Sanitizor or Sanitron - My Late Grandma Rose's Vacuum Cleaner

[eurekaprince]

I am hoping someone at Vacuumland can help me identify the canister vacuum that was bought for my Grandma Rose sometime in the 1960's.

My foggy memory tells me it was a tiny thing, and was labelled a Regina Sanitron or Sanitizor - can't remember. It was tear-drop shaped - kind of like a competitor to the early tear shaped Eureka Princess. The front was for the most part flat, except it was kind of "dented" inward in the center parallel to the ground. The hose port was on this flat front - no top mounted swivel hose connector like a Mobile Aire. It had two large wheels towards the front of the canister, but I remember it's rear end rested on a metal hook that I think was also used to wrap the cord. It kind of dragged along the floor on this hook - not very safe for hardwood floors!

The colour scheme was kind of light brown like chocolate milk, but the attachments were all grey (except the carpet nozzle, I think). It came with a light brown cardboard tool carrier which held all the attachments.

I think I once remember seeing a similar vac on Saskatchewan Doug's great website. Something tells me this was one of those Canadian oddities made at the mysterious Switson plant in Canada (Welland, Ontario?).

I sometimes wonder if this was a Lewyt, but I am almost positive it was labelled Regina.

I may have some of the details wrong, but I would love to download at least a photo of this vac for old time's sake.

Does anyone have information to clear up a foggy 52 year old mind?

 

[eurekaprince]

Just bumping this thread to the top guys...hope you all don&

any ideas what vac this might have been? Would anyone have pictures?

(just giving my question another chance for some answers....)

 

[collector2]

Was it something like this?

 

[collector2]

or possibly this?

 

[eurekaprince]

Doug!!!! I knew you would have the answer!

Yes, indeed...it was very close to the second vac you are showing with the name Coronado. The cardboard tool carrier is almost identical, except Grandma's was a light brown colour. All the tools were grey, but the hose and the carpet nozzle were kind of "milk chocolate" in colour. Now I think I may have had the description of the wheels backwards - I think the Coronado shows them the way Grandma Rose's Regina looked - 2 big ones in the back, and a metal foot in the front. I don't think her's had a handle on top though....I'm pretty positive that there was a chrome handle mounted on the front around the hose port...but I may be wrong.

So was your Coronado made by Regina/Iona Canada at the Switson plant in Ontario? Does the name Regina "Sanitron" or "Sanitizor" ring any bells to you?

 

[eurekaprince]

Addendum...

Also...unlike the woven blue hose on your Coronado, the Regina I remember had a vinyl hose.

Thanks for any help you are providing, Doug!

Eurekaprince Brian out east in snowbound Toronto.......

 

[collector2]

Switson Industries used the same designs under many different brand names - Noteably Regina, Coronado, Viking, Eatonia, Fairbanks Morse, Switson, Valliant, Waverly and probably a bunch of others that I cant think of at the moment.

The plastic attachments were either grey or tan with the metal rug nozzle matching the machine (If the rug nozzle was the cheap plastic one it was grey or tan).

While I have never come across the machine you describe the colour pattern is the same as many they produced (see machine below).

I suspect the one you are talking about is similar to either the viking in my next post or the Regina in the following one. The only one I have come across with a handle on the front cover is the later model of coronado shown in the 3rd post below.

Doug

 

[collector2]

Viking Trimline D151 from 1964/65

 

[collector2]

Regina V207

 

[collector2]

Coronado V233 from 1967/69

 

[eurekaprince]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Doug!

I am pretty sure Grandma Rose's vacuum was almost identical to the Viking pic you posted - just change the white hose and the body to light brown, the carpet nozzle to tan and the rest of the tools to dark grey. The cardboard tool carrier was the the same, except it was beige or tan - almost white. And you now have reminded me - the Sanitron also had that felt floor dusting attachment that clipped onto the carpet nozzle!

Only mystery left: I am almost positive that the wheels were slighly different - two in the front and a metal sled/hook in the back. This is because I think I remember the cord was wound around that rear "leg" and the front of the machine where it dents inward.

But this is close enough, Doug! Thanks for the memories!

 

[eurekaprince]

Aeolian Dave had a pic of one of his Switson vacs....

and it has the tool carrier in the exact same colour which my grandmother had....here's the pic:

 

[kenkart]

I would give anything!!!

To find one of those swivel tops or one of the Coronados with the hose that comes out the front like a Westinghouse...those are un known in the South, I never saw one untill recently on here!..I have a Gem which is a Canadian built canister like a Water Matic except it is all chrome. Here is what I consider my rarest canister...McCallister

 

[kenkart]

Regina...

Jimmy Martin in Tennessee has one of those Reginas ,it has a cloth bag in it,

 

[electrolux~137]

Hans, the Hydro-Vac looks a LOT like a Fairfax. Is there any relationship there?

 

[vintagecanister]

Doug, the machine in ........

post #9....... How well does that follow behind when in use? With having the hose inlet off set to the right of the canister, it would seem it might be a bit akward.

Was there anything in the design, as in the wheels, that might off set that? Just curious.

 

[kenkart]

McCallister Hydro Vac....

Charles, it looks similar but is not the same stamping, it is about 1 inch smaller in diameter..

 

[collector2]

Hooo Boy:

Lots to answer here.

1st off - If I remember correctly the McAllister-Ross is the predacessor of the Fairfax. I cant remember exactly how the relation is but it is there.

2nd - I've never seen any problem with the machines tracking even with the hose off center. Later Regina machines all used that style handle / hose attachment configuration.

3rd - You are right about the clip at the back of the machine. All of those have a front caster, Two large wheels just slightly toward the back of center and a clip / skid at the back. if you lifted the machine up slightly by the hose in pulling it forward the skid dragged on the floor rather than the back of the machine which could mark.

4th - The cardboard kits you see in those pictures arent original - I made them to complete the set, hence the colouring

5th - Hans - I have a spare machine like the brown/tan one shown in the third picture but no parts for it

Doug

 

[kenkart]

I would love it

I think the hose and attachments are the same as my gem..screw in hose etc..send me an email with the details..thanks [email protected]