Thread Number: 20519
Vintage Kenmore Vacuums
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Post# 229829   4/24/2013 at 14:27 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

dysonman1's profile picture
Hi Everyone:
I've always been fascinated by Kenmore vacuum cleaners. I remember when my mother would take me to Sears, and I would just stand and watch as the salesmen picked up Kapok from the red carpets with the "new" Power-Mate canisters. She'd even walk away and shop while I stood in the vacuum department (this WAS the 1960's after all).

I'd love to see some of YOUR Kenmore vacuums. There are so many I don't have. Here are a few shots of the ones I do have. About half my Kenmore's are in the overhead 'storage' area for the Museum. The other half have a permanent shelf in the different decade-themed rooms.

To start us off: My Kenkart and Commander vacuums.


Post# 229830 , Reply# 1   4/24/2013 at 14:28 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
Uprights

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Some of the many Kenmore uprights in the collection. The Coffee-Can motor models were all Pre-World-War II models.

Post# 229832 , Reply# 2   4/24/2013 at 14:30 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
Lakeside Green Kenmore upright

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Was a gift from Jeff Parker, many years ago.

Post# 229833 , Reply# 3   4/24/2013 at 14:31 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
Power-Mate canisters

dysonman1's profile picture
Love the Lady Kenmore Whispertone. Two speeds and a full bag indicator.

Post# 229834 , Reply# 4   4/24/2013 at 14:33 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
Late 1960's Power Mate canisters

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Top of the Line "Sears's Best" model with 2 speeds, full bag light, and Cord Reel.

Post# 229836 , Reply# 5   4/24/2013 at 14:34 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
Kenmore's "Oreck"

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This is the first "Oreck" made by Whirlpool, for Sears.

Post# 229837 , Reply# 6   4/24/2013 at 14:35 (3,991 days old) by papasvacs (Lauderdale Lakes, FL)        
I have............

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The brown and chrome Commander pictured down in front.  I love it.  It is my daily driver on the second floor of my Florida home.

 

My grandmother had one very similar when I was a kid.  I was scared silly of the thing!  It's definite sound when starting and its sound running must have scared me. 

When my parents wanted me to stay put, the made me sit on the counch and put Grand,a's Commander in fron of the couch.  It worked!  LOL!

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your collection.

 

I too, loved to go to Sears and stand by the vacuums while my parents shopped.

 

Greg F.


Post# 229838 , Reply# 7   4/24/2013 at 14:36 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
1970's Kenmore's

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Top of the Line canister and upright

Post# 229844 , Reply# 8   4/24/2013 at 15:05 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        
A few more

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Uprights and a very nice round Canister

Post# 229851 , Reply# 9   4/24/2013 at 15:22 (3,991 days old) by kenkart ()        
OOOHHHH

That Whispertone and Aurora are about the only two I dont have!! I do have the pistol grip hose though.These are beautiful.

Post# 229852 , Reply# 10   4/24/2013 at 15:23 (3,991 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        
My Kenmores

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I have the green Ken-Kart in the first photo above, as well as the gray Commander. However, my gray Commander has a polished aluminum "nose cone." I also have a Maroon Commander very similar to the brown one shown above.

 

And I have a 1930s Kenmore hand-vac with a motor-driven brush. I don't have any photos of it at hand. It's got a polished aluminum housing and a black cloth bag that says "Kenmore Deluxe."

 

I also have a Kenmore Imperial "Bug-Eye" upright, one of the most strangely beautiful vacuum cleaners I've ever seen. See photos below.

 

That's all the Kenmores I currently have.





 

 



 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 



 

 





Post# 229856 , Reply# 11   4/24/2013 at 15:28 (3,991 days old) by kenkart ()        
Birtman ...

And later Whirlpool"Who took over Birtman in 1957,,,A deal set up by Sears of course" made some great vacuums.

Post# 229857 , Reply# 12   4/24/2013 at 15:28 (3,991 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

dysonman1's profile picture
Beautiful Bug-Eye Kenmore Charles. Thank you very much for posting pics of this Gorgeous machine.

Post# 229871 , Reply# 13   4/24/2013 at 17:34 (3,991 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Nice vacuums. Kenmore canisters have always been my favorite, and I grew up with them. I really like the 1970s avocado green with woodgrain Sears Best canister. It's probably the #1 on my list to find.

I also like the Duo-Power uprights. There was also a version of that Oreck style upright that had a soft bag.


Post# 229941 , Reply# 14   4/25/2013 at 09:44 (3,990 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
Great vacs-

-Sears had some of the best colors.I think the first PowerMate I saw in person was the narrow fiberglass bottom model that a family friend had had bought at the Sears store at the nearest 'big city'60 miles away.It was on the back porch behind the kitchen and she said the very first time she used it she pushed it under the sofa where it 'ate'a spool of thread and broke the belt.

Post# 230015 , Reply# 15   4/25/2013 at 20:51 (3,990 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Here's My Kenmore

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Model 116.730. When I was a kid my folks had one of these that they used in the basement and to clean out the cars. although this one isn't theirs, it is the same model. Wish I had the smaller upholstery brush and felt buffer that originally came with it. Although I love the prrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnn sound it makes when it starts up, it used to startle me when I was little.
Jeff


Post# 231013 , Reply# 16   5/3/2013 at 00:07 (3,983 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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There were some other unusual Kenmores that were made for Simpson-Sears in Canada. This is a Kenmore model 60 from 1953. It was made by Siroma Engineering Corp in England.

Post# 231014 , Reply# 17   5/3/2013 at 00:13 (3,983 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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And a couple of other interesting ones from the 1955 Simpson Sears catalogue

Post# 231053 , Reply# 18   5/3/2013 at 13:27 (3,982 days old) by Air-WayCharlie (USA)        
Kenmore Saturn

air-waycharlie's profile picture
This is my one and only Kenmore--the Saturn complete with all original parts including the power nozzle and owner's manual.

It still works great and the power nozzle even has a dirt finder headlight.



Post# 231054 , Reply# 19   5/3/2013 at 13:28 (3,982 days old) by Air-WayCharlie (USA)        
Another view.........

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What a great vacuum and very innovative.



Post# 231058 , Reply# 20   5/3/2013 at 14:21 (3,982 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

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That Saturn is gorgeous. Thanks for posting the picture. I love the fact that the electric hose's 'handle' was removable so you could insert just the end into the permanent power nozzle wand. Very innovative for the time.

Post# 231073 , Reply# 21   5/3/2013 at 14:56 (3,982 days old) by Air-WayCharlie (USA)        

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Thanks Tom! It is one of my favorites and will be with me until I go out feet first! Dan Pontow found some extra bags for me but it is only used on rare occasions.

Charlie


Post# 231077 , Reply# 22   5/3/2013 at 15:41 (3,982 days old) by kenkart ()        
Re Kenmore saturn..

Its such a shame to see what has become of Sears, they used to really have the world by the tail, always an innovator! A Direct connect vinyl hose in 1960!Talk about being ahead of their time!

Post# 231181 , Reply# 23   5/4/2013 at 11:34 (3,981 days old) by 1926700 ()        
well, let me add a pic of mine.....

Since my whole house is the 1970's room like at the museum, let me recapture that famous wood grain and Sour Apple Green Canister and powermate. But with its fairly low end but VERY popular sibling......the matching 1976 flower Power Twin-Fan. =)


Post# 231204 , Reply# 24   5/4/2013 at 15:18 (3,981 days old) by paulg (my sweet home Chicago)        
Is that a GE TV on wheels?

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I'm a TV guy... did I guess right?


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