interesting vintage 1950s vacuum

[firedome]

I'm not a member at vacuumland.org (I look at vacuuming as a dreaded chore and avoid anything about them in fear I may actually be drafted to use one! LOL).

However I'm helping clean out my cousin Rich's late parents estate and he has this cool looking (it reminds me of a mid '50s Mercury outboard) vintage Lewt "Compact" that his Mom got new for her first house around 1952? I told him there's actually people who might want this thing, it's in fair condition, didn't try to plug it in. It's located in Endicott NY 13760 and shipping could be possible. No woven hose, so what you see is what he's got.

Here's 2 pics. If desired feel free to post them at VL.O and post his contact info: [email protected]

Good luck!

 

[ea56]

If I’m not mistaken Compact vacuums were one to the gifts that contestants on “Queen For A Day”, a show from the early 50’s used to receive, along with a  bottle of “Jungle Gardenia” perfume.

 

I saw one once in an antique store that came with a padded hassock that served as the storage case for the vacuum and its attachment's, it was quite deluxe.

 

Eddie

 

[luxflairguy]

Compact and Lewyt were competitors! Lewyt bit the dust years ago but Compact is now called Tristar and is still in business! You can still get parts for that old machine today! They were and are true troopers! Greg

 

[panasonicvac]

I've read somewhere that Tristar has since been history. 2019 I believe was the last year they assembled the vacuums and a few years later they discontinued the parts all together, probably the same time when Aerus themselves also discontinued some of their own machines as well.

 

[firedome]

I used to love Queen for a Day...!!!

Even though I wasn't one... LOL
Though it did seem a bit sad to see those women - always women - come on there and have to bare their soul with their always heart-rending stories in order to get some probably much needed booty. Hopefully even the losers got something good out of it, though they still had to pay the taxes! Can you imagine a show like that today?

 

[rp2813]

"Can you imagine a show like that today?"

Yes, I can.  I would wager that some channel somewhere on cable or streaming offers a sob story reality show where people get paid to make them up or whatever instead of winning a vacuum cleaner.

 

Also, I well remember Bob Barker's tag line spiel that mentioned Jungle Gardenia on Truth or Consequences.  I don't remember if it was part of a consolation package or if everybody got a bottle of it, win or lose, just for being a good sport.  I loved the wrong answer buzzer that sounded like a cross between a belch and a busy signal.

 

If I were to have a vintage vacuum cleaner, it would absolutely be a Compact, but I'd want it complete with the carrying case.  I saw that exact item in a sort of business machine beige several years ago on CL at a reasonable price, but it was snapped up by someone who contacted the seller before I did.

 

[luxflairguy]

Alex! Tristars website is still up and actively selling machines! Please refrain from posting unless you know for sure!

 

[hobbyapocalypse]

My elderly parents have a Compact just like that one and still use it sometimes!

 

[ozzie908]

Oh dear

Started watching Queen for Day and have to say ts more fun if you skip to the part where they vote and whoever wins gets all those gifts including 1964 Speed Queen washer and dryer.. Wow really lavish prizes...

 

[seeitrun2006]

Lewyt vacuum cleaner

My maternal grandmother and her daughter in law (my aunt) each had one. Their’s were a dark green color. After the Lewyt died my grandmother bought a Kirby vacuum cleaner which had a ton of attachments.

I worked at a Dairy Queen/Brazer burger in the early 70’s in rural Buford, GA 25 miles north of Atlanta. The summers here are very hot and humid. The DQ did not have A/C. The women of the night otherwise known as the town prostitutes would come in sprayed down head to toe in Jungle Gardinia. That smell would get sucked inside by the grill exhaust fan. We all would start coughing/choking being how strong the perfume smelled.

 

[launderess]

Lewyt vacuum cleaner

Elderly neighbor went into a home and was gifted a two tone green Lewyt upright or stick vac. Thing has sat sitting in a corner for over a year now haunting me. Must decide what's to become of the thing.

It's keeping a vintage Hoover upright company so that's me for you.

 

[circlew]

The toybox my sister and I had was a Lewyt "Treasure Chest". I don't know for sure where it came from, as we never owned that brand of vacuum cleaner. Friends of the family around the corner did, so they may have given it to us. I still have the lid, but the rest of it was ruined when the basement flooded about 35 years ago.

 

[simpsomatic]

Pinnock

This vacuum cleaner was sold (manufactured?) in Australia many many moons ago.

Vacuum Cleaner - Pinnock, Compact, Melbourne Commemorative, 1956

Aqua coloured Pinnock 'Compact' vacuum cleaner, with parts in box marked 'Pinnock Premier'. It was said to have been one of 100 specially made in honor of the Australian Olympic Games in 1956, although the model was advertised in 1963 as 'an entirely new principle - Cyclonic Action...the most...

collections.museumsvictoria.com.au