Thread Number: 1927
Nice rare (I think) Singer
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Post# 20635   9/18/2007 at 07:05 (6,036 days old) by ian88 ()        

Comments guys, I love the design :)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO ian88's LINK on eBay


Post# 20637 , Reply# 1   9/18/2007 at 08:47 (6,035 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida)        

arh1953's profile picture
I like it a lot. Even though it is not my dream Singer. I notice the hardware store replacement plug on it, too.

Post# 20639 , Reply# 2   9/18/2007 at 09:25 (6,035 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

I wouldn't mind one myself. I like the overall design and of course the cord-reel with the nifty way the cord comes out. Would need a new plug end, that ones sorta ugly

Post# 20643 , Reply# 3   9/18/2007 at 11:17 (6,035 days old) by 74simon ()        

I believe that's a Singer Magic Carpet, they were sold in the UK for a while, so you might find a 240 volt version one day Ian!

These cleaners were not recommended by 'Which?' magazine though, as you can undo a motor brush cap with your fingers (it's to the right of the spec plate in one of the pictures) and access live parts, if one is dumb enough to do so...


Post# 20646 , Reply# 4   9/18/2007 at 11:51 (6,035 days old) by charles~richard ()        

This model of Singer, with its several variations in color (two-tone gray, two-tone tan and two-tone pink - I don't know the chronological order but presume it to be as listed), is an interesting and lovely machine. It was designed in 1948 by Raymond Loewy as "the first vacuum cleaner that could be hung on a wall."

"It represented a complete rethinking about the product, based on functional improvements. With all its advantages, it is difficult to understand why the product did not succeed in the marketplace. Perhaps it was not given the advertising and marketing support that it deserved." -- The American Design Adventure, 1940-1975, By Arthur J. Pulos, MIT Press.

One problem with it is that it is noisy as all hell. It makes a terrible racket! That alone could have contributed greatly to its failure.

There is also some deficiency in the design of how the "floating" revolving brush is mounted. Over time, the brush becomes loose and starts rattling, making the machine even noisier. The problem is not with the brush roll itself but with the mounting hardware in the nozzle. I don't clearly rememeber this problem as it's been a long time since I saw one of these.

You can get some info on this machine at the link below - scroll down a screen or two to get to the Singer part.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO charles~richard's LINK


Post# 20647 , Reply# 5   9/18/2007 at 12:11 (6,035 days old) by ian88 ()        

As I was going to say, It was the first modern upright vacuum cleaner..

Then Hoover kicked it's ass with the Dial A Matic ;p


Post# 20649 , Reply# 6   9/18/2007 at 12:13 (6,035 days old) by ian88 ()        

Love the Singer range pictured here, love the big triangular cylinder.

Post# 20650 , Reply# 7   9/18/2007 at 12:18 (6,035 days old) by ian88 ()        

*and the last post :P* That's a great website, Charlie :] How did I miss this little gem in cyberspace?

Ian


Post# 20652 , Reply# 8   9/18/2007 at 12:54 (6,035 days old) by charles~richard ()        

Well, the Dial-A-Matic came out much later. The Singer S-3 was introduced in 1948 and sold through, hmm, I dunno, late 50s maybe? (It IS interesting that it was sold for so many years given the above-author's statement that it was a commercial flop!) I don't know much at all about the chronology of Singer machines, but I do know that an updated version of the S-3 came out sometime in the mid to late 1960s. Same basic design including cord winder, but the housing was more angular and squared off and the color scheme updated to white and soft yellow with gold accents. That would have been the machine to have competed with the Dial-A-Matic.

As to the Singer S-3 being the first "modern" vacuum cleaner, well, I suppose that would depend on one's definition of "modern." Some would state that the dramatic Hoover 150 would claim that title. Along with, perhaps, other streamlined beauties from the same period (1936-1939) - the Singer R1, Kenmore Imperial, Kirby Model C, etc. etc.


Post# 20653 , Reply# 9   9/18/2007 at 13:06 (6,035 days old) by swingette ()        
Food for thot

Interesting that this machine didnt sell many, yet i've seen a good few of these on eBay in the last year. More than... lets say... Eureka uprights of the 1950s. I know the Eurekas had to have sold well in the 1950s, yet Eureka uprights from 1950 thru 1970 just dont seem to show up. I thought Eureka was right on Hoover's tail during this era, but seems one Eureka show up for every five Hoovers.



Post# 20654 , Reply# 10   9/18/2007 at 13:07 (6,035 days old) by ian88 ()        

Well for me, modern is smooth, sleek, streamlined and mostly made out of plastic..vacuum cleaner wise lol.

Ian


Post# 20655 , Reply# 11   9/18/2007 at 13:08 (6,035 days old) by swingette ()        
and btw...

i LOVE the name "magic carpet"!

Post# 20669 , Reply# 12   9/18/2007 at 15:07 (6,035 days old) by charles~richard ()        

Ah, well, the Singer S-3 is not made of plastic! Its housing is aluminum and steel.



Post# 20673 , Reply# 13   9/18/2007 at 15:14 (6,035 days old) by ian88 ()        

Yeah well, plastic bits :P

I'm talking about the proper old bakelite and cast steel ones or w/e


Post# 20716 , Reply# 14   9/18/2007 at 23:34 (6,035 days old) by beerad (Beautiful Vancouver BC)        
The singer

Wow! This machine looks to be well ahead of its time in design and features. I can tell that just by looking at the pics that who ever designed this vac was very passionate and had a lot of pride in the design of the vac.

so what do you think?
Brad.



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