What do YOU consider Vintage..

[midcenturyfan]

I know that this is not really an answer to the original question, but rather an explanation as to how I decided where to draw the line with my collection.

My main interest is in Hoover upright machines. Even this one range consists of a vast number of different models and obviously new designs are being introduced all of the time. I therefore decided that I had to set some perameters or the subject would be infinite.

I decided that I will collect the pre-turbo models. I have nothing against the later machines, but I would rather that they went to other collectors who would probably get more pleasure from them than I would.

Robin.

 

[sebo_fan]

Apart from my love for vacuums, I also love a lot of car brands and if there is one other brand I adore, its the swedish cars from Saab and Volvo. We also had a Volvo 240 back in the 1980s. Great car, built like a tank, no style whatsoever but it had a charm of reliability and just functioned the way a saloon/sedan should. I see the U.S generally call the Volvo 240, a "Classic" and "Vintage." Those cars were made right until 1990, so there's another reason to why or how I class things made before 1990 as vintage. I was heartbroken when the 240 eventually became too expensive to fix. My father eventually got rid of it in 1995 and bought a Honda made in the UK which was anything but reliable!

 

[suckolux]

Being a certain vintage myself, ie 56 model, I tend to think of things of my era as vintage, past about 70, not so much so

 

[davetranter]

Natural polymers

Thanks for splitting those hairs, Tolivac...... Someone HAD to...... ;-)

The general principle still stands, though???

All best

Dave T

 

[sebox4]

I was born in 1989

And I would consider anything pre-1950s to be "Vintage", 50s-70s "Retro" and 80s-90s "Used/Old"

However, most of the machines I collect are from the 80s, because they are the machines I am most fond of and I feel offer the best performance, not because they are "Vintage".

I have a really hard time considering anything Dyson even "old", to me the introduction of the Dyson was really the beginning of the end in vacuum design, not long after that we began to see all these awful single cyclone bagless things appear, and I would say from that time styling and so-called "features" (although many of the important features that made a vac better seemed to be disregarded by Dyson, which has led to most other manufacturers following suit) became far more important to the consumer than how well the thing actually cleans or how easy it is to use.

I think most of us have a soft spot for the machines we grew up around, and the nostalgia they bring back, whether they are vintage machines or not.

Matt

 

[cb123]

A wise answer in regards to that Dyson monstrosity! May the Heaven's show pity upon us all!

 

[kenkart]

Re Dyson///

Some guys love them....I DO NOT, no offense to those who do.

 

[dysonman1]

A Dyson is not vintage. I think that anything made after 1979 isn't all that interesting from a build quality standpoint, as compared to vacuums made before 1979. I like Filter Queens that have METAL guts and dirt container, Chrome Dome Rainbows, metal bodied Electrolux BEFORE the Diamond Jubilee (and it's horrible motor), 5033 bag Kenmores, Compact C-8, Royal tanks with Air-Way built RugMasteR, and of course, Air-Way's.

 

[nycwriter]

Dysonman ...

... you're right.

Post-1980 is when we saw the rise of the conglomerate and the "globalization" of production.

This is why today's mass-produced products are uninspired plain vanilla: everything is churned out of a central factory for the entire WORLD, so it has to be universally appealing. No fancy colors. No cutting-edge design.

The whole world is turning beige.

 

[tolivac]

I can go along with Dysonman1 on the Filter Queen vacuums--the METAL ones-not the all plastic ones-funny--I have bought a few plastic FQ vacuums at yard sales.Another bad thing on the plastic FQ machines sort of like the "Lux" style TriStars-they have a weaker motor.I attended one FQ sales traiing session-they mentioned to salesfolks NOT to stand on the plastic FQ dirt bins becuase they could break-the metal bins--no problem!Yes I like AirWays,too-glad I have the "Purple" one.Sad to see that company go under.They built a fine machine.Oh yes,the FQ dealership went under here.No FQ dealer in Greenville now.I think they should make a matt finish SS dust container with the aluminum cone guard instead of plastic.And bring back that more powerful US made Lamb motor.Same as for TriStar-ditch that horrible thing motor they use!TriStar should go back to their older design-MUCH BETTER!

 

[tolivac]

Dave go along with you on the "polymers"We can say the natural ones and early plastics-come to think of it-cotton fibers could be considered natural polymers,too.And silk!Some plastics engineers "got" the idea of extruded polymer fibers from spiders and insects.

 

[chestermikeuk]

I would say...


MODERN - 1990 to present
CLASSIC - 1960 - 1990
VINTAGE - 1930 to 1960
ANTIQUE Early to 1930

 

[ultimatevacman]

I see it like this:

Contemporary: 1990 - present

Vintage: 1940 - 1989

Antique: early - 1939

- Joe

 

[madabouthoovers]

The classification of a model should be made not on the age of the vac, but when it was first launched. Using ChesterMike's definition above, the Senior 652 which was first seen in 1959 would be classified as vintage, but the same model ran up until 1974 when the Ranger replaced it, so later 652 models from the 60's and 70's would be classified as Classic, even though they look the same as the earliest models from 1959 - in the vintage period.


As far as I'm concerned - all plastivacs should be classified as contemporary, be that a Dyson Dc01 from 1993 or an Electrolux 500 from 1973. Most metal bodied vacs with cloth bags should be classified as Classic period vacs, and the really old Pre-War 1930's vacs and older should be the only ones to be called true Vintage.


Look at how we define modern, classic and vintage cars - would we call an MGB roadster a vintage car? would we call a Morris Marina a vintage car? would we call a Porsche 911 a vintage car? No, we would call them classic cars, even though they came from the 60's and 70's. What is pictured below is what we call a vintage car.


Vintage is from the pre-war period (before 1945), and this should apply to vacuum cleaners as well as cars.


 


A "real" vintage car:

 

[dysonman1]

@ultimatevacman

By your definition, my Golden Anniversary Rainbow, made in 1986, would be 'vintage'. I still consider it 'new' and 'contemporary' as it's my "good vacuum" (as opposed to my Miele S7, which I don't, thankfully, have to use - someone else gets to use it).

 

[ultimatevacman]

That does look pretty modern to say it's from 1986! Nice machine! I guess it's because I was born in 1999, some things you see as "new" I see as "vintage".

Joe

 

[caligula]

Looking good Tom!

Is that the house my partner Charles and I were in back in June of 06? If so, it brings back happy memories.

Alex Taber.

 

[alexhoovers94]

In my opinion...

Vintage - 1950's to 1979.
"Old looking" - 1980 to 1999.
Contemporary - 2000 to present.

 

[dysonman1]

@alex T.

That picture was taken last summer at my new home in St. James, Missouri. I'm two doors away from the Tacony Factory where the Vacuum Cleaner Museum is located. It's so cool that I get to walk to work every day. And it's a dream job that I never take for granted. When I 'get' to vacuum my house, I use the Rainbow. Dan uses the Miele upright, and since he's the one who vacuums most of the time (because he's home all day), I come home to a clean house. He actually enjoys using a "heavy" vacuum (his words) because he thinks it cleans better. It's ironic that at the Museum, I often vacuum with the Rainbow or an Electrolux. Boy I sure get some 'looks' from the executives of the Company. I've recently been cleaning with the new Tacony canister (it will be launched to the public in November), which I like, but I'll always go back to my Rainbow. "Wet Dust Cannot Fly".

 

[vacuumman206]

I think the term vintage applies just as it would to people (though you wouldn't call someone vintage, maybe senior or geriatric) It'd be like telling someone who just turned 30 "how's it feel to be old?" and not So be joking about it either...
I guess vintage vacs to me would be the 40's and back. But in 10 years obviously I'd change that to 50's and prior.

 

[cb123]

It all sounds quite subjective. People's opinions are fluid and ever changing. One day your hot and the next day your not, but one thing you can always count on is the relentless sledge hammer of time mercilessly marches on leaving nothing but death and destruction in it's wake. It's amazing we can find any vacuums to collect, but we shall try!