My Friend Norm, the Electrolux Man

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electrolux137

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Location
Los Angeles
 


 


I have a friend here in L.A. named Norm who is a retired Electrolux Man. In 1958, he began working part-time for Electrolux as a salesman. He turned this part-time position into a 17-year career with the company, working his way up to the position of Division Manager of the Pacific Northwest.

I had lunch with him today and enjoyed a nice long chat with him about his time at Electrolux and heard a lot of fascinating information and stories about his career there.

He told me about how he got into selling the Electrolux. He said, "I was a college student at the time. One day a man knocked on the door wanting to demonstrate the "All-New Electrolux to me. I was familiar with the Electrolux because my parents had had them." (I asked him which models, and he said a "Thirty" [as he called it] and a Model E.)

He said, "I was so impressed with the man's demonstration that I bought one. I had two dogs and always had a heck of a time keeping the dog hair cleaned up. I told the man, 'This is such a great machine! People all over the place should have them!' I asked him if there might be a possibility of selling them part-time and he said, 'Sure! Just go over to the branch office and talk to the manager.'"

He continued, "So the next day I stopped by and signed up. They sent me to the warehouse to get stocked up on machines and parts. I got a Model F and a Model E [when the F first came out, the Model E was still the lower-tier model], then I went out and sold them both that afternoon! I went back to the warehouse and said, 'I need some more machines.' The warehouse manager said, 'You're just one day on the job! I can't give you any more machines! What did you do with the two I gave you this morning?' I said, 'I sold them!' Just then, the manager happened to stop by and I told him about my sales and that I needed some more machines. The warehouse manager asked him how many to give me, and the manager said, 'Give him all he wants!'"

"And that's how it all started. Oh, I remember one day there was a big giant of a man in the branch office. He saw my name and asked about my family. When I told them who they were he said, 'Yep! I sold them a Model E about a year ago!' Your mother wanted the automatic model but your father said, "We'll take the standard model.'"

He talked about the various models that came along, including the refined Model F with the donut-style cord winder and the "AMAZING" power nozzle. He said, "When the power nozzle came out, we couldn't sell the machines fast enough! People were practically begging for them, and whenever I =was= obliged to do a demonstration I hardly ever left without making a sale!"

He also sold the Model R and then the Model G and Hospital Model G. He told me a lot about the Hospital Model. He said, "I sold nearly as many Hospital Gs as I did the regular model! People really did love that machine because it was so quiet, yet so powerful. There was an optional three-row brush for the power nozzle, and an optional extra-long hose if people wanted it, but I didn't sell a single one of those long hoses. However, whenever I'd take in a power nozzle in for repair I'd always install the three-row brush for them."

He declared, very emphatically, "I have to say, the Model G was the BEST Electrolux ever made!"

He also sold the commercial Model CB (but never sold any CAs -- "The company really wasn't pushing them," he said), the Model 1205, Golden Jubilee, the Super J, and a "ton of Model Ls and B8 shampooer-scrubbers." I asked him if he sold many turbo tools and he said, "A few, but they weren't really very popular and didn't really do a great job." The last model he sold just before he retired was the 1205. He recalls seeing promotional materials about the upcoming Golden Jubilee model but left the company before that model was released to the sales force.

I asked him if he had much competition with the Kirby salesmen. "Good Lord yes!" he exclaimed. "Every now and then, I'd stop at a home where the people said they had just seen the Kirby and were thinking about getting one. I'd tell them, 'I'll buy your Kirby for you if the man will come over and go head-to-head with my Electrolux.' That was usually enough to convince them to take the Electrolux!

"But then one day the Kirby sales manager heard about it and called me up all steaming mad. He hollered, 'I'll go up against that stovepipe putt-putter of yours any day of the week!' So we arranged to have a showdown at a prospective customer's house, and of course my Electrolux chewed that Kirby up and spit it out! The Kirby man got into a huff, saying he couldn't believe the Electrolux beat his Kirby. I told him, 'Take that manure spreader out of here.'"

Over the years he won many sales awards and commendations -- national sales leader tokens and pins, gold watches, diamond jewelry, radios, televisions, a car [an AMC Gremlin!], and trips to Florida and Bermuda and two trips to Hawaii. He also went to all the national sales conventions with the company usually paying for him and his wife to attend.

He mentioned the Air-Way. He had a brother who was a very successful Air-Way dealer in Oregon. He said it was a great machine but the design seemed "kinda odd to me," talking about the way you were supposed to stand it in the center of a room on its end. He said, "The hose was somewhat longer than an Electrolux hose, but it really wasn't long enough to let people use it that way in normal-sized rooms."

I asked him if he was ever hit on by lonely housewives. He said, "Oh Lord Yes! All the time! But I never fooled around with any of them. I was a married man and always remained faithful. One time, the funniest time I think, I was leading a new recruit around showing him the ropes. I knocked on the door of a house in a well-to-do neighborhood, and the 'Lady of the House' came to the door with nothing on but a see-through nightgown that was open in the front ... all the way down! That recruit's eyes nearly popped out of his head!"

He also talked a lot about his sales techniques. For instance: "Whenever I'd canvass a neighborhood in the daytime, I'd keep a checklist of the houses where no one was home, and then come back in the evening. Usually, it meant that both the husband and wife worked and thus had more income. I sold many Electroluxes that way."

He said he would also regularly call on former customers to see if they needed any parts or supplies. He would do repairs right there on the spot when he could. And, of course, he'd always offer to show the newest model or try to get them to upgrade to a new hose, a power nozzle or a B8 shampooer-scrubber.

While I've known Norm a long time and had been to his home several times, this is the most he's ever talked about his Electrolux career. I could tell from listening to his stories that he was a great salesman, coupled with a very engaging and congenial personality. It's no wonder he was such an incredible success with Electrolux.

It was a lovely visit with him, as it always is, although our more recent get-togethers over the past couple of years have been tinged with sadness over the death of his "dear wife" and then his having to put their beautiful home in Westwood up for sale. He's gone from a large, two-story, five bedroom house to renting a room with one of his neighbors. He said, "That was pretty humiliating, you know. But you gotta do what you gotta do." Then he said wistfully, "I sure do miss my Little Gal."

electrolux137++4-11-2013-23-01-5.jpg
 
What a wonderful story. That is why I joined this forum. I must say that story was hilarious. Especially the part about the Kirby. I never thought about how the door-to-door companies competed behind the scenes. That was too funny. I'd love to sell thier vacuums but I am NO seller. I couldn't sell water to a man in the desert.
 
<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;">Hi, Charles,</span>


<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;">Awesome story--thanks for sharing. I bet I'd enjoy visiting with Norm, too, and picking his brain about each Electrolux model and its attachments.</span>


<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;">Paul</span>
 
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Charles,</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; color: #ff0000;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Do you have an Electrolux logo history by years (including fonts)?  I know the machines vary from Roman letters to cursive, but I am not familiar with attachments bearing the cursive logos.  I am also wondering about the circle and lines on the older attachments--if there is any meaning behind the symbolism, or if it was just a design.  In addition, did all attachments carry the Electrolux name back in the day?  I have never seen a swivel attachment with a logo, and I am wondering if all the crevice tools displayed logos.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Paul</span>
 
I have often wondered the very same thing myself. Many of the early Electrolux logos seem to bear Masonic influence (see attached image) -- and it's very possible, likely even, than the founders of Electrolux were Masons or members of other esoteric societies.

But that was nothing out of the ordinary in those days. Most men of business and commerce belonged to the local lodge, less for "mysterious secrets" and more for a chance to get out of the house and have a night out drinking with their fellow lodge brothers!

The closest thing to a logo history that I have appears on the last page of my "History of American Electrolux. The link is below.

[this post was last edited: 4/13/2013-03:24]

http://www.1377731.com/lux/zzz_zlogos_all.jpg
electrolux137++4-13-2013-02-03-30.jpg
 
Electrolux Model 1205

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Thank you for the information, Charles.  </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">How interesting that some of the early logos featured Masonic symbols.  Being opposed to lodges--of any sort--due to my religious beliefs I was glad when you explained that many members likely belonged to the Masons mainly for social purposes.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I do have another Electrolux question regarding the model 1205.  The one I own has a smooth body with the same (or similar) color ends and black logo lettering.  I will have to check the dial to see if its numbers are raised as your 1972 description states.   In reading your descriptions, I wonder if you may have missed a 1971 or 1973 version?  </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I really appreciate all the research you have performed in order to produce such an informative website.  Along with that, I am anxious to view your Electrolux videos on Youtube.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; color: #993366;">Paul</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>
 
Well, I wouldn't say that they OUTRIGHT contained Masonic logos but that they may have had Masonic influences.

Take the one I posted above -- it's a copper drink coaster.

The most prominent Masonic-like element on it is the circle enclosed within a triangle, even more so with its sunburst rays.

Then there's the corocupia or "horn of plenty" also depicted on the coaster. While widely associated in the U.S. with the Thanksgiving holiday, it does have its origins in Masonry. See link below.

I also meant to comment on the Electrolux circular logo with the three upright bars as you mentioned.

While it could be thought to have "vestiges" of the Sun and Rays logo (as seen more dramatically in the coaster, and elsewhere), it might just be a logo that a Electrolux designer came up with and it was so lovely that it became iconic for the company for many years. The logo may have been designed by Lurelle Guild, as it first appeared on the attachments for the first Model 30 ("XXX") that he designed.

More below on the sunburst...

Oh, and yes, Lodge Meetings were a great source of "getaway entertainment" for men, particularly during Prohibition whose tentacles of temperance somehow managed not to get entangled into some of the various "secret societies."


http://www.masonicdictionary.com/cornucopia.html
electrolux137++4-13-2013-03-07-23.jpg
 
More about the Electrolux sunburst logo.


The Electrolux sunburst logo first appeared very early, indeed, it predates AB-Elektrolux by several years, on the Lux Model 1. (See link.)

It was used on all Electrolux models up through the Model XII and then disappeared with the Model XXX. (See image below.)

A circle with rays (above, below, or all around) appears in Masonic imagery as just a plain circle, or a sun with a face, or, more dramatically, as the "Eye of Horus" or the "All-Seeing Eye."

But, here again, the use of this symbol as part of Electrolux iconography may be purely happenstance.

So why do I know so much about this? No, I am not a Mason nor do I belong to any "secret societies" or fraternities. It's just an area of study and contemplation that has fascinated me for many years. My maternal grandfather (who was a Southern Baptist minister) and many of my uncles were Masons or Elks. But for all of them, I know for a fact that their memberships were secured purely for societal reasons and not for anything nefarious!



http://1377731.com/lux/i_1.jpg
electrolux137++4-13-2013-03-22-6.jpg
 
Charles,

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Thanks for the clarifications and extended information regarding the early Electrolux logos.  I know that there is a great deal of symbolism--even within the Christian church--that has its origins in other sub-groups of society such as the Masons.  I did not know, however, about the horn of plenty--so a special thanks for sharing that link.  One certainly cannot dismiss the artistic quality of those logos--even if there may have been some secret symbolism involved.  Among other components, I like how they formed the large cursive "E" within the sunburst.  I also appreciated your link to the Lux Model 1, as it now has more meaning to me.  Sorry for my ignorance, but what is the chrome-plated attachment you pictured to display the circular logo with the three upright bars?  I am guessing it is a floor scrubber.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">By the way, I am taking for granted that the logo to which I just referred was discontinued when the 1205 was first produced (perhaps in connection to the buy-out by Consolidated Foods).  Please let me know if this is not the case.</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I do have some more queries for you:  </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">1.  Would Norm know if the Electrolux serial ids (I hesistate to use "#s" because they also include letters) were coded to reveal each machine's year of manufacture?  </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">2.  When were the swivel attachments first manufactured with plastic?  Both my 1960s models (R and G) have plastic ones, but now I am wondering if they were purchased at a later time. </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Furthermore, I offer this clarification about my 1205 from a previous post:  it seems that the outline of the logo is a faded red (that at first glance appears black), so now I am thinking that it is a 1970 or 1971.  I am still wondering if the turquoise ends were unique to either production year.  Any ideas on how to properly restore the red outline?  How about restoring the white cursive logo paint of my models R and G that have partially worn off?</span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; color: #993366;">Paul</span>
 

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