Shows What I Know About Kirbys
I just figured out that 1939 Model 3C doesn't have the original bag or vinyl trim. So, what he's asking for it is obscene. All original is a different story.
These things are "worth" what somebody will pay for them. I'd like to know how folks justify the asking price for a new one. Or, new Dyson for that matter!
When you have a vacuum that's 30, 40, 50 or more years old, the sky's the limit. You certainly can't run up to the corner and pick one up on a whim. And, as plastic vacuums start costing several hundred dollars, a rare, quality built metal vacuum starts looking pretty reasonable at a few hundred.
Take away the "originalness" like the restored Kirbys at the start of this thread, and just compare them to almost any modern vacuum. You can still get parts for them, and they're capable of lasting another 50 years. How long is the new $500 Dyson going to be around? How about your fancy new German vacuum? Where is the money better spent?
I'm just an end user, not a collector. I'd be perfectly happy with any "Frankenvac", so long as it performs well without constant repairs. If it happens to look good and work quietly, that's just icing on the cake. Several hundred dollars is not required for such minimal requirements. But, it looks like today's average consumers are easily swayed by almost any shiny, new-fangled, flavor of the month machine, with prices ranging from $100 to well over $1,000. Funny how true commercial duty vacuums can be had for only a couple hundred and last for many, many years, even when used in a truly commercial environment. Well, in the U.S. anyway. I'm curious what is used for a commercial vac in the UK?
