help needed the national 25 strange machine pics

[edgar]

Hello,

I got this lovely cleaner from the uk, as a present. I have never seen it in my life. I is called " the national" 25
and on the name tag it says made in manchester uk. As fat as i know the hose is wrong and I think there should be something like a swivvel on top of it???

Has anybody got a clue?

 

[edgar]

2

2

 

[massagemiracle]

Looks like a rotomatic!

 

[vacbear58]

I wondered who got it

Edgar

I am glad to see it went to a good home

The brand is actually "National Utilities" (rather than the National Panasonic brand) but they did not manufacture cleaners but rather bought them from others and added their own label. We have many examples of their cleaners which were manufactured by Vactric as shown in the link below. Those who attended the convention will see it is identical (or at least very similar) to Dave's prize winner

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-P...5?pt=UK_Antiques_Other_RL&hash=item2eb8ce704d

 

[vacbear58]

nationals

As can be seen the carpet and hard floor nozzles are identical to Edgar's cleaner. Vactric went out of business in early 1960. I agree it has a close resemblence to the Rotomatic, however i have another version of this cleaner (I think maybe a little later judging by the styling) which as elements that make me think that Apex was the design source. Although not very clear in this picture the hose connection is identical to that seen on an Apex POD. i suspect in this case they were manufactured by Bylock as many of that company's early cleaners were based on Apex designs. The carpet nozzle on all these National cleaners are unusual in this country in that the wand connection swivels on a vertical rather than horizontal plane - this is quite common on European cleaners, but not UK.

Edgar, it is a co-incidence that you bought this UK cleaner, when I recently bought a Dutch one, although mine came from the UK. Again based on an American design - this time a Lewyt

Al

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160652552153?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[edgar]

Al

Hi Al,

Great a toppy S. This whas the last one in its range, and indeed a copy of a lewyt. In Holland this cleaner whas very popular in the seventies, and one of Holland Electro's power sellers. In france they made the same Machines but called them His masters voice.

If you ever come across a national 25 hose and swivel, know that I am looking.

greetz edgar

 

[kenkart]

As Ive said before!!

I wish some of these European machines would show up here!!

 

[tolivac]

Same here!Guess I would need a 220V transformer to run them.

 

[collector2]

Hey Rex - you have 220 in your house. All you need to do to run the European machines is make an adapter. I bought a 2 circuit electric box with a dual 15 amp breaker in it. Hooked the mains side up to a dryer plug to connect to my dryer oulet and the load side up to an appropriate outlet for the vacuums. Instant adapter and its protected at 15 amps as required.

 

[vacbear58]

More of my National

Took some more pictures of my National last night. Unfortunatly the nameplate is missing so I dont not know what model it is. It said S660 on the ratings plate

 

[vacbear58]

Side on

..

 

[vacbear58]

Blower port

..

 

[vacbear58]

Inside

The bag is shaped around the "hump". There is a small filter around the vents at the bottom - but not on the top - its just the paint that has discoloured

 

[vacbear58]

Bottom

I am really curious to know which, if any US models this machine is based on

Al

 

[edgar]

it looks the same.

It looks exactly the same as mine so I think its a 25.

greetz

 

[kenkart]

It Is!

VERY similar to a Eureka 900 seriese, especially the inside, the motor cover etc is almost identical!

 

[vacbear58]

Eureka 900

Hans

Thank you for that information, is the 900 series the Rotomatic shown above. It would not be the first US design that was copied by any means for example the Eureka Vibra-beat and several Apex models were too. Speaking of which, the hose coupling here looks like Apex, so maybe they borrowed aspoects of two designs for this machine.

Would anyone have a spare hose coupling they could send to Edgar? I doubt I would ever find one here

Al