The 1960's just Exploded

[DesertTortoise]

The vacuums in the museum impress me hugely, not out of nostalgia, but out of an appreciation for just how much hard work and patience is required to bring even one such old vacuum back to the condition of the ones we see in this museum. But look, it is not just one beautifully restored vac but scores of them, many many dozens, all beautiful and original. That is part that leaves me in awe. How do you do it Dysonman? How does the museum do it? I would love to be a fly on the wall watching your craftmen and women perform black magic on old bomber vacuums. The skills involved are not trivial, nor must be the costs. Chrome and paint in the automotive and motorcycle worlds are not cheap to restore. It cannot be any less costly to paint and chrome vacuum components.

Someday, perhaps, the museum will post some video seminars on vacuum restoration? We see such things for cars and motorcycles, some shops will post up how to videos of routine service chores and more involved things like, say, a timing belt replacement on a big V-8 Audi or bleeding ABS servo brakes on certain year BMW Motorcycles where some skill and understanding are involved. A similar series of basic vacuum restoration techniques might be very popular, things like putting new hose stock on old hose ends, rebuilding motors, cord reels and the like, or restoring certain surface finishes. I look at that green Kenmore 2.7 "Sears Best" sitting on a shelf above it's two tone blue twin and marvel at how much nicer it looks than my Avocado Bomber while thinking there is no way I can ever get mine to look that nice. It is beyond my skill. I could have a shop repaint the metal, but the plastic lid and the broken lid hinge seem beyond bringing back to perfection.

So when I look at the vacuums in your care, I don't wax nostalgiac for that era, but my jaw drags on the carpet in awe of the skills required to restore these machines to the condition we all see. Bravo.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Hey Kenkart, in the 1950s the US and Canada were the only two industrial powers who's industries had not been destroyed by WWII. Much of the rest of the industrial world was still a shambles. That could not last forever, and as a practical matter it was very much in our interest to see our allies succeed economically. If capitalism could not deliver the goods and bring people some degree of prosperity, then the great fear was they would abandon capitalism and turn to communism. The US very much wanted those war ravaged economies to prosper and deliver the goods to their citizens so they would stay on our side. Having economically powerful allies also meant you could pay for the large armies, navies and air forces we built to deter Soviet adventurism beyond their borders. That includes the Asian Tigers, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore along with the more obvious allies in NATO and Japan. We also remembered the lessons of WWI where keeping Germany down simply led to the next big war. Moaning about the US not still being 2/3s of the worlds economy is a bit naive dude. That was a temporary artifact of our surviving WWII undamaged.

 

[dysonman1]

THANK YOU to all for the compliments on the Museum. I'm very much looking forward to sharing the Museum with everyone at next year's VCCC convention.

Any vacuum collector who is in the area, is encouraged to come to the Museum for a visit anytime. If you'll let me know a day or two in advance, I'll be sure to clear my schedule for you - we can take a tour of the factory as well (mon - thurs). The Museum is open six days per week, 9-5 Mon - Sat. 573-265-0680

While the VCCC convention will be a blast to host at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum, a more personal "one on one" time with the vintage cleaners is always a favorite of mine. I love to talk vacuums in a leisurely way. Answer questions. Help with a restoration project. Or just get out the old Instruction Books and Literature and talk sweepers.

St. James, Missouri is a beautiful quiet little town. Most of the people in this town work at the Factory. We have a few quaint restaurants, inexpensive but delicious food. Even the Day's Inn in St. James (now called "Green Stay") is extremely reasonable ($59 per night on priceline) and are cleaned with Maytag M500 uprights that are made right here at the Factory - so you know the rugs are clean.

Come visit, and experience all the cleaners from the past "in person". You won't be sorry.

 

[rugsucker]

Can it be the sixties WITHOUT ---

---a Dial-A-Matic?But seriously the Museum looks better with each new set of pictures(the only way I have seen it).Not just the vacs but the period furniture,TV,phone and more.We might remember that the home of the 60s would still have items such as the phone from the 50s that would still be working just fine.And some would have a 'new'rebuilt vac such as an Electrolux or Hoover that was still good as new.
The phone reminds me that I was in a Habitat thrift store and walked past a mother trying to get her young son to understand putting your finger in the hole with each number and rotating the dial.At another local store I was at the right side of a shelf unit looking at books when an intelligent looking kid about 10 or so walked to the left side and called out to his younger sister"Look!I know what these are.They're called RECORDS!"
Tom-Do you have the Suzy Homemaker vac?I have extras.(I am one of many who knows that after practice on the SH stove Tom can use a real one very well.)
DT-Great images of desert and ghost towns.Love the Fleetwood Brougham.As a book person I have some autobiographies from 40s & 50s of authors remembering their childhoods in such towns.-As to 'beautiful and original' vacs many of these were Toms collection when only seen by dozens of people before the museum and looked just as good with Toms skill and knowledge.I would also be curious if factory equipment or staff and volunteers helps with current restorations.
Nicholas-The first Hatbox was same but yellow/white.Credit for styling went to Lilly Dache of NYC who was known for styling hats that no woman of fashion would leave her house or go to church without.The HB vac was about the same size and shape of the hat boxes that would be in every home of that era.
If any like the great vacs above I have most of them.What I DO NOT HAVE is the museum to put them in.Therefore MOST will GO.More on EBay tonight and every week or someone save me the trouble and bring a truck!!and US currency.

 

[kenkart]

Hi Jimmy,

I will try to call you this weekend, Hans

 

[hydralique]

dysonman . . .

These photos are fantastic, thanks for taking the time to put all this together! Missouri is the “Show Me State” and clearly you’ve got a lot of wonderful stuff to show.

I’m not nostalgic for the ‘60s specifically, but rather for a time when small appliances were seen as important and worthy of careful, creative design, good quality construction and were intended to be well maintained and repaired. That hasn’t gone away entirely but as we know the majority of small appliances these days are made as cheaply as possible and aren’t reasonably repairable. Boring to look at and generally uninspiring to use compared to the old stuff.

In reply 11 you commented on the excellence of the Air-Way Priscilla rug tool along with that of the Apex Strato-Cleaner. This could be a subject for a great thread since straight suction rug tools have been seen as obsolete by most manufacturers for the last 40 years; it would be interesting to see which ones are best and what they look like.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I believe that the convention

is a separate event from a trip to the museum. They are in the same town. Any member will certainly be able to visit the museum, while in town.
Just clarifying.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I gave a GE "lowboy" to

Michael Pletcher years ago. It was given to me by a friend, (I had no intention of ever keeping it). I'm glad it's in good hands now.
The 60s were good and bad. We had a bright, new president, a promise for tomorrow, Jackie restored the White House, making it the museum it always should have been, etc. Then tragedy struck that vibrant new president,we lost the innocence of a nation, Vietnam, etc.
But, there was some great music, the space race was on, the Lunar Landing happened, some of "us" were born, and HOOVER was making top quality products... Maple Street, North Canton was swinging..... so much so, that plans were drawn up for that beautiful "international building" addition that would come about in 1970
Every decade has it's bright moments.... and some dark ones as well.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Well said Gottahavahoove.

 

[dysonman1]

Jimmy: Here's the Dial's. "Regular" and "Self Propelled". I wouldn't ever forget the contribution they made to the world of vacuum cleaners.

John L: The VCCC convention is in St. Louis, however a trip to the Vacuum Cleaner Museum for the entire group is on the agenda. The annual convention of the Vacuum Collector's Group is the same weekend, and everyone will meet each other at the Museum. Will be nice to get the groups together for a day, and will be great for me to meet folks whom I haven't had the chance to meet since my last VCCC convention in 2007. Really looking forward to meeting people in person whom I've only known through their written word.

 

[super-sweeper]

Tom, where did you find that wallpaper?! 

 


Well said, John! Every decade has it's ups and downs, whether it's 1964 or 2014! 

 

[dryclean1]

I love the vintage ads!

the great ad of the lady cleaning in her bouffant gown is just wonderful! Can anyone tell me what brand was she was advertising? thanks Bill

 

[DesertTortoise]

All housewives did their hair, put on make up, wore a dress and heels to do house work back then. Dontcha remember? Every TV and magazine ad said it was so, therefore it had to be.

 

[air-waycharlie]

I just hope no one calls the Tacony factory to tell them what a weird, thieving group of nuts that the VCCC is, like a certain person did, calling Kirby to warn them to the point that they had to hire a security guard to make sure nothing was taken or pictures taken.

Can you imagine someone doing that? If you doubt me, contact a VCCC Board Member to verify it happened. And, you just might be surprised who that person was.

 

[air-waycharlie]

What? No replies from all the authorities who post on this site? I guess some folks are just cowards.

11 likes and no one comments.............hmmmm, AND no replies..............

 

[kenkart]

Why dont you enlighten us..

On WHO the guilty party is...

 

[air-waycharlie]

Hans,

Sometimes when you elect to take the high road you don't blab but let folks figure out for themselves. The guilty party is one of our more, "high profile", posters here and should be totally ashamed of themselves.

But, I'm not sure that person has the capability of accepting responsibility for any kind of bad behavior and then being sorry for what they did.

Why don't you tell us who you think it is.

Charlie

 

[ronni]

I'm thinking that it was someone who has contributed to this thread, or it wouldn't have been brought up here.

 

[kenkart]

Truthfully...

I have no idea, I dont know of anyone in the vccc that could be considered a thief, I came to many conventions and never had anything dissappear...I have had a bad opinion of some of the styles of management, but finally decided if the current style of the vccc is what they wanted, it could function without me.i just refuse to get my blood pressure up over things I cant control.When it ceased to be fun, I quit, but im not mad or vindictive toward anyone.

 

[kc_kirby]

I am president of the VCCC (The Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club) and I can confirm that what Charlie has stated is absolutely true. The person has also called up hotels in the past prior to our conventions to warn them that our group is not good. I don't want to say who it is, I think it should be pretty obvious. Well, obvious to VCCC members anyways. For some reason, this person just can't leave our nice club alone. Oh well, we still have great conventions despite this person trying to spoil our fun.

Chad Cunningham