Thread Number: 23640
Collectors' Book |
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Post# 264718 , Reply# 1   1/25/2014 at 12:51 (3,715 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 264721 , Reply# 2   1/25/2014 at 13:36 (3,714 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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writing a book on maintaining machines? I'm all for it! I've cleaned, fixed and kept going many machines over the years, I can start compiling notes and illustrations, What fun!
I'll whip up a sample paper on one of America's finest and commonest, The Hoover Elite! See how you guys like the format I have in mind! |
Post# 264769 , Reply# 4   1/25/2014 at 22:55 (3,714 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 264779 , Reply# 5   1/25/2014 at 23:45 (3,714 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 264780 , Reply# 6   1/25/2014 at 23:53 (3,714 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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The correct spelling is, Taber, and I'm NOT the expert on early Electrolux's, I simply share the facts I've read through various sourced over the last 55 years.
Most of my 'facts' come from a publication 'Electrolux the past 40 years, 1924 - 1964,'which was not available to people outside Electrolux personnel. I've also done extensive patent research and acquired various articles such as 'The Electrolux News.' What is true is that I wrote several biographies on the company for my own use, the first in 1979, and an update in 1982. A few years later I published these in the early issues of the V.C.C.C. newsletter.
In the fall of 1994 I turned this information over to Charles Richard Lester, who I'd appointed to replace me as the club editor. Charles took those basic facts, researched them in far greater detail and embellished it into a fantastic Electrolux site. Another expert, if you want to use the term, is my friend, Tom Gasko. Through his museum, he's able to provide a wealth of information.
I can only talk about the models I've owned, the facts in the instruction books, and other data I've acquired. However, if the facts are incorrect, I pass on wrong information. However, what I will admit to is becoming aware of the model LX at the tender age of 2, and I've loved that model ever since.
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Post# 264781 , Reply# 7   1/26/2014 at 00:01 (3,714 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 264782 , Reply# 8   1/26/2014 at 00:38 (3,714 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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The idea of a book on the history of the vacuum cleaner is not new, the origin goes back to the first meeting of the Vacuum Cleaner Collector's Club in May of 1985. (See picture.) It was first proposed by Mike Pupek as a club project. The problem facing us back then was that while we had information on Electrolux, Hoover, Kirby, the early years of Rexair (pre-Rainbow) and extensive data on the non electric pumpers of the late 1800's, it was not enough for a book. But our biggest stumbling block was that the V.C.C.C, while recognized by the Hoover company, was brand new, and we had no pull with the vacuum cleaner industry. Fact is, Air-Way, Electrolux, Kirby, and all the other's wanted nothing to do with us, so we hit that proverbial brick wall, and the idea died on the vine!
Over the years, I used the newsletter to share information to our limited membership, but without internet, which didn't exist back then that was all we had. In addition, antique guides, and other 'collectable' magazines didn't give a damn about the vacuum cleaner, neither did insurance companies, so our alternate idea of a vacuum cleaner blue-book also died on the vine!
Today, the club John and I started is international, the meetings have become conventions, and the internet is teaming with information. What six people could not do, those in Vacuumland can! I'd love to help a project like this get started, and share whatever information I have, be that patent books, or back issues of the newsletters I published.
Please feel free to contact me so we can pursue this.
Alex Taber |
Post# 264783 , Reply# 9   1/26/2014 at 01:13 (3,714 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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One of the things I'd like to see covered in this book is a step by step repair of the Electrolux model LX ejection system so I don't have to keep re-writing it each time somebody gets a machine that won't eject, and asks for help. I'd also love to have a section on patents to give a visual idea of what a device looked like. As patents tend to be long, wordy things, I'd do just the drawings, and let the reader look up the text to the patent on his own.
As I mentioned before, in the early days, our collections were not insurable. Why? because the vacuum cleaner was not a recognized collectable like lets say depression glass. My insurance agent told me it had to be a rider on the basic home insurance, but not my non electrics. True, this was in 1985, and I never followed up on it. I'm sure with eBay, Craigslist and others this is no longer true, or is it?
While we could have repair data, there could also be a section on the history of the company, and perhaps something like blue book value. There's a lot to think about, but I agree, this should be available to those of us here at Vacuumland.
Alex Taber.
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Post# 264784 , Reply# 10   1/26/2014 at 01:41 (3,714 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 264834 , Reply# 11   1/26/2014 at 15:00 (3,713 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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I've walked so many collectors through the basic repair of the model LX/LXI, that I think I could write in my sleep! Now, however, I simply refer them to the thread Lux XXX/30 tools, posted by powermate1970. To access this, go to archives 1/3/2013, and simply scroll down. That is an awesome thread, with a lot of great information, and wonderful pictures.
Alex Taber. |
Post# 264835 , Reply# 12   1/26/2014 at 15:14 (3,713 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Unfortunately this was only available to Electrolux employees, I got mine in 1968 when I was selling the 1205. That was an interesting year, I was only 17, and just old enough to know that I wanted a career in the vacuum cleaner industry. Back then I was green as grass as far as research was concerned, but this book has been my reference guide over the years. |
Post# 265124 , Reply# 14   1/28/2014 at 20:10 (3,711 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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I have considerable experience publishing newsletters, I written several of them, and in different genre's. My first was for the V.C.C.C. from January 1983 to March 1995. I've also published pamphlets on assorted subjects. Another way to go is self publishing, and I can do that too.
I could type up a pamphlet, 'Repairing the Electrolux model LX ejection system,' and go from there. As I'm retired and love to write, this could be my next project. If you and others get me the data, I'll transform it into a book.
Alex Taber.
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Post# 265453 , Reply# 16   1/30/2014 at 18:49 (3,709 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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I don't see people rushing to their local bookstore in search of a book on all things vacuums! It would only appeal to collectors, publishes would likely not see fit in publishing. I could care less of earning profits, this is a fun project!
A list of floor machines, I'm on it! I'm working on a Hoover Qwik-Broom, I'll use it as the prototype template model for the pamphlet page.
And yes, we could use more people to help out on this project, all they'll need to do is when servicing a machine, take some notes, pictures, and send them to us for writing! hooray! |
Post# 266179 , Reply# 18   2/4/2014 at 17:45 (3,704 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 266198 , Reply# 19   2/4/2014 at 19:17 (3,704 days old) by Paul (USA)   |   | |
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You may be on to something, too, about an individual pamphlet for each brand. Then if others decided to do their particular favorites, we could eventually combine them. Best on doing your prototype. |
Post# 266692 , Reply# 20   2/8/2014 at 13:18 (3,701 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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I whipped this together this morning, a cover page for the Hoover Kwik-Broom pamphlet. The Vacuumland logo seems very fitting there, but I would like Robert to be o.k with the use of the logo on the page, and, if not, it will be promptly removed. I would've changed the background color, but that would've messed up all the pictures and text boxes. Again, just a quick MS Word thing, thoughts? comments? concerns?
P.S- I screenshot the document so I would not have to do links and stuff like that. Another note- I would've put both the manual picture and the picture of the Hoover in question, but I did not have a picture on hand of it. |
Post# 266773 , Reply# 21   2/8/2014 at 17:35 (3,700 days old) by Paul (USA)   |   | |
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Looks great, Alex! I don't have any suggestions. |
Post# 266812 , Reply# 22   2/8/2014 at 23:40 (3,700 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)   |   | |
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Post# 266852 , Reply# 23   2/9/2014 at 09:47 (3,700 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Yes I do like this. However, you guys need to understand, I'm not computer savvy!! All I know how to do is write stories, send email and do other basic tasks.
Posting those pictures from the Electrolux museum last week was a real chore, it took me an hour just to learn how to rotate those pictures. As for the above format, it looks fantastic, but I'll need to learn how to operate it. As a dinosaur, (age 63) I don't text, am not on Face book (and don't want to be!) If I can type it, I can do it, but beyond that, I'm a fish out of water. So tell me what you need from me, and I'll get the material to the right people via email. Also, a lot of my historic information is in the early V.C.C.C. newsletters, which I wrote and publisher from 1983 to 95.
Alex Taber. |
Post# 266881 , Reply# 25   2/9/2014 at 17:57 (3,699 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Since you're a few years older than me, I'd love to hear your memories.
As I was born in September of 1950, I was 2 when the Electrolux LX was introduced. My memory of the ejection process is crystal clear, and plays like a movie in my mind, (I have a photographic memory) but beyond that I don't recall a lot. As the demo of the LX tossing the bag was common in homes around the country from 1952 to 1955, did you see it, and if so, remember it?
I believed in both Electrolux and Kirby as a 2 year old, see picture, and when I was old enough, went to work for Electrolux. Then in 1975, went to work for Kirby. However, my first love is history.
Please send me a private email, we need to get to know each other better. Alex Taber. |