for the H-B hatbox style vacuum from as late as 1966, and a newspaper ad for the "light look" style from 1963. I have seen the lite look model in both turquoise and yellow trim colors, I have only seen the hatbox with yellow trim. H-B closed their Racine WI plant (it was located at 1509 Rapids Drive - You can see it on Google Maps) in June 1968 and moved their production south to North Carolina, so I would guess that vacuum production stopped around then (they were booming with electric knife production).
Andy
I have seen magazine ads for the H-B hatbox style vacuum from as late as 1966, and a newspaper ad for the "light look" style from 1963. I have seen the lite look model in both turquoise and yellow trim colors, I have only seen the hatbox with yellow trim. H-B closed their Racine WI plant (it was located at 1509 Rapids Drive - You can see it on Google Maps) in June 1968 and moved their production south to North Carolina, so I would guess that vacuum production stopped around then (they were booming with electric knife production).
Andy
Hurricane Floyd closed the Washington,NC HB site-they moved to Ronoake,VA.
chan55
Well-known member
Hamilton Beach
That sounds right. Like Sunbeam, they were probably downsizing their line of products. Sad, that when these companies closed up the original factories the quality went by the roadside. Hamilton Beach and Sunbeam/Oster were the best built applainces areond for decades.Now, what is left of them is just more plastic junk.Same thing with GE Vacs. These were the brands I grew up with. Makes me very sad.
That sounds right. Like Sunbeam, they were probably downsizing their line of products. Sad, that when these companies closed up the original factories the quality went by the roadside. Hamilton Beach and Sunbeam/Oster were the best built applainces areond for decades.Now, what is left of them is just more plastic junk.Same thing with GE Vacs. These were the brands I grew up with. Makes me very sad.
