Norca

[maggie~hamilton]

According to Tom Anderson (a Hoover Company employee, Hoover historian, and Hoover collector), Norca branded Hoovers were sold by retailers where there was already a Hoover dealership in town. The company did not want to compete against itself, so they supplied the Norca line to the retail dealers.

I know that Hoover made two "Norca" (NOR-th CA-nton) vacuum cleaners, the Model 1 which was a clone of the Hoover Model 300, and the Model 80 which was a clone of the Model 305. All four models (1, 80, 300, 305) were sold from 1935-1939.

The two Norca machines do have one important difference from the Hoover machines: There is no beater bar in either Norca, just brushes. Only the Hoover cleaner could claim the advantage of the "It Beats As It Sweeps As It Cleans" beater bar.

I am wondering if there were other "Norca" branded Hoover appliances -- large or small? If so, wouldn't it be fun to collect the entire Norca line!! Wheeeeeeeeee

 

[petek]

Well I just learned something new, never knew this before. Does anyone have a Norca vac you know of Charles?

 

[hoover1060]

I do I do I do!!!

Norca model 80

 

[maggie~hamilton]

There was a Norca on eBay

that I really wanted, because I found a faaaaabulous mint condition Norca Bag. But I got outbid on the auction. So, I went ahead and listed the bag on eBay since I did not get the machine and they don't exactly grow on trees. Would rather someone get it who has a Norca without the original bag.

 

[gizmo]

A similar thing existed here in AU with Electrolux. E'lux vacs were only available from door-to-door salesmen. These men were advertised as "Mr. Jolly." If you wanted to buy an Electrolux vac, you could wait till your local Mr Jolly visited your home, or phone your local Electrolux store to organise an appointment. You could also walk into an Electrolux store and purchase a machine over the counter, but it was NOT encouraged and the sale would be credited to your local Mr Jolly for his quota. Electrolux also sold machines under the Volta brand name in regular retail stores. The machines were quite different - Electroluxes were Australian made barrel vacs, originally Voltas were UK-import Electrolux uprights. Later Voltas were made here too, using the locally made Electrolux motor in a plastic canister body instead of the classic shape Electrolux steel body. They used the same motor but the E'lux was lovely and quiet while the Volta was amazingly noisy - I'm not sure quite how they did it. Voltas were a cheap machine, E'lux used the tapered and wrapped hose, Volta used a plastic concertina hose, though the connections were the same.
All that has gone now, you can buy (nasty plastic) Electroluxes anywhere.

Chris.