Vac Collectors/Your Rarest Vacuum cleaner

[seamusuk]

Dating the U1025-maybe

Forgot to say- does it have a US or UK serial number(see my U4003 for an example of the UK format)- IF it has a UK format number its very easy to date it

Seamus

 

[skip]

My Hoover juniors UK Model 1346 & US model 1348

Here are 2 of my Juniors , the one on the left is a UK model 1346 and the one on the right is a US 1348

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[rexaircollector]

A Beauty

This is my Westinghouse Carousel Cleaner, circa 1957. It is brand new in the original box and all tools and wands were wrapped in the orignial packaging. The hose is like brand new and is still flexible...no stiffining over the years. Enjoy!!

Robb

 

[rexaircollector]

Here's another

Here's a 1957 Kenmore Ken Kart in, what else, PINK! The hose is the only thing that is not original. I got it with a red Kirby hose that I am going to replace with something more neutral. Hope you like it. Robb

 

[skip]

A beauty

Hey Robb It's gorious for sure. Robb don't You have also a westinghouse converto vac in your collection? I remember when I first joined ebay and was starting to buy vintage vacs. Mark Tomey had listed the Brown converto vac but just vac only no hose or attachments with it. Well I always thought You were the winner but it was kyle who won it.

Skip...

 

[rexaircollector]

One More

For the Kirby enthusiasts, here is my Classic III in mint condition with all the bells and whistles. I remember someone saying they liked the red/chrome combination. Here she is!!

 

[skip]

Westinghouse Converto Vac

here the picture of Kylie's converto

Skip...

 

[rexaircollector]

Thanks Skip

Actually, I do not have a Convert-o-Vac in my collection, but would love to since I tend to gravitate more toward the more obscure machines. My next quest is to acquire an Atlas. As you probably know, I sold quite a few of my vacuums before moving from Denver to Atlanta because I was unsure of the amount of room I would have here. I am going to ramp up a bit now that I have PLEANTY of space. The trouble is, I have not been able to find much of anything in the Atlanta area. Not at all like the thrift stores in Denver. As Jeff Parker will attest, we went out "shopping" one afternoon and came home with my friend's Volvo wagon full of treasures. Robb

 

[skip]

Kenmore Ken cart

Hey Robb about a couple of months ago ther was a mint Kencart on ebay Kylie was the winning bidder with shipping he paid around 438.00 and do You know the seller didn't pack it right at all and Kylie paid him to insure it, which the seller didn't insure it, and it came totally damaged, Kylie there was one attachment that wasn't damaged but even the vac itself was totally damaged. So poor kylie is out all of his money.

Skip...

 

[rexaircollector]

Skip

OMG!! I feel bad for Kyle. Was it like the one I have or the more common bullet style? Mine is MINT except the hose is not original. I feel grateful to have acquired mine as it was a gift from a friend Chad. He knew I wanted one ever since I saw the one on display at Stark's when we attended the Convention in Portland. Robb

 

[skip]

Robb

Yes I do remember when You were selling off some of your collection in fact I'm sure I think I won some of your vacs but can't be sure, I do remember that beautiful 57 rolleasy You had boy I regret not bidding on it. but I do have that model now and the 55 rolleasy. Robb the converto vac is my dream vac for sure. since I have been on ebay kylie's is the only converto vac I have ever seen on ebay, Now there was a guy last year that wrote in one of the forums(Yahoo) that his buddy found in his late father's attic a brand new in the box westinghouse converto and was asking what it was worth Well stupid me siad go list it on ebay because it's so rare it would bring big bucks, Well he told his buddy what I said then I realized how stupid I was for saying that because a few days later I sent a private email to him and made an offer of 800.00 for it. He wrote me back and said I shouldn't have mention ebay because if I would have just made an offer He would have gladly sold it to me for 800.00, but since i said ebay his friend thought for sure it would go over a 1000.00 on ebay. Needless to say the guy never did put it on ebay so maybe he kept it after all

Skip...

 

[skip]

Ken cart

Hey Robb exactly like yours all original with everything and even the owner's manuel with it

Skip...

 

[urarachu]

My raries...?

Here are some of my rarer vacuums.

The Hoover Lark runs very nicely and looks pretty. I really do love how those things work. Not quite the most powerful Hoover ever, but they do clean well.

In the middle is the Kenmore Lifestyle. Now...I know very very little about this vacuum. It is a self-propelled twin-fan vacuum. It's a loud beast. It does clean very well.

Lastly is my Royal model 259. In my opinion...one of the most beautiful Royals ever made. Very dramatic looking. It's only 3 amps. Its incredibly quiet (especially on low speed). I love this vacuum. It does clean well...but lacks the airflow that the higher amp Royals have.

Corey

 

[skip]

MY hoover larks models 12 & 14

Here are mine

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[westytoploader]

Love those Larks

Those Hoover Larks are very cool machines like the Juniors and I'm just dying to find one...guess I'm just a sucker for lightweight uprights! Same goes for the Hoover Quik-Broom with the power nozzle.

Roger has a Lark 12 that I used last April during the Tucson wash-in and it certainly is fun! Very light; you could practically run it around the floor with one finger! Motor had a nice, quiet hum, (I thought it resembled a Mixmaster) but you could still hear the steady thumping of the beater bar as it groomed the rug.

--Austin

 

[skip]

Austin

I was so lucky getting my 2 larks as My model 12 the burgundy one was on ebay and got it on a bin for 80.00, Now that was 4 years ago. then 2 years agoI mention to one of our members of the VCCC that I wanted to add the model 14 to my collection as I have the model 12, He graciously offered me his for a mere 20.00 plus 20.00 shipping. that made my day for sure. They are both all original except my 12 has a replacement plug on it. They both purrrr like a little kitten and do an awsome job of cleaning too

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[myhooverco]

All of the juniors...

Here they are...all of the American post war Junior cleaners in one place. We only had the little brown Junior 115 until it was replaced in 1954 by the red Lark...these sold well but it was soon discovered that the old motor did not run the wider agitator too well. Most people liked the price but not the aggrivation of putting on the tools. The last of the Larks were gone by 1959. The 14 (blue) one came out in 1956 to go with the new Citation model 64...they both used the sandalwood color base and handle. Then by 1965 we had the first green Junior...we had that design in different colors until 1979 or so. But...here they all are in one place. These all run great and are all totally original...I have EVERYTING for the 115 including the box etc. I also have the tool sets. They are great machines for what they are, and they do clean deep down...however it is hard to top a full size Hoover upright in terms of power.

Oh yeah, the 115 Junior from 1948 came in a dark brown base at first but was changed to the lighter brown that you see here by the early 1950's.
--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Last of the Junior Cleaners from Hoover...

These four cleaners were the last Junior cleaners built by the Hoover company.

The first one came to us from England almost complete. The 1330 was the first Junior since the last of the Larks in 1959. Its color is called garland green. It has a cloth outer bag and a British handle assembly including grip. This design dates to 1958 in England. These ran until 1969.

The brown model 1340 debuted in 1969 in updated colors of Seal Greige (light, medium, and dark). Now only the base of the machine was made in Perivale, England. North Canton made the bag, handle, and cord. I wish we had that top filling C bag setup! The tool set still used the Ultraflex stretch hose. This model only had two height adjustments when the new full size Hoover cleaners now had 4. This was the entry level upright so frills were few. The 1340 was discontinued in October 1970.

The green model 1348 began production in late 1970 as a 1971 model. This lightweight upright now had a proper 4 position height adjuster just like the full size upright. These sold like hotcakes and there are still many around my area. The tool set changed color to white at this time still keeping the 1341 number. It was discontinued in 1978.

Our final Junior debuted for 1978 and ran until production ended in 1980. It was dolled up for its final run. A nicer bag was introduced and a new color. Mine still has its plastic bag top. These were made obviously in fewer numbers due to the shortened production run.

Wouldn't these models be great to reintroduce to the vacuuming public? I think that they would catch on very well. Enjoy the photo!

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Some changes...

The 1348 went through a few changes during its run. The first was the height adjuster. The early ones used words to show the carpet height and the later ones used the English symbols to show the carpet height. There was also some color difference. The early ones were seal greige light and the later ones were a taupe color. Telling your customers that your vacuum could clean indoor/outdoor carpeting was a dumb idea...I wonder how many people cleaned outdoors during wet weather? It was probably the same person who sued McDonald's for hot coffee!!!

Oh yeah...check out the green bumpers...early ones had a wider bumper and the later ones were much thinner. Enjoy!

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Another change in the Junior

Here are the same two Juniors...the cords went through the same change as the full size uprights. The newer cord is on the left and it is much squarer and presumably much safer. The older Junior has the old style plug...since 1963 our Hoover cords, tools, grips have had no Hoover logos unlike the English versions which were still embossed. The reason is that Hoover was private labeling for JCPenney, Wards, Western Auto, and others. It was easier to make these items the same for everyone even themselves. It is a shame really because the ebossed items looked more well crafted. It was a nice touch that got lost to the bean counters!

--Tom