Kirby Ezee Vacuum

[Museumofclean]

Hey All,

We have a Kirby Ezee, circa 1914, but it is missing the half glass globe part that covers the hole above the nozzle. Wondering if anyone has one or knows anything about them.

Thanks, Brad, Museum Director 208-236-6906

 

[caligula]

Ezee vacuum cleaner,

also known as 'The Grasshopper,' is one of the rare ones. Please post a few pictures for all of us to enjoy.

 

[caligula]

Hi Brad.

Contact me at [email protected] for Kirby info. I have patent info that you may be interested in.

Alex Taber
Founder of the V.C.C.C..

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Yep

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">It's one of the VERY rare ones. </span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">And is very sort after (Me included) lol

</span>
<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">You will probably have to have the part made for it. </span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">At least yours is in a safe place. Look after it!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>


 


 

 

[blknblu]

whoa .. 


Kirby is on Flickr


 


Loads of hi-res pics, that you can zoom in on


https://www.flickr.com/photos/86653287@N04/

 


This zoomed in pic is courtesy of their Flickr account


Looks like you may have to enlist Jay Leno to get one made

 

[cb123]

One of the rare ones!? It is just only perhaps the rarest one of all time and the most highly sought after!!! Why, just about everyone sets around and dreams about that one.  If it is true, you just acquired the " Holy Grail " of vacuum cleaners! If all you had in your museum/collection was that single one, you just blow away everyone else's collections -- BY FAR!!! You had best post some pictures, because their are some people here that would without any hesitation place a second mortgage on their home to procure the before mentioned " Excalibur " of vacuums...I kid you not!!!

 

[kirbylux77]

Calem, come now. You act as if The Ezee should have been made of of gold! "Holy Grail" indeed....

Now, if you want the REAL Holy Grail of Kirby's, the Kirby Aer Rotor should be the rarest of them all. What they were ever thinking when this monstrosity was designed, who knows.

Rob

 

[cb123]

Well, that's great that you don't want the Ezee. All that means is there's going to be less competition for me and James. So I'll just write you off the Ezee list for good.

 

[electrolux137]

.


 


 

 

[dysonman1]

The EZEE was made by the Frantz Premier Company in Cleveland. It was not a product of the Scott and Fetzer Company. James Kirby's first production model upright vacuum was the Frantz Premier, in 1910. The VCCC had an ad for the electric Frantz Premier as well as the non-electric Ezee in one of the magazines (the VCCC used to send out a hard copy, full color magazine four times per year - that's what the dues paid for). The Ezee was such a 'contraption', I can't imagine they sold more than a handful. Perhaps that's why, in 1917 when James Kirby met Mr. Scott and Mr. Fetzer, he talked about an 'improved' non electric cleaner (the Wireless Vac U Ette) which they would manufacture starting in 1919.

 

[dirtmaster37]

If you look closely at the "badge" on the handle... It says PREMIER.....

 

[caligula]

James B. Kirby,

was friends with three brothers, Clarance, Ed and Walter Frantz, or "the Frantz boys" as he called them. In 1914 he turned to them to manufacture one of his electric suction machines, and then designed a non electric that he called 'The Grasshopper,' it was also marketed as the Ezee pictured in the last reply. The Frantz boys would go on to market the Frantz Prermier, that's why the name Premier is on the machine!

Jim Kirby had done the same thing in 1910 when he designed his first upright called 'The Broomstick.' In this case however, he called on three friends named Black, Decker and Lamb. In addition there was Bill Orr of the Forte Wayne Electric company. But Jim Kirby's most important work was through George H. Scott and Carl S. Fetzer.

Black and Decker would go on to pioneer power tools, and Lamb would get into motors.

Obviously Jim Kirby helped a lot of people start companies of their own.

 

[odavid123]

The Ezee

The Ezee,1914. Restored ! More detailed pictures and videos next Saturday March 2nd 2024 on my website collectingdust.com