Thread Number: 20985
Electrolux Product History |
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Post# 234888 , Reply# 1   6/2/2013 at 14:00 (3,952 days old) by kenkart ()   |   | |
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From 1995 I believe is devoted to Electrolux and its history, Charles Lester did the newsletters then and Alex Tabor was President so the history is thoroughly covered. |
Post# 234955 , Reply# 5   6/3/2013 at 00:13 (3,952 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Thank you for the kind words, but I need to make one correction. I was not the president of the V.C.C.C., untill 1995 ther were no officers in the club. It was only after I decided to retire into private life that we had a president to manage the club, and that honor goes to Tom Gasko. He understood how I ran the club over the years and did great things with it.
The newsletter you speak of was winter 1994/95. It was a joint effort of Charles Richard Lester and myself. I'm deeply proud of that newsletter, but it was not our first. The very first Electrolux newsletter was published on June 30, 1984. Here's a look at our first logo. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235127 , Reply# 7   6/4/2013 at 11:04 (3,950 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)   |   | |
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The aqua model started as T shape handle B-7 polisher and later became B-8 shampoo/polisher. Early brown B-8 had removable plug and cord later changed to permanent on later brown and gray. |
Post# 235170 , Reply# 8   6/4/2013 at 15:07 (3,950 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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Post# 235178 , Reply# 9   6/4/2013 at 16:37 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Nice model XX!
The story I heard from Charles Vale, manager for the Hamden, Connecticut branch office, back in 1968, was that the XX had been slated to replace the model XXX. In September 1941, production for the XX was underway to introduce it for Christmas. Then on December 7, came the attack on Pearl Harbor and all manufacture of Electrolux vacuum cleaners was stopped. Now they went into war production, making genorators and what Electrolux called "motors that fight!" The stockpile of XX's were used during the war, then on September 11, 1944 the war production board allowed Electrolux to go back to limited production. The XXX was put back in production, and by November 18, (1944) Electrolux was fully functional as a vacuum cleaner company. This is why there is the pre war XXX, and the post war XXX. In my book 'Electrolux-The First 40 Years 1924-1964' there is a lot more info on the war years and how Electrolux earned the coveted Army/Navy E flag, as well as the praise of the nation. I have a model XX and love it, but it's not in as good condition as the one here. Thanks for posting it. By the way, I still have that great box for the model LX that you gave me in Naperville. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235217 , Reply# 11   6/4/2013 at 20:28 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Actually the date I gave for the debut of the model was Christmas 1941. I think the reason it wasn't mentioned in any of the Electrolux publications is the connection with Pearl Harbor. Like 9/11 today, that was a painful subject, and the top brass of Electrolux would not want to go there. Keep in mind too, that the model XX's that had already been produced, served as back-up vacuum cleaners that could be sold during the war years. Once that stockpile was exhausted, production of the post war XXX was well underway.
Another model that was never mentioned was the T. This stood for the thrift model, or what we here at the V.C.C.C. would consider a frankenlux! The model T was a hodpodge of parts that the factory wanted to get rid of. Here I'll depend on Charles Richard Lester and Tom Gasko to correct me if need be, but generally this was the design of the T. A long, sleek body perhaps from the model XII, wheels from E, the handle was definately from the LX, and the cloth dustbag was from the XXX. The model T was hammertone blue and had the cord, hose, wands and attachments of the E. The cost was rock bottom low, but as I recall, it was one powerful machine! Basically the T was a joke, one that Electrolux would just assune forget. And so Paul, there you have it, an off the cuff answer to why certain models were never listed. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235229 , Reply# 14   6/4/2013 at 22:31 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Because Electrolux was a high priced vacuum cleaner, I think the model T was a good idea. People who couldn't afford an E automatic could easily afford the T, and get the same Electrolux quality. Also, the factory got rid of outdated parts. It was a win/win for everybody.
I had a model T which is shown here, located above the 1205, and found it to be a fantastic machine. A great, no frills Electrolux. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235232 , Reply# 15   6/4/2013 at 23:01 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235236 , Reply# 16   6/4/2013 at 23:48 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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In 1968 the 1205 had just came out and when I saw it in the window of the Electrolux branch office in Hamden, Connecticut, I knew I had to work with it. The manager was Charles Vale, and he understood a budding vacuum cleaner collector when he saw one. I was only 17, my mom needed to give approval in writing before Charles would hire me. As far as I know, I was the youngest employee at the time. Not only did Charles train me to demo the 1205, but told me the history of Electrolux. With his approval I spent hours in the basement with the trade-ins, I was also given several instruction books of all brands to take home.
The Electrolux factory was located in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, about 50 miles from my home town of Wallingford. Charles mad a few phone calls and let me see the museum at the factory. The following weekend my mom and I went there, it was awsome, prototypes galore! Unfortunately, school and other things took up a lot of my time and I was too young to be a full-time employee for Electrolux, but it was a great summer job. And what I learned from Charles Vale in 1968, I put into practice with Kirby in Dubuque, Iowa in 1975. Charles Vale was no longer with Electrolux when I started the V.C.C.C., he never knew the doors he opened for me, but I've never forgotten him. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235252 , Reply# 18   6/5/2013 at 07:15 (3,950 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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The Electrolux model XX was reviewed in the 1940 Consumer's Digest along with the Model B Rexair. It was actually sold for two years. Production of vacuums did cease in December, 1941 - Electrolux was sold out of cleaners by February of 1942. People wanting to buy them were put on the "preferred customer" plan after paying a down payment. As soon as production started up again (whenever that would be - no one knew how long the war would take), you would be 'first in line' to get a new Electrolux.
The Model XX was not a replacement for the model XXX, it was in addition to it. Hoover had three models - they had an 'economy' model ever since the launch of the 543. Electrolux was doing the same thing. The XX was the economy model, coming with only three attachments. It is made much cheaper than the XXX, so the $20 difference in price was significant. |
Post# 235271 , Reply# 21   6/5/2013 at 10:05 (3,950 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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I'm certainly no expert on the 'war years' of Electrolux, Hoover, Kirby or any other brand, I only tell what was told to me, or read in various publications. The bulk of my information on 'Electrolux at war' comes from the book 'Electrolux Corporation-the first forty years, starting with the last paragraph on page 24, and ending on page 32. As far as the XX is concerned, it's not mentioned, but the XXX is, frequently! On the following few posts I'll print my source of info. Remember too that I'm talking about production at the Electrolux plant, not sale to the general public.
It's also quite possible that production of the XX began in 1940, but the date set by Gustaf. E. Lofgren, (the head of engineering) was Christmas 1941. One of the pre production XX's migh have been given to Consumer Reports and others prior to that date so it could be tested and evaluated. The XX has always been a bone of contention because none of us know the exact date it was introduced. But here's what Electrolux top brass has to say about the war years. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235273 , Reply# 22   6/5/2013 at 10:31 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235274 , Reply# 23   6/5/2013 at 10:35 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235278 , Reply# 24   6/5/2013 at 10:46 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235282 , Reply# 25   6/5/2013 at 11:09 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235283 , Reply# 26   6/5/2013 at 11:12 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235293 , Reply# 27   6/5/2013 at 11:52 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Page 30 is the start of chapter 4, and the caption is 'The Booming Decade (1945-1954.) Unfortunately the text is on a color field and dosen't print well, so I'm going to type in the text and show only the graphic.
"September 11, 1944, was another significant date in Electrolux history. It was on that daythea the War Production Board granted the company permission to resume, on a limited basis, the output of cleaners for civilian use, for the first time since March, 1942. Therefore, even before the factory itself was given the green light to reconvert from war work, the companywas able to make a start on the big job of filling the great backlog of preferential post warsales contract orders. Finding that it still had a fairly substantial stock of parts on hand, Electrolux opened a temporary assembly (continued in next post. |
Post# 235295 , Reply# 28   6/5/2013 at 11:57 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235297 , Reply# 29   6/5/2013 at 12:02 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 235299 , Reply# 30   6/5/2013 at 12:17 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Since the caption of picture showing the production staff holding the Model XXX's, reads. "All smiles as post-war consumer production is underway at the Old Greenwich plant." I can only assume that this confirms the fact that the model XX was history.
Again, let me state that I'm no expert on the war years at Electrolux, in fact I wasn't even born till September of 1950, but if I'm correct there were no Electrolux vacuum cleaners made from December 8, 1941, till September 11, 1944. As always, I welcome information to the contrary. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235362 , Reply# 31   6/5/2013 at 18:06 (3,949 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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It takes a great amount of time and effort to design and develop (and patent) a new model. The huge 'start up' cost of the model XX (which used a unique motor) was certainly not recovered when the war started. I have no idea why they chose not to bring it out again after the war. Perhaps because there was little need for an 'economy model' - after all, the money that women had after the war (from their jobs working in factories) was more than enough to buy a $69 Electrolux. As we all know, the model XXX became the 'economy model' in 1952 with the launch of the LX.
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Post# 235366 , Reply# 32   6/5/2013 at 18:18 (3,949 days old) by Paul (USA)   |   | |
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Thanks for posting the polisher ad and the excerpts from the Electrolux book--very interesting! |
Post# 235376 , Reply# 35   6/5/2013 at 20:18 (3,949 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Gustaf E. Lofgren was both the head of engineering, and Vice President of manufacturing at Electrolex, and while I don't know the exact year he was appointed, he was with the company when the factory opened in June of 1933, and was still holding that position in 1964 when the book 'Electrolux Corporation the first forty years' was published. His name also appears on 90% of the patents in my personal book of patents. He had immense pull with the U.S. Patent office, and produced dozens of prototypes for the ejection system. Those prototypes started in 1945, and didn't end till the model LXI was well into production. I fully agree that it's far from easy to patent anything, but his seems to have been a revolving door polocy with the patent office. Between 1944 to 1949 net prophets for Electrolux were in the millions. So obtaining patents were easy. What took the time was going from patent filed to issued, those took on average three years. Once a patent was filed it could go into production as patent pending.
In the case of the model XX, I have no clue, but the copy of the patent I've got reads "Gustaf E. Lofgren- vacuum cleaner. Patent #2,335,428, filed March 12, 1941, (issued) November 30, 1943. My only interest in this at all is to provide Paul with the best information I can, but the model XX has me stumped. Alex Taber. |
Post# 235408 , Reply# 36   6/6/2013 at 09:07 (3,949 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 235426 , Reply# 38   6/6/2013 at 10:42 (3,948 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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Post# 235577 , Reply# 41   6/7/2013 at 14:42 (3,947 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235596 , Reply# 43   6/7/2013 at 18:23 (3,947 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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According to the info in my Electrolux book, your grandmother got a machine just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. This means that the XX WAS out there for the general public. The info on the XX has always eluded me. As I've said many times, I'm no expert on this, and only post what I hear or read from other sources, if that information is wrong!
I welcome corrections on anything I post. Alex Taber. |