Picture it...1962..your local SEARS !! WHISPERTONE!

[kenkart]

Well, after about 15 years I have one!! a 1962 Kenmore 90 Whispertone, in beautiful two tone green, this machine was introduced in 1961 as the Lady Kenmore Whispertone and was pink and charcoal, it featured among other things, two speeds, a direct connect vinyl hose with concealed wires, a full bag indicator, a tool bin with pins to lock the tools in their proper place, and of course extra insulation around the motor to quieten it down..but the big feature.."Which I DO NOT have "was the L shaped powermate with a light!Now, I need bags so if anyone has any Kenmore 5010 bags pLEASE let me know, I have rigged a 5009 bag so I can use it, but its not really what it needs..ITS BIGGG and fairly heavy, probably why Sears only used this design 2 years.

 

[kenkart]

It really is

A stunning example of how forward thinking Sears was then.

 

[kenkart]

It was

Expensive for the time, 149.00

 

[kenkart]

The Front!

Is really something!

 

[kenkart]

The bottom..

Is made of fiberglass...but the lid is of all things, cast aluminum!

 

[kenkart]

To show the size..

Here it is beside of a G .

 

[kenkart]

The Powermate

In the background is a 63-65 model , I have had it forever,now if I can find the L shaped one and some bags I will be fixed!!

 

[kenkart]

Here..

Is the hose showing details of the pistol grip, The first on a vacuum cleaner, the only difference in the 61 model is the color and it said Lady Kenmore.

 

[kenkart]

Tom , Alex and Tania...

I know you all remember Craig Longs description of his using one of these in a stage show..LOL!! I wish he was around to see this thing!

 

[kenkart]

Inquiring minds want to know!

WHAT makes it quiet, well, it needed a cord so I had to take it apart anyway...

 

[kenkart]

As you can see..it is

baffled and insulated, the bottom plate has about 1 inch of fiberglas on it, and the air has to go into another chamber before being deflected downward thru a flocked screen..

 

[kenkart]

Here is

Another view, I think the thickness of the fiberglas helps quiet it down, I vERY CAREFULLY vacuumed the dust off the insulation.

 

[kenkart]

It sure is

A fairly elaborate set up, it really does work, especially after I cleaned 51 years of dust out!

 

[kenkart]

That motor is...

A two speed double ball bearing Lamb, like was used in the first two speed Filter Queens,7 amp.

 

[caligula]

Hi Kenkart.

Thank you for mentioning Craig, I was going to post the comment that it was his favorite machine, glad you did it for me.

Who was Craig? He was one of the original five members, who along with John Lucia and myself were the Vacuum Cleaner Collector's Club. Craig had a photographic memory. Name any insrtuction book and he could quote it, word for word. While Craig is now missing in action, he is never far from my mind. I miss him, wonder where he is, and hope he's alive and well.

I don't know if you ever saw a picture of him Kenkart, if not, here he is with the Air-Way he brought to Naperville, Illinois for the second anual meeting in May of 1986.

Good night Craig Long, wherever you are!
Alex Taber.

 

[kenkart]

We are really

Deprived of an encyclopedic mind full of vacuum knowledge, you had to sit down and talk to him to really believe it!i would love to get him involved with the club again.if anyone could find him.

 

[dysonman1]

I have the same model Lady Kenmore 90, and three extra packs of 5010 bags. I'll share a pack with you, my friend.

 

[kenkart]

That would be great Tom

If I can see what they look like, I can figure a way to adapt something. Thanks Hans

 

[hoovercelebrity]

That's beautiful!!  What a cool machine!  It does look really large next to that G.  Good size comparison!

 

[collector2]

Hey Hans - one correction. The Whispertone 90 was always that colour. The pink machine you are thinking of was the Whispertone 80 which was out at the same time as the 90. The only difference was that the 80 had a single speed motor and the 90 was a two speed motor. There were 4 different accessory kits available for those machines. The standard kit, a kit with the triangular shaped power head and cord on the hose, a kit with the triangular shaped power head and a power hose and a delux kit which featured the hose you have and the L shaped power head.

This is a picture of my 90 with the complete standard kit.

 

[collector2]

Just thought I'd add a couple of pictures of a friends model 80 so you can see the difference

Side

 

[collector2]

Front - note the lack of bag indicator or two speed switch

 

[kenkart]

Hi Doug..

I hate to disagree..BUT, the 1961 Lady Kenmore Whispertone was PINK and grey, I know this because I have the catalogue,it became green in 62 and they changed the name to the Whispertone 90, I think probably the difference was the Canadian machines may have been different.

 

[kenkart]

US Models, Fall and Winter 1961

Lady Kenmore Whispertone is listed as a Soft Pink Finish, then the 75 which is listed as having a light beige finish with a charcoal brown base, and the 50 is listed as turquoise with a brown base.

 

[vacuumman206]

Wow I never knew the whispertone name went back that far. That is a pretty cool machine, and the L-shaped pn you speak of is certainly something I've never seen on a kenmore.

 

[kenkart]

Think of it..

Sears had a L shaped Powermate with a light and a pistol grip direct connect hose in 1961, Electrolux didnt have an L shaped powerhead until the 80s, Sears was Way ahead of its time.

 

[kenkart]

But..

Like most things far ahead of there time, it was not popular and was gone in 2 years.

 

[williamr1248]

Picture it...1962..your local SEARS!! Whispertone

Hans,
Thanks for posting such a great example of a top of the line Sears vacuum. I have
NEVER seen anything like it.
What is really shocking is where you post the machine next to the Electrolux G. Can you imagine pulling that huge box around the house! I bet it was heavy and I can see it catching on everything with the wide square front end.
As a child I could never understand why anyone would want a no name Sears sweeper when they could buy a genuine Hoover, Electrolux or Air-Way, but the vac club has changed all that and this is one beautiful top of the line machine. Thanks again for sharing your treasure.

 

[collector2]

Interesting. It doesn't look like those even came to Canada - the 1961 Simpson Sears Fall and Winter Catalogue only lists the 40 - in two tone blue, the 60 in turquoise/ charcoal (with and without the triangular pn, and the top of the line 70 (which was single speed) in beige and charcoal brown.

Then the 1962 Spring and Summer Catalogue lists the 30 in powder blue, 40 turquoise / blue grey, 60 in oyster white/blue grey, 80 in light pink / green and the 90 in oyster white / green

Doug

PS - I have the manual for mine too and it shows 30-40-60-80 and 90 as well as all the optional kits