Thread Number: 2709
'Beautility' Personified...
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Post# 29866   1/22/2008 at 11:55 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        

Possibly one of the most eccentric, quirky vacuum cleaner designs; the Bylock 'Beautility' Tablevac...

Most definitely for one-level accomodations only - since it's hardly the most portable of cleaners - it seamlessly blends the concept of 'vacuum cleaner' and 'occasional table' in a way no other manufacturer has quite accomplished!


Post# 29867 , Reply# 1   1/22/2008 at 11:55 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Inside:

An entirely self-contained unit:

Post# 29868 , Reply# 2   1/22/2008 at 11:57 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
...

...

Post# 29869 , Reply# 3   1/22/2008 at 11:58 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
The tools:

...

Post# 29870 , Reply# 4   1/22/2008 at 11:58 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Upholstery brush and dusting brush:

...

Post# 29871 , Reply# 5   1/22/2008 at 12:00 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Floor head, crevice tool, hard-floor head :

Note the crevice tool has holes through the end; an 'airflo' tool, decades before Dyson 'invented' it!

Post# 29872 , Reply# 6   1/22/2008 at 12:00 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Floorhead:

Is this not EXACTLY like the Electrolux one, but with a vent going through it?!

Post# 29873 , Reply# 7   1/22/2008 at 12:01 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Floorhead underside:

Not a single scratch or piece of dirt; can't have seen much, if any, use!

Post# 29874 , Reply# 8   1/22/2008 at 12:02 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
The hose:

Still supple, air-tight, and as clean as new!

Post# 29875 , Reply# 9   1/22/2008 at 12:02 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Hose pattern close-up:

...

Post# 29876 , Reply# 10   1/22/2008 at 12:04 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Bag compartment door:

Clear perspex cover - this is what makes my example the 'De Luxe Model', apparently - you can tell at a glance if the bag's full! Bag is not fitted here, obviously.

Post# 29877 , Reply# 11   1/22/2008 at 12:04 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Pre-motor filter:

...

Post# 29878 , Reply# 12   1/22/2008 at 12:05 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Bag fill tube:

...

Post# 29879 , Reply# 13   1/22/2008 at 12:06 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
With bag in place:

Bylock Lewyt See-thru Speed-sak - you can see how much dirt you've picked up!

Post# 29880 , Reply# 14   1/22/2008 at 12:08 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Set up for cleaning:

One of the extention tubes is missing, sadly:

Post# 29881 , Reply# 15   1/22/2008 at 12:09 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Paperwork:

Clockwise from top left: Manual, sales tag, original store receipt, guarantee card, temporary instruction sheet.

Post# 29882 , Reply# 16   1/22/2008 at 12:10 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Complete ensemble:

(Well almost, just missing that darn extention tube...)

Post# 29883 , Reply# 17   1/22/2008 at 12:11 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
The Bylock Tablevac:

...

Post# 29884 , Reply# 18   1/22/2008 at 12:12 (5,910 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Rating plate:

...

Post# 29886 , Reply# 19   1/22/2008 at 13:13 (5,910 days old) by luxg ()        

Jack, that is so neat!! I have you tried the machine yet? Do let us know.

Post# 29887 , Reply# 20   1/22/2008 at 13:22 (5,910 days old) by crevicetool (GA )        
Besides it being a vac.....

The cabinetry is fantastic!!!! It looks to be Honduras Mahogany! And so shiny....Unusual addition to a Vacuum collection!

Rick


Post# 29891 , Reply# 21   1/22/2008 at 13:48 (5,910 days old) by watsonw (Newport, Shropshire, UK)        

Hello Jack,

A minter, well done !

Regards, Walter.


Post# 29893 , Reply# 22   1/22/2008 at 14:26 (5,910 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)        

countryguy's profile picture
I wonder how many of those vacs were actually sold. Somehow I just can't see myself pulling a table throughout the hose as I vacuum LOL

Gary


Post# 29894 , Reply# 23   1/22/2008 at 14:27 (5,910 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida)        

arh1953's profile picture
That is a truly wonderful piece, someone else here has pictures of the same type, a fantastic idea that should come back.

Post# 29911 , Reply# 24   1/22/2008 at 17:51 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
The paperwork:

Thanks, guys - I'm very pleased with the Tablevac. As much as I like my vintage Hoovers, it's nice to make a change every so often!

It does run fine, I'll try and do a video when I get a chance. Suction's about what you'd expect from a 300w cylinder cleaner, as is the noise. It's not quite as quiet as an Electrolux - the cabinet acts as an amplifier - but a similar kind of sound.

It would be most appropriate in a small, one-level dwelling, and the castors work best on a hard floor, or perhaps on thinner rugs. It's not ideal for the kind of carpeting we have, especially as we have 3 flights of stairs in our house! Still, it's a charming, quirky piece of domestic history, and I'm glad I have it.

Here's the manual:


Post# 29912 , Reply# 25   1/22/2008 at 17:52 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Manual pt.2

...

Post# 29913 , Reply# 26   1/22/2008 at 17:53 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Guarantee card pt.1

...

Post# 29914 , Reply# 27   1/22/2008 at 17:53 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Guarantee card pt.2:

...

Post# 29916 , Reply# 28   1/22/2008 at 17:54 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Receipt:

18th January, 1964...

Post# 29917 , Reply# 29   1/22/2008 at 17:55 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Sales tag front:

...

Post# 29918 , Reply# 30   1/22/2008 at 17:56 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Sales tag back:

...

Post# 29921 , Reply# 31   1/22/2008 at 18:07 (5,909 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
I forgot to mention:

The manual says that each unit was provided with 6 bags. Aside from the five new, unused ones which were with it, it was fitted with a sixth, which had sadly disintegrated in transit and filled the bag compartment with dirt. I had to throw it away, it was filthy and beyond saving. But it looks like it was only ever used enough to fill one bag with dirt. No wonder it's in such good condition!

Post# 29975 , Reply# 32   1/23/2008 at 04:38 (5,909 days old) by 74simon ()        

I'm suprised it was sold in '64, I thought Bylock had gone bust by then!

Gotta love that jaunty fifties font for the 'Tablevac' name. But with 300 watts and vented tools, no wonder it didn't get past its first Speed Sak... The perspex dust chamber cover is a really nice touch though, another feature that predates Mr Dyson's contraptions.

It looks pretty impractical, but I wonder if it inspired the Hoover Portable at all? It'd look great parked up next to a radiogram! another fine addition to the collection, Jack!

Si


Post# 30014 , Reply# 33   1/23/2008 at 10:54 (5,909 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

I think it's fascinating regardless of being impractical. The only people I could see purchasing one would be Hyacinth Bucket living in a bungalow minding Richard to watch the walls

Post# 30055 , Reply# 34   1/23/2008 at 16:03 (5,908 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Beautiful machine. In Canada we had Byloc machines sold under the President name by State Vacuum Stores. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, they never sold that model. I also noticed that the dusting brush is the same one that was sold with Ruton machines.

Post# 30060 , Reply# 35   1/23/2008 at 16:28 (5,908 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

Noticed on the card it showed various voltages including 110v. Doug who were State Vacuum stores, never heard of them


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