Now that I have learned how to upload photos, I thought you all might enjoy these. The top one is me with my toy Hoover 63 taken at Christmas, 1958, when I was about 2 1/2. Sure wish I still had it! The second one is my Grandson Brice, about the same age, taken late this summer, running my Hoover 29. That's my wife on the sofa in the background. Brice was having such a good time with it that he got kind of upset when we put it away. A future collector?
Jeff

Those are really cute! I think I got my toy Hoover Christmas '58 too! I had just turned 5. Wish I had pictures. I don't know what happened to it, I hope I kept it long enough to enjoy.

Great photos, Jeff!! You can certainly see a family resemblance -- BESIDES pushing a Hoover around, I mean! hahaha

I suppose most of y'all have seen these a thousand times, but hey, it's Christmas so what the heck!

The photos below are of me, Christmas 1959, with my first toy sweeper. I was so happy I cried! And I would not let it out of my sight, even taking it to bed with me! (No freudian references please...)

It ran on batteries, made a loud BUZZZZZZZZZ sound and lit up. I burned out batteries left and right. My dad finally got so fed up with the BUZZZZZZZZZ that he took the batteries out! No problem -- I vocally supplied "sweeper noise" --- "VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" at the top of my lungs!!!

For years, I was humiliated by this photo and secretly cursed my mom for taking it of me!

A couple of years ago, I found the exact toy sweeper on eBay, brand new, original box, instruction sheet! When it arrived I was so happy I =almost= cried! I thought I'd never see one again.

It's a "Pretty Maid" sweeper, made by Marx Toys who made a whole line of toy appliances for "little homemakers." *smirk*

Charles,

I think it's no awesome that you were able to find another vac such as the one you had as a child! I used to have the toy Eureka vacs (I think I went through about 4 of them) and I would LOVE to find another. The very first one I had was brown in color and then I had two in the baby blue color and then one in bright red. I miss being a kid.

thunder, keep checking eBay. They're bound to turn up sooner or later. You just have to keep looking. Course, you may have to pay an arm and a leg, depending on who else is bidding. Not too long ago there was a toy Hoover, blue and gray (63??) that went for something like $300.

I lucked out with my Pretty Maids - yes plural! Found them in three different colors, maroon, bright blue and dark blue, and only paid a few dollars for each of them. The dark blue one is the nicest of them all, literally it was brand new in the box.

Holy Toledo, what a haul! The pictures are precious. I have a Christmas '60 picture with my Dennis The Menace doll, who is still in my room.

Hey Jeff, I had a Hoover 63 toy vac also, long gone of course, but I remember it! I think I wore the thing out according to what mom said. I then graduated to our Kirby 505 and our pink GE canister for my full size training vacs!

I think leaking batteries probably caused the final demise of my toy 63. I'm glad that's a rare occurance these days, but I remember in years gone by that batteries often put the end to toys, flashlights, radios, etc.
Jeff