Why Collect Vacuums?

[uksausage]

the memories

ive really enjoyed reading all these post it gives you an insight into other people

ive always said i dont why i collect vacuums but i think i do really
when i was able to crawl my mum said i used to ride on the back of my nans electrolux and kept hitting the switch turning it on and off constantly.
then my other nan (my mums mum) i remember going to see nan and grandad one day i dont if i was already 2 or not but nan had this amazing orange hoover junior that i fell in love with it was hre U1012 i remeber watching nan vacuum the kitchen
i also remember my mum had my nans old hoover 262 which used to stand at the bottom of the stairs mum had tennis elbow once and asked me to help her vacuum i was only about 2and halfso i held the bottom part of the handle and mum had the top and we vacuumed our huge hallway, her old lux cylinder she had died so she gave it to me to play with i remember standing it on its end and puttin jigsaw pieces in the bag cavaty and pretending it was a washing machine lol
i could go on and on but thats enough today
david xx
xx

 

[luxman107]

Hi Matt,
I collect old vintage phones also. I have 2 working western electric 302 phones, a working 102 phone with ringer .. I am looking for a good restored candlestick phone but they are now going for over 400 with a ringer. I also collect pre WW2 fans , mainly Emerson, vacuum tube radios , mixmaster mixers, perculator coffee pots , retro toasters and waffle irons. My main criteria is must be made in the USA ..this is in addition to my vacuums .. I am not sure what my motivation is. I guess it all just reminds me of similar times. I also love old vacuum tube stereos, retro irons and washers.

 

[hygiene903]

Why Collect Vacuums Cleaners?

I could give several reasons, but it mostly wraps around memories and history, especially with vintage machines. When you think about it, we are preserving a part of history that is often forgotten. And when you have machines from different eras it shows how design has evolved over the years.
As for the memories, when I was a child I knew what vacuums my relatives and friends had and where they kept them. My parents had a Lux XXX as their main vacuum, and a Kenmore "torpedo tank" that they used in the basement and to clean out the cars. Unfortunately the Lux XXX and Kenmore "torpedo tank" in my collection are not the ones they had. However, I do have the Electro-Hygiene 966 tank that I bought for Mom to replace the Lux. I also have my Grandmother's model 82 Hoover Constellation that Grandpa bought for her for their last anniversary before he passed away, and a Westinghouse canister that belonged to an Aunt.
The memories are also why the Electro-Hygiene brand is special to me. Two Aunts and a Great-Aunt had them, and the Great-Aunt was so sold on them that she had 3 of them in succession. Two Uncles sold them, and one Aunt & Uncle met because of them--one Uncle who was selling Electro-Hygiene introduced another salesman to his divorced sister-in-law (my Aunt), they got along well and were eventually married. I also sold Electro-Hygiene myself during my Senior year in high school and for a while after I graduated.
I may never be able to afford an antique or classic car, but I can usually get a vintage vacuum fairly cheap and sometimes free, and I get the same satisfaction out of restoring a vintage vacuum as I would a vintage car! And how many vacuums can you fit in the space of one antique car? And yes, there is also the thrill of finding one you have been looking for a long time.
Jeff

 

[caligula]

Hi Jeff.

My ex stepdad sold Modern Hygiene in the late 1940's. I'd love to hear more about your job with M.H. and how they differed with Electrolux.

Thanks,

Alex Taber

 

[hygiene903]

Hi Alex,

I sold Electro-Hygiene, NOT Modern Hygiene, from January to late July in 1974. Then again for a while in 1976. The model 966 tank was virtually unchanged from it's introduction in 1953 to the end of the line in 1983. They were quite similar to Royal tanks, with the addition of a deodorizing crystal chamber on the front.
The model 903 upright was similar to a Royal 880, except that the bag, bumpers, cord, and attachments were red, where the Royals were blue, and the EH had a deodorizing crystal chamber under the headlight, but the Royal did not. NOTE: from the time Electro-Hygiene was originally introduced in 1934 until they went out of business in 1983, the crystal chamber was only available on Electro-Hygiene, and not Royal. But after EH went out of business the chamber was offered on the 880 and a few other Royal models. Another difference between Electro-Hygiene and Royal, is that Electro-Hygiene had a Lifetime rebuild warranty similar to Kirby, but Royal did not.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a few pictures of Electro-Hygienes. First, a 966 tank. This one is not my Mom's, but one that I got at an estate sale a few years ago.
Jeff

 

[hygiene903]

Next is a model 950, made from 1945 to 1952.

 

[hygiene903]

Now for a model 903 upright, as they looked when I sold them.

 

[hygiene903]

One of the last 903's, built in Feb. 1983, with attachments.

 

[hygiene903]

And last but not least, a model 2-230, the last straight suction model, built about 1953 or 54, with attachments. By the way, anyone have a crevice tool, floor brush, or wands for this one?

 

[eurekaprince]

Isn't it amazing that no matter how ashamed we all were about this fascination as little boys, we remember so well the different vacs people had! Here are my recollections from growing up in Montreal in the 1960's and 1970's:

Auntie Rita: orange Hoover Dial-A-Matic with chocolate tools in a bag, then a beige Canadian Electrolux joined him later
Grandma Molly: Copper Lewyt tank vac with matching copper and light brown tools and black hose
Grandma Rose: little brown Regina Sanitron made in Welland Ontario - with grey tools and cardboard attachment caddy - plus a brown Regina floor polisher
Uncle Allen: turquoise Eureka Mobile-Aire that must have been bought when Dad bought our Eureka Automatic 260 upright in 1958
The Wexlers down the street: Singer Tank Vac (Roto-matic Clone) with bulky turbo carpet nozzle and dark purple Eureka-like attachments
The Labows from school: Beautiful Eureka Empress with all white attachments
The Tobins across the street: lovely red Canadian Electrolux that was brought out into the sunshine on their driveway by their hunky Dad on weekends throughout the summer to clean his sportscar (I remember it being soooooooooooo quiet!)
Many neighbours had their old 1950's vacs hidden as back-up machines in their basements (old Hoover uprights with full attachment sets, old General Electric tanks in pink and green with those carpet nozzle slots used to push the canister, etc.)
The Vorwerk Electro TeppichBurste ET-1 at the Dan Caesaria Hotel in Israel (1973)
The Westinghouse Convert-Vac in the shop window of a hardware store in Atlantic City (1960's)
The Premier Duplex upright we used to get as a loaner from Vacuum Rebuilders on Saint Laurent Boulevard everytime they picked up our Eureka upright for a tune-up! Loved watching that bag inflate!!!!
The first time that our local Eaton's Department store displayed the Viking versions of Eureka's new Power Team canisters in 1973....I thought I died and went to heaven!

I'm sure there are more memories engraved in my grey matter - just can't think of them now.

It amazes me how this one home appliance created such a magnetic fascination for all of us.

 

[eurekaprince]

Oh...and the most important memory of all:

The grey General Electric MV-2 Portable Cleaner displayed along with all the other General Electric appliance gifts in the Grande Finale Christmas scene of the "Carousel of Progress" exhibit at the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair's General Electric Pavilion! The pavilion was designed by Walt Disney and his amazing Imagineers, and the famous "Carousel of Progress" took audiences around 6 stages to see the advances made in home appliances through the 20th century by General Electric. I even know the song by heart: "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow....."

I wanted to ride that carousel over and over again just to see the little GE handvac!!!!

 

[caligula]

I frequntly get Modern and Electro Hygiene mixed up.

That blue tank is one that I owned. It was also the first vacuum cleaner I bought brand new, though it was not called Electro-Hygiene, or even Royal, it was called 'Super Macy!' What had happened was that Macy's department store had bought about 50 of these, stuck their name on it and sold them in the vacuum cleaner department. The year was 1966, I was not quite 16, and saved up the money I earned from mowing lawns, and doing odd jobs. I had to use the ruse that I was buying if for my mom as a Birthday present. Fact was, I bought it for me! My mom loved it, but as she hated housework, was delighted when I offered to vacuum the house. Did she know the truth? Sure! As much as I loved vacuum cleaners, she hated em! Wasn't too happy about my interest either, but I got even. My mom was an executive secretary, and when I started to do our newsletters, made her club secretary. It was a win/win, because she turned me into an editor'publisher. Something that went far beyond the club.

As for that Super Macy/Electro-Hygiene, it was a great machine, and almost as good as our Electrolux XXX.

 

[aeoliandave]

Brian, The Carousel of Progress was moved back to Anaheim Disneyland after the fair, where is was still running when I was there in 2002 as part of the revamped Tomorrowland. Perhaps it still is?

Dave

http://www.yesterland.com/progress.html

 

[eurekaprince]

Yes Dave...I know....I have been following the journey made by the Carousel of Progress ever since it re-opened in Disneyland's Tomorrowland in 1967. A second version opened in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in 1971, with a new theme song ("Now is the Time") and a revamped final scene. In the mid 1980's, the California version was replaced by "America Sings" which took audiences thru various scenes of singing Audio-animatronic animals. I'll have to check out your link, because at some point in the 1990's, the carousel at Disneyland stopped turning and a static exhibit was installed. I had no idea that the Carousel of Progress had been revived in California!!!

 

[luxman107]

Oh man, I loved that carousel of progress at the New York worlds fair. I could have gone on that a million times. I was abou 11 years do at the time. Great memories

 

[floor-a-matic]

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I collect mostly because the vacuums I wanted that were new at the time I was a kid were better quality than today's vacuums.  Although the majority are often found used, I'd be paying <span style="text-decoration: underline;">LESS</span> now than if I (or my parent) bought that (those) particular vacuum(s) new back then.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">A family friend of mine bought a red TriStar CXL 2-speed around 1984-85; later on that same time frame my parents bought a red TriStar CXL 2-speed.  I still have that same vacuum my parents bought new around 1984-85.  After that friend's passing (around 2006), I also aquired their CXL & Rainbow SE from the estate auction.  Both vacuums were rode hard, the Rainbow SE & R-4375C PN was beat-up & both the Rainbow PN & TriStar PN brush rollers were VERY worn down.</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Around 1998, which was when I seriously started collecting more vacs, I found several 1970s/1980s Kenmore canisters in various conditions from the curb.  Recently I found even a TriStar EXL on the curb.</span>

 

[hygiene903]

Alex,

I had heard of the Macy before but have never seen one in person. But I have no doubt that there were more than 50 of them made. Macy's, as well as other retailers, contracted with P.A. Geier/Royal to build vacuums for them, and I'm thinking they may have done this for several years or more. Stark, Regal, Good Housekeeper, Electro-Hygiene, and Modern Hygiene were all built by P.A. Geier as well, but that is about the only connection between Electro-Hygiene and Modern Hygiene--that they were built by the same manufacturer. However, the prewar tank models of Royal and Modern Hygiene were almost identical to each other, but the prewar Electro-Hygiene tank was a little different, with a blue tank and Electro-Hygiene's exclusive crystal chamber on the front cover.
Also interesting is that Health-Mor contracted with P.A. Geier to build the Health-Mor Sanitation System for them, as well as the first few models of Filter Queen, until Health-Mor opened a plant in Chicago and began building their own machines in the early 50's, part way through the production of the model 350.
Here's a picture of my prewar Royalaire model 186. The prewar Modern Hygiene was identical to this.
Jeff

 

[hygiene903]

And here's the Good Housekeeper model 189. Bag is a little faded but you can see Good Housekeeper. Other than the name it is identical to the Royal 189.

 

[hygiene903]

Here's the Health-Mor Sanitation System. Other than the nozzle, bag, and foot switch it is almost identical to the straight suction Royal. The previous owner had the Health-mor logo embroidered on a generic bag.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

The vacuum-collecting bug bit me very early in my life. It all started with my mom's Kirby Classic III, which my dad bought for her November 7, 1978. He wanted it and she did not, but he was the one that won out on that argument, and there my mom was stuck with this machine for the next 16 years.

My paternal grandparents (my dad's parents) also acquired a Kirby Classic III in 1987 shortly before moving to the St. Johns neighborhood of north Portland, OR from Boise, ID.

At my grade school, there were two Royals both from the 1987-90 period. One was the standard 14" wide model 660 and the other was the 18" super-wide model 680. Other vacuums were thrown into the mix on occasion, including the 1979-83 Hoover U7037 Heavy Duty. In junior high, the Royals used there included a model 671Z 14" wide (1990-92) and the 680 (or 690) 18" super-wide.

Unfortunately for me (ages 9-15), I took apart a lot of my vacuums I'd acquired to the point where I can't remember how they all fit together again. That was my "Humpty Dumpty" moment there. I totally regret that period. After having acquired my paternal grandparents' Classic III (I was then 17), I never took apart another vacuum since.

~Ben