Hi from new forum reader.....

[eurekaprince]

Thanks everyone....

Thanks for the warm welcome, Morgan......it's hard to believe that I thought I was the only one fascinated by vacs since I was a kid!

Sorry about that Chad, it will take me a while to get all the names correct. Thank you for your answers.....I would give anything to live in a suburban home again - my basement would house the entire Eureka "royal" family! That sounds like a great gift - I remember seeing wonderful versions of the Empress II with pn in the 1980's which were branded for Canada's Eaton's and JCPenney and Wards south of the border. That wine-coloured version must have been designed to match the wine-coloured ESP uprights.

Yes GE1969 - that's the Crown Princess! Just love the idea of designing a storage place for the hose like that. Of the scores of weird vac memories I have from childhood, one involves this model: We used to travel as a family from Montreal to New York at least once a year as I had aunts and uncles there. One year, in the late 1960's, I remember seeing an entire display of Crown Princesses slowly revolving on a turntable in the lobby of a Chase Manhattan bank. To this day, I could not figure out why they were there. I guess the bank was giving these away as a promotion - maybe for house mortgages.

I think that the Empress is one of the sharpest designs I have ever seen with such great understated "kewl" colouring.

I'd love to see pics of your suction only Empress II, GE1969. I will never forget the cool TV commercial Eureka put out for the early versions of this machine - the female voice-over kept seductively whispering "Empress II.......Empress II......" I don't remember what colours those early EII's came in, so seeing some shots would be great. And yes.....I have already enjoyed that "Garage full of vacs" thread. Someone really needs to fund a national vacuum cleaner museum for all of those beauties!

Have a great weekend everyone.....I'll see you in other threads from now on...

Brian

 

[eurekaprince]

Correction to my NYC "Crown Princess" Story

After thinking about the story, I now remember that the bank was not Chase Manhattan......I don't even know if this existed in the late 1960's. It was something called Manufacturer's Hanover......isn't it odd the details one can remember from over 30 years ago?

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Welcome from Pennsylvania

You'll discover quickly that I'm totally HOOVER, but, I play well with others. I DO appreciate others who like other cleaners.WELCOME John

 

[rugmaster37]

HOLY EMPRESS I.......

Toby,

Your Empress I is FANTASTIC!!!! Vac presentation just isn't the same anymore.For most all vacuums, you pull it out of the box, and there it is.... No only did your machine have all it's tools in their own "suitcase", but you could select only what you needed, and then put it back when you were finished with it.

I can only imagine how the first time housewife must have felt as she used her premium vacuum cleaner, with that wild VibraVac/ VibraBeat nozzle, and nested tooset. I know how I feel when I use my older machines that are similarily cool...so...

Nice, very nice....

Chad

I'm working on new photo's. I started tonight so.... soon, very soon...

 

[eurekaprince]

Thank you John in Pennsyvania. Toby - one last question....

How do the attachments for the Empress stay in place when you close the briefcase and turn it upright? I mean, that carpet nozzle must be heavy and I can't imagine how a cut-out in cardboard keeps it in place. Do you have to lay the hose on top of the tools to keep everything in place? Does everything eventually fall out of place and you basically have a case full of loose tools?

 

[collector2]

Hi Brian:

Welcome from another part of Canada (Saskatchewan).

Re: Eatons - the Viking line, while predominantly made by Eureka also had machines made by Switson Manufactuing (who made the Regina machines as well) and even a machine made in Japan (By Hitachi I believe) in the 1960's. Their other house brands (Gleneaton, Eatonia, Huron, Torwin etc) also included machines made by Siroma Mfg of England, Phoenix Mfg of England, Royal, Universal, Vactric and several others that I cant think of off the top of my head.

There were also a fair number of Singer machines made by Eureka.

I love the look of the Crown Princess as well - I have the singer version of that machine but I need to find a replacement handle / switch for it

Doug in Moose Jaw

 

[ge1969]

Hi Brian!! To answer your question about the Empress tools, There's another piece of cardboard that goes over the top of the tools to help hold them in place. They're still a little loose though, even with that. BTW, here's a couple of pics of the Empress 2 you wanted. 2

 

[ge1969]

Here's another.

 

[ge1969]

Lastly, here's another one of my favorite machines. A Eureka Roto-Matic Swivel-Top with all tools and the storage box.

 

[hygiene903]

Welcome Brian!

Glad you are here! I'm in Ohio, about an hour from Norm. I have about 50 machines in my collection with a variety of makes and models. Would like to hear about your collection when you have time. From what you said earlier in this thread I see you have at least three but be careful, as they multiply quickly! Again, welcome!
Jeff

 

[eurekaprince]

Toby...now I am officially drooling on my keyboard....

That first generation Empress II is just beautiful - that avocado green was used on a great series of Eureka's in the late 1960's. Thanks for the answer on the Empress I tools. I hear that these machines were not the greatest performers and leaked dust a lot - too bad. I'd give anything to see that Empress II commercial once again - or maybe even get the commercial on DVD or download it from the internet. I bet you the ad agency has them digitized for their archives....if I could remember the ad agency now (Young and Rubicam?)

Hello Doug on the Canadian prairies! Thanks for the detailed information. I actually think your website is great - especially for those great shots of Eureka and Viking vacs. Thanks for all the work you do for that website - I have it as a "Favourite."

Thank you Jeff for the warm welcome. Until I get a home of my own, my collection will have to be limited to photos and shelf nic-nacs. I think I will start a collection from eBay - you know, promotional stuff like salt and pepper shakers, measuring tapes and ashtrays. I may decide to buy some vintage Eureka ads too, and frame those for my apartment walls.

For the real stuff, I'll have to live vicariously through you guys!

 

[ge1969]

Hey Brian!! Here's another interesting Eureka from my collection. A model 700 with all original tools, instruction book, and a funky little A-frame holder for the tools. Enjoy! Later, Trg

 

[ge1969]

Opps!! Almost forgot, here's the nameplate. Trg

 

[eurekaprince]

COOL!

I'll have to make my way down to Georgia one of these days!

Have a great weekend......