One of the Rarest Vacuums in Existence

[hoover300]

Does anyone have any info on this? I once saw the motor unit for one on eBay, but passed it up. It is from about 1910 but that is basically all I know. I also saw one in the corner of a vacuum collection post card but I can't find it. Does someone have one? If so, does it work well? Btw, the third pic cut short, it is a Western Electric Sturtevant.
~K

 

[lindseysires123]

Rare vacuum

I actually just came across one of these at a flea market in southern iowa. Are you interested? I am willing to take offers.

 

[hoover300]

OMG YES

Does it work? email me at
[email protected]

 

[lesinutah]

Collector

If you read the posts about a month ago. The user asking us to guess what was in said package. He knows about this vacuum. I assume.
Les

 

[hoover300]

Actually, I don't. I have been curious about this one for a while.
~K

 

[rugsucker]

Western Electric

Very rare!I have only seen ads or pictures.Was the post card from a mid west museum?An accessory for this to clean under furniture was a wand about 3 ft long that inserted where straight suction nozzle is and then nozzle went on end of that.

 

[hoover300]

Cool!

It may have been a museum, but the photo was taken in the 80s so it could have been a collector. I just remember that it had a red bag. Very clever attachment, I am surprised it wasn't used on more things. If I can find the pic I will post it. BTW the full pics of these are available at sturtevantfan.com
~K

 

[phaeton]

Wester Electric and Sturtevant

Yes I did buy the motor assembly that was on eBay just because I found to be odd. The little thing actually runs good. I believe there was a collector that lent one to the vacuum museum some time back. My understanding is that the fan cage used a Sturtevant design and the motor was Western Electric. In the day of a Royal straight suction or Eureka vacuum or even the more expensive Hoover, one wonders why buy the Western Electric vacuum.

 

[hoover300]

Found it

Its in a museum. Or at least was.

 

[caligula]

That looks like Stark's in Portland, Oregon.

I've been to Starks several times. And while I didn't attend, the V.C.C.C. had a convention there some years back.

I really like the non-electric pumpers like this one.

 

[hoover300]

Cool

Those old bellows machines are pretty nice. I have the shell to one of the bug sprayer style Superiors.

 

[oreck_xl]

I would love to find a Frantz Premier, but they like the Western Electric Sturtevant are extremely rare nowadays. They were very much a luxury item in their day and I'm sure the few people did buy were melted down in the metal scrap drives of World War II.

 

[lesinutah]

Vacuette

The frantz premier made the Kirby vacuette. I doubt very few made it to the scrap pile.
Les

 

[madman]

I love all those old ads targeted at men - buy something for your poor, tired wife.

Which, I guess it's legit. Cleaning a house without a vacuum cleaner must've been an uphill struggle.

 

[lesinutah]

Seriously

The heavy stereotype of woman is easily seen.
I believe this is 100 year anniversary of females being able to vote.
It's odd how advertising tells what society accepts as normal.
I guess now you say Alexa vacuum house. We have no manners to say please and thank you. I guess in another 100 years AI can vote and stereotype will be more advanced.
Les

 

[tolivac]

Now today,if you gave a woman a vacuum cleaner-wonder if she would turn around and sock you?

 

[briguy]

Speaking of a rare model...

Here’s my Frantz Premier. I see it was mentioned above. I was fortunate to find this at an auction a few years ago. Looked like it had been sitting in a barn for decades.

 

[synviks]

RE: One of the Rarest Vacuums in Existence

Hey everyone,

I'm more of an electric fan collector but I happened upon one of these vacuums at a reclamation center. This thread was probably the only explicit mention/description of the thing I could find on the internet outside of old Western Electric ads. Mine is missing the bag and the suction nozzle that fits to the front, but I'm going back to the reclamation center today to see these parts are there.

Given that vintage vacuums are not my area of expertise, if the title to this thread is correct and this is an exceedingly rare vacuum, how would one even go about determining a value if there's no sales history to go off of?

 

[hoover300]

Wow!

I know what *I* would pay for that. I am not sure how many other collectors would be interested in something this old missing pieces, the popular era to collect now seems to be the 60s and 70s.

If you ever want to sell I would be extremely interested.

Does it run? Looks in decent shape, just needs the fan shroud put back on.