More Updates to The Vacuum Archives!

[coffeecanman]

Just wanted to do a quick update and let everyone know that there are a TON of new manuals, brochures, service guides, and ads that have been uploaded to the site. The current total is 80 documents and counting! I had to update the link from the main page to redirect to a file sharing service where the archives are now hosted, as my monthly bandwidth limit was nearly reached with all of these large files being constantly downloaded. I also had to get a new scanner, I think I worked my old one to death.... Lots of Eureka stuff coming soon, stay tuned!



http://vacuumarchives.org

 

[caligula]

Hi CoffeeCanMan:

Let me be the first to tell you how awesome this is, needless to say I'm impressed. You have provided a valuable service to both the VCCC and Vacuumland.

Thank you!
Alex Taber.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

CoffeeCanMan

Brandon,

If ever you find any official Kirby Classic Omega, Classic III and Tradition service manuals (similar to the one you already have up that is for models 505 to Sanitronic VII) please add to the archive.

Thank you,



Ben

 

[coffeecanman]

Ben, that's not something I am actively seeking out for my own personal collection, as I don't have any interest in those machines, but I am more than happy to scan one if anybody has one to lend.

 

[coffeecanman]

Thanks Alex! It's a great pleasure to be able to share these documents with everyone. Some of them are so obscure or rare, owning an original wouldn't be an option for most people. There may even be manuals or brochures to machines long forgotten, such as "The America" made by the Wise-McClung Manufacturing Co. I had certainly never heard of it. I have been very fortunate to have received many original documents on loan from other collectors so that they may be scanned and shared with the world.

If anyone else has any original manuals, brochures, or other literature they would like to contribute, please send me a message to discuss the details. I would prefer to only accept original documents on loan for legal and quality control reasons. Documents in my possession are stored in a fireproof safe and handled with museum-level care until they are scanned and promptly returned.

 

[vacerator]

You are one county away CoffeCanMan.

 

[caligula]

Instruction books.

Hi Brandon:

For the past week I've been working on phase 3 of the display, this is the arranging stage, not merely having them sit on shelves in a holding pattern. Now everything is set up, all uprights and machines that were out of the way during the last photo shoot.

I have a number of instruction books that I can loan you to add to the 'archives' and in a file cabinet are a nunber of adds, and other interesting things that should be made public. And if you decide to open a section on the non-electric's of the late 1800's- early 1900's let me know as I have adds, and other data on those too.

Once again let me say you have done a great thing for both the VCCC and Vacuumland, and I'm more than happy to help contribute to it.

Alex Taber.

 

[coffeecanman]

Alex, that's very generous of you. I'd love to have the chance to add anything you might be willing to contribute. I would gladly welcome any non-electric stuff too!

 

[caligula]

Instruction books and other data..

Hi Brandon: Most of the non-electric material was used in our early newsletters but hasn't been seen by anyone but the 20 of so members back in the darkages. It's been in boxes or one file cabinet or other for decades. This is material that needs to be seen and preserved.

Unfortunately I was not in a position to handle this material with kid gloves, and it shows signs of age, but asside from a few frayed edges, tiny holes from push-pins, tape on the corners and so on it's in reletively good condition. Here's a look at some of it when I had the official V.C.C.C. museum from 1983-95. The two gentlemen in dark suits are George H. Scott and Carl S. Fetzer. All this, and a lot more needs to be out there for all to see.

Alex Taber.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

What a treasure all of this is!!!!!!!

What you have done for all of us is, in a word, selfless. Many thanks.
John

 

[caligula]

Hi John:

I agree! Makes me think back on the old days of the club when members sent John Lucia and I stuff for the newsletter.

Last night I downloaded the Hoover book from the 1920's and it's exactly as I remember seeing it back in 86. I also downloaded the instruction book for the Hoover 541. I plan to help Brandon all I can and in turn it will help both the V.C.C.C. and Vacuumland.

 

[dysonman1]

Brandon:
I have two file cabinets and three bookshelves FULL of vacuum cleaner instruction manuals, ads, flyers, etc. for 'almost' all electric vacuum cleaners produced. Almost no one looks at them while visiting the Vacuum Museum. You are welcome to visit the Vacuum Cleaner Museum and scan as much as you like. Love your "archives". You are doing a wonderful service for all vacuum collectors.

 

[coffeecanman]

Thanks for the compliments, guys! I wI'll not rest until there is a copy of every manual in existence (through the 70s, anyway).

Tom - I wish the museum weren't 10 hours away, you'd have to kick me out at closing time every weekend! I hope to someday be able to make it out there.

 

[caligula]

Every instruction manual from 1970?

Hi Brandon:

That's a monster task!

At the very first meeting of the V.C.C.C. (May, 1985) we talked about writing a book on the history of the vacuum cleaner, we all had high hopes that the material we had was enough. It wasn't! We found huge gaps in historical data and the idea quickly died. We also wanted to have a listing of the patents to every vacuum cleaner ever produced. Trust me, that's impossible, there are millions of them and as Air-way, Electrolux, Eureka, Kirby and others refused to help us that dream faded just as fast. The best we could do was find material to use in the newsletters.

As I love the really old stuff dating back to the 1920's I hope you will go back far beyond the 1970's. And as I said in previous posts I'll help you all I can.

 

[coffeecanman]

Alex,

I meant everything UP TO the 70s, meaning going back as far back as the turn of the century. My primary interest is also the 1920s and 1930s

 

[caligula]

Got it.

Guess I read it wrong, hadn't had my morning coffee yet!

As I said, that's a major undertaking but something I'm interested in seeing. You are in for a long project but the end result will be a valuable treasure for us all. I'm here if you need me.