Help Please with 1C 3C and R model Kirby Vacuum Manuals

[chicagomike]

Hi,

I am working on a project where I am re-type-setting the old kirby vacuum manuals. I am still looking for complete scans of every page from the original manuals for the following models: 1C, 3C, 1R, 2R, 3R, and 4R.

If you have any or all of these manuals I am looking for, could you please scan every page of the manual and email it to me? If you do not have the ability to scan them, then pictures of every page would work too assuming the pictures are clear enough for me to read everything.

Private message me or email me if you prefer not to post here. I would be happy to:
1.) pay $ you for taking the time to scan the manual(s) for me
2.) or I would be happy to mail you a re-type-set manual when I get them complete 3.) or I have a couple items I can trade with for the scans such as a.) black kirby wheels or b.) belt lifter caps

Thanks in advance for anyone taking the time to help me with my project.

 

[sonnyndad]

Check Kirby's website.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Mike,

Kirby has the 2C and 4C manuals available among those in your list:

2C:
http://kirbywhq.powweb.com/manuals/2C/index.html

4C:
http://kirbywhq.powweb.com/manuals/4C/index.html

The "R" series meant retail sale, and had a handle-mounted lever switch a la the Royal uprights.

~Ben

 

[chicagomike]

The 1C, 3C, 1R, 2R, 3R, and 4R are not on Kirby's website. Thanks for the suggestions tho

 

[electrolux137]

~
~

I wonder if there even were separate manuals for the R models. The differences were so minimal from the C models, other than the cord. I imagine that's something that could have been explained to retail customers looking at the machines in department stores.

Seeing as how they reused so many photos from one model's manual to the next, I really do wonder if they would have gone to the great expense of producing separate manuals. What they might have done was print a single insert sheet, maybe two-sided, that explained the special feature of the R models.

I have never seen any Model R manuals.

 

[electrolux137]

~
~

The Kirby company did not produce separate serial number places for the R models, by the way. What they did was "X" out the "C" at the beginning of the serial number and added an "R" at the end. See photos.

 

[chicagomike]

See the photos of R model tags which do not have X's on them.

 

[chicagomike]

See photos of the R model manual, they do exist. Photos are from Jame's website and I posted without asking him, so please remove the photos if I am not allowed to post them..

 

[electrolux137]

~
~

Well, "knock me down with a feather." That's the first R-model instruction booklet I've ever seen! I'd sure like to see the entire booklet.

Then, Mike, as to your comment in your subsequent thread about posts getting hijacked, what can I say ... "Guilty as charged." (I posted this comment here so as not to hijack your new thread!)

That being said, you will find that most of the discussions here are "organic" and often evolve and morph into other directions -- again, sometimes diverting entirely from the original topic.

It's like when people are talking at a party -- a subject will be brought up that people will discuss. Then, invariably, someone says something along the line of "That reminds of..." or "Did you hear about..." etc. etc. etc., and the conversation goes off into another direction.

You can only control to a certain degree the course of threads. They will nearly always drift into other directions -- sometimes related to the original thread, sometimes not.

 

[kirbyloverdan]

Very rare

To find some manuals for older KIRBYS

Dan

 

[odavid123]

Help!

Did Anybody in this thread get around to getting the R models manual copies ?
I would appreciate if anyone can share with me . Please email me if you’d prefer not to post here thank you !

 

[kwalsh97214]

A few quick questions about Kirby "R" models

I have a few quick questions as I read recent vacuumland posts about Kirby “R” models.

1. When collectors say that the “R” refers to Kirby models that were made for retail sellers, does this mean stores like Gimbels, Bloomingdales, Macys and the like?

2. Did retail stores ever “personalize” these “R” models with a badge, bag, or other marking identifying the store?

3. Why are Kirby “R” models extremely rare – I would have guessed that large retailers would have sold hundreds (or thousands?) of these models (even during the depression years)?

Thanks.

 

[lesinutah]

Odavid

Has anybody contacted you about the manual.

 

[odavid123]

Here is what I know .

1. When collectors say that the “R” refers to Kirby models that were made for retail sellers, does this mean stores like Gimbels, Bloomingdales, Macys and the like?

David ) Most likely these were sold at department stores in the 1930s like sears, Macys etc . Although vacuum shops also carried these. The R models were not the first to sell in retail the Vacuette electric and Scott and fetzer sanitation system were sold in limited editions too ( switch on handle)

2. Did retail stores ever “personalize” these “R” models with a badge, bag, or other marking identifying the store?

David) not that I know of .

3. Why are Kirby “R” models extremely rare – I would have guessed that large retailers would have sold hundreds (or thousands?) of these models (even during the depression years)?

David ) the R models were produced on limited quantities so to not interfere with door to door sales . These were produced for 4 years only .

 

[odavid123]

Update !!


I now have some complete and incomplete manuals of the R models ( R,2R ,3R) I’ll be posting copies online in the next few weeks for all to browse through .( free of charge lol )

 

[kwalsh97214]

David

Thanks for answering my Kirby R questions.

 

[lesinutah]

Nice

Glad it worked out maybe with some help but who knows.