Hoover Connie Pics and Info Needed:

[danemodsandy]

Hello: In addition to my love for vintage vacs and appliances, I'm an editor of a magazine (Modernism) about mid-century design and architecture.

We have a department called Real Modern that deals with reissues or updates of classic modernist design, helping people to find new versions of things that are no longer affordable as vintage originals, or that really shouldn't be daily drivers, or that require too much restoration for the average person to handle.

I'd like to do a Real Modern piece on the reissue of the Hoover Constellation, designed by Henry Dreyfuss, but I would need this group's help. I need both info and a photo, as follows:

1) What year was the original Connie introduced?

2) Is the reissue still readily available now that the new owners have fully taken over Hoover?

3) Does anyone have a really good photo or ad scan of an original Connie? This is for a print magazine, so there are very specific quality requirements:

A) The photo or ad scan must be a minimum of 300 dpi resolution, in either JPEG or TIFF format.

B) The photo or ad scan must be a minimum of five inches by seven inches, as measured by photo-editing software, not by eye or ruler. Microsoft Photo Editor (comes with MS Office) can read this measurement; go to Properties in the File menu.

C) For a photo, the background should be neutral and uncluttered, with the vacuum being the most prominent thing in the shot. There should be as little background as possible, with the vacuum filling the photo.

D) A photo should be bright, with good colour rendition, not dark and greyish, as so many digital photos are.

E) A scan should also be 300 dpi, scanned as large as possible - again, at least five inches by seven.

All answers and help would be greatly appreciated. Anyone providing a photo or scan we can use will receive a copy of the finished magazine. We will take care of getting permission from Hoover for the use of any vintage ad scans.

Thanks!

Sandy McLendon
Senior Editor, Modernism Magazine
[email protected]

 

[constellation86]

I'm pretty sure the very first one (model 82) was introduced 1954. The 86 is the one most people remember and it came out in 1959.
I have an 86 that I could take pictures of for you. Mine's not in the greatest shape, but that might help your case that an average person would be better served with the new version.
Nicholas

 

[constellation86]

News flash

Hoover.com now has much lower prices on the new connies. $105 for the white one. $120 for the stainless steel.
Does this mean they are on the way out?
I better get one quick!
Nicholas

 

[volvoguy87]

Publish Quick!

Generate some interest for the new Connies before Hoover pulls them! Goodness knows Hoover hasn't advertised them that I have seen (and I have looked!). None of the big box stores near me carry them either.

Best of luck,
Dave

 

[xraytech]

Only place in our area to get a new connie is from the J.C.Penney catalog.I better order one from Hoover before they are gone

 

[luxg]

Wow, if you can get them for that price that is fantastic. I have the stainless steel one and love it!

 

[aeoliandave]

Get 'em while you can.

Home Hardware up here in Canada keeps advertising the white ones on sale at $149 or the S.S. one at $199 every two months or so...but they never have them in stock.

So yeah, they must be on the way out clearing central warehouse stocks and they are already showing up in Thrift Stores - I got my white one for $5 at a Goodwill store in Toledo...

 

[kirbyboy1]

I have a complete origional connie. Could I hang a white sheet up for a back ground. It has the box all the tools the caddy and the manual. anyone wana a pix?

 

[truckerx]

Hoover Constellation Model 82 photo

Attached you'll find a photo of the first Hoover Constellation model 82 c.1974 with attachment set. It is gray and blue in color. To the left of the 82, you'll notice an upright Model 63 in similar colors. Hope this helps.

 

[compactelectra]

Actually

That is my 82. It was manufactured from November 1954 through September of 1956. It didn't float. The next machine, which is in the photo as well, in tan, was the 84 which did float.

Fred

 

[collector2]

This probably has too much in the background but it shows the first two connies from Canada. The original is also much larger - I had to resize to post it.

Doug

 

[truckerx]

Hoover Constellation 82

You can also get a glimpse of a Constellation 82 featured in the right-side background of this recent photo of The Hoover Family taken on August 7, 2008 by Pillip Muller. That's "Bud" Hoover (Howard Earl Hoover II) in the center with the first "modern" upright Hoover model 150 c.1936-1939 designed by Henry Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss also designed the Constellation. The famous industrial designer was a friend of the Hoover Family. He was the father of the modern telephone design, featuring a handset and cradle, as well as the Streamlined Locomotive.

 

[swiveltop]

Here is an old Picture Of The Day.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

IF TTI had ANY sense, they'd PUSH

the new Miss Connie HOOVER where it belongs... out in FRONT What's the matter with them?

 

[truckerx]

TTI

I believe TTI is a Chinese company. Like you said "if TTI had any sense..." If they did, one would think they'd hire a SMART promotion company. Oh well! We can't control the world, but China seems to be doing a good job of it!

 

[sbnhvlvr]

check the hoover.com website these are being phaesed out, they are on sale for alomost half price.

 

[truckerx]

TTI

TTI is headquartered in Hong Kong.

 

[charles~richard]

How does the sound of the new Constellation compare with the old models? Does it have that pleasant, sweet, muffled hum of the originals, or does it screech like most other modern vacuums?

 

[truckerx]

It might screech

If it has a Chinese motor :-D

 

[hygiene903]

Connie 82

Here are a couple pix of my Connie 82. My Grandfather bought it for my Grandmother for their Anniversary in 1955, which was their last Anniversary, as he passed away in Feb. 1956, about 4 1/2 months before I was born. It runs like new, and will always be a special part of my collection.
Jeff

 

[luxg]

Jeff, that is a beautiful Connie, how lucky you are to have this very special machine in your collection.

 

[rugmaster37]

TTI......

I think it means "Totally Tradition Ignorant". I don't think they have the wherewithal; or a solid, or otherwise workable plan to restore the lustre to the Hoover name. IMHO It would take millions if not a few billion to Make Hoover great again. I know fully that this will NEVER happen. I've talked to the high muckity mucks from thier Royal "division", and came away knowing I was right on.

TTI's main advantage to their acquisition of the name of Hoover was to simply whip out a few more years of the name and heritage of what was once #1. That said, their second lesser advantage is that they can sell, and end up pushing onto the "consumer ignorant"; their rebadged Dirt Devil garbage, like the Elite "Rewind", and the new "Convertible", nee' Saavy; nee' Dual-V. Which yes was a "Hoover" design per se', but should have been killed off after the first wave of complaints and problems began.

A minor bright side from my viewpoint, is that they may have a winner on thier hands with the Tacony built canister that is the Miele knockoff. One could only wish for such grand proclamations for the very tarnished, and bloodied name of Hoover.

Just an opinion of course. It just breaks my will that there will never again be an honest to goodness Hoover product that has the DNA , and heritage of the wood and tin contraption that swept a rug in Susan Hoovers front hall.

Now for the positives!! Wonderful Connies everyone...let's see more FLOATERS!!!

Chad

 

[ge1969]

Hi Guys! If someone can help me figure out how to get the photos from my Kodak software to the Forum, I'll post pics of my Constellation Model 87, the rare bird, or so I'm told, with the on/off switch in the hose handle. Later, Trg

 

[collector2]

Hey Jeff:

That looks to be the same as our model 826 (Canada). Wasnt the plain blue one model 82 as well down there (it was 822 in Canada)

Doug

 

[hygiene903]

Hi Doug,

If the 826 is the one on the right in your picture, then yes, they are the about the same. But to my knowledge, the only all blue model in the US came out several years later ane was a lighter shade of blue. The 82's were all two-tone like mine. Next model was the 83, in a color scheme to match the Citation upright If I'm not mistaken.
And Terry, thank you for the compliment. And since it was my Grandmother's makes it even more special. Another note about its history is that my Grandmother moved in with us in 1965, about 6 months before my Dad passed away. From then on, Grandma only used the Connie to clean her room, and Mom cleaned the rest of the house with her Lux XXX and later the 966 Electro-Hygiene that I bought for her (which I also have). So my 82 Connie is a 53 year old machine with maybe 20 years worth of use on it!!
Jeff