Vintage "Compact" vacuum with storage box - $250 (Salinas)

[ovrphil]

Here's another Compact that's interesting...gotta love that case and all the accessories. wow.

http://monterey.craigslist.org/hsh/4760383889.html

 

[danemodsandy]

Hmm.

Nice machine, exceptionally nice hassock. And the basics are there, though I have to wonder what happened to the Polish-Aire attachment and the de-mother.

But I dunno about $250. And I'm a Compact fan.

 

[danemodsandy]

Correct Polish-Aire....

....Is available on eBay, along with a Magic Disc sweeper.

The Magic Disc was an "add-on," that Interstate salesmen could throw in to sweeten a deal that looked iffy, or charge for, to squeeze the last dollar and cent out of someone who was in a mood to buy everything he had.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-196...838?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48727dc2ee

 

[scoots]

Beautiful and Interesting....

Was the storage hassock offered by the company, or is it aftermarket? It's too professional to be a home brew, unless somebody had a really talented husband.

 

[ovrphil]

With all the included accessories, these two would make it a complete package(?)...but never at $250 for me, either. They don't show up like this too often, do they? Vacuumlanders probably have a few, though.

 

[danemodsandy]

Bill:

Hassocks were a manufacturer-offered item.

They were an effort (and a very good one) to overcome a sales objection often heard by vacuum salesmen in the midcentury years, when "starter" houses like those in Levittown had very limited storage space - "I just don't have room for anything like that."

With a storage hassock, the salesman could offer both storage and an item that enhanced the comfort of the home - "Now there, Mrs. Throttlebottom - won't that make Mr. Throttlebottom comfy when he comes home and has a place to put his poor tired feet up?" It worked a surprising amount of the time; many of the hassocks survive, though not often in such good condition.

The hassock in this ad is an exceptionally attractive one; most were fairly ugly, in that peculiarly downscale "mass-market '50s" way. Electrolux's hassocks were ugly enough to terrify Godzilla.

 

[rp2813]

It's all factory issue.

 

This is the only vintage vacuum cleaner that interests me.  I saw a similar ensemble a couple of years ago on CL for a lot less money, but it was gone quick.  That one was tan instead of the more common aqua.

 

[danemodsandy]

Ralph:

The tan one is a C-2, which is what I grew up with. Those were produced from 1949 to 1954. We got ours as a "last year's model" in 1955, at a discount deep enough to persuade my mother to buy it, which means it was probably substantial indeed.

The one on eBay is a C-4, produced only in 1959 and 1960.

 

[danemodsandy]

Suggestion for Ralph:

Ralph:

I have fond memories of the C-2 I grew up with, but I also well remember that it was not a terribly convenient or capable unit by today's standards. It did not have a power nozzle (those weren't added until '62), it exhausted at floor level (the exhaust blew as-yet-unvacuumed dust everywhere), it did not have an afterfilter (returning some dust to the room) and it had piss-poor maneuverability, due to two small stationary wheels at one end, and none at the other.

When I got a hankering to rekindle those good old Compact memories, I decided on a TriStar CXL from the '80s, the last major update for the old "pig"-style body the C-2 also used. It has a very capable power nozzle, the exhaust has been relocated to blow upwards, an afterfilter has been added (you can choose a standard afterfilter or a HEPA unit; I use the standard one) and swivel casters free the user from the yanking and tugging I remember so well.

Below is a shot of a C-2, plus a shot of my CXL. As you can see, the CXL still has the '50s look, but it's one hell of a vacuum cleaner, completely modern in performance. It's also tan - in the same wrinkle finish the C-2 used.

Might not be for you, but I've been very happy.

 

[danemodsandy]

P.S.:

TriStar also found a way to add a cord-storage feature to the design. Compacts and TriStars didn't have cordwinders - they don't to this day - because there's no room in the body for the "cyclonic" design plus a cordwinder. But they did find a way to manage storing the cord - a little post-like bracket on the bag door, with the afterfilter serving as the other post:

 

[tolivac]

Other good reasons for not having cordwinders---They BREAK and the cord is often too short.Like the "commercial length" cords offered on the Compacts/TriStars.Getting a renewed interest in these machines-they have got to be the most effective canister out there.I use my NSS "Pig" and the Compact/TriStar "Piglet"Scored a Compact C-2--5 bucks from a yard sale.The machine works well!Motor in great shape.Hose is not the orig woven cloth one.These wear out faster than modern vinyl hoses.And the hose length is nice on these machines.Long enough to do the job and you don't have to lift the canister off the ground.Would like to find a Compact in one of those cases-VERY NICE!!Would think those cases would suffer from other indiginities besides holding the vacuum-Kids play with it,When the folks move to a home with more closet space-the Compact case is used as a toybox by the kids-and the case can serve as a makeshift "stool" "leg extender" for some of those household handy jobs.
The "Polish-Air" attachment-besides polishing your floor have an old PM magazine that shows it being used upended with a small polishing wheel to buff silver-and a drill chuck for use as a drill.The article also suggests using the tool for car polishing and furniture polishing!Would like to have one!!Same with the 'Lux air tool.

 

[classiccaprice]

I have a hassock for a Eurika roto-matic. I picked it up at an estate sale awhile back. No vacuum. I think it's in great shape for the age. Just a little damage on the back.

 

[ovrphil]

Opinion

If you want a hassock, while it's not for everyone, just build a box, cover top with foam and the sides with polyester batting. Then cut some material(there's so much vintage material available, maybe even close to this design) and your vacuum has a nice hassock-home. I know I could do it, but the real deal is always nicer to find or have included, of course.

 

[tolivac]

Making your own would work-but the orig would of course be best-esp for collectors.For a user-the homemade case would be OK.

 

[ovrphil]

yep, Rex - as I said, "the real deal would be nicer to find or have included".

Cute/cool little vacs. Would that case appear on a plane, too or did they just tuck these vacuums away somewhere, w/o a case to save space or is that case for the home user market only? I'm guessing home user.

 

[danemodsandy]

Phil:

So far as I know, the original Compacts used to clean airplanes were treated like most turnaround equipment - brought on board at the airport to perform the cleaning, then taken off and used to clean other planes.

I could be wrong, but I can't imagine these being left on planes in-flight; weight was such an important consideration in those days that there was special tissue-thin paper and envelopes for airmail.

 

[tolivac]

I don't know when the FAA ruling became effective-they would not allow cleaning of planes using vacuums with brush type motors as the Compact has.Modern aircraft vacuums-typically backpacks-plug into the special 3 ph 208V 400 hz outlets under some of the plane chairs.Or--were the Compacts used for aircraft cleaning equipped with the brushless 3 ph 400Hz induction motors?The backpacks are liked today becuase a crew using them can clean the plane within a few minutes-between flights before the plane is loaded with passengers for the next trip.And of course with the backpacks-no canister for other cleaning or maintenance crew members to trip over-getting in the way in the plane cabin asile.