Thread Number: 7358
Vintage Premier Detective Story
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Post# 81164   9/20/2009 at 19:48 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Just all my riveting tales of questing for vintage vacuum sweepers, the paper ephemera that informs their provenance and the serendipitous co-incidences that pulls threads together into the Whole Cloth of Historical Understanding, this will probably take a while but in the end I hope some here will be as thrilled and informed as I am now. If it's just me that all a-quiver in my eureka moment that works for me. :-)

It all begins with the stamped lettering on this tattered box...


Post# 81167 , Reply# 1   9/20/2009 at 20:05 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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In the same vein as the wisdom enshrined in The Fable of the Little Red Hen that Charles posted, another phrase that comes to mind is The Early Bird Gets The Worm.

I wormed this little beauty off of Ebay. I already had one with a hose only in decent enough but faded and torn beauty but this one was in the carton with the full box of accessories. I figured it would make a perfect compliment for my GE TIDY tiny cylinder vacuum kit. These were heavily advertised and sold alongside their upright sisters for those cleaning chores above the floor and in tight places. Some Company's uprights did not choose to adopt Hoover's innovation of hose attachment by whatever means to it's upright models (although Hoover did offer a full range of vacuums including the handheld Dustette) for the complete Home Cleaning Solution. Perhaps the low suction available from an upright did not answer to the power and versitility provided by a handheld. It ain't easy to vacuum out the Family Automobile with an upright. It made sense to put the motor/fan unit from a handheld into the more modern form of a half-size cylinder equipped with hose, wands and the full compliment of tools and accesories, particularly for those living in close quarters in Apartments and minimal storage closets...

I must say it is rare to find a vintage vacuum set in such superb cosmetic condition - the Ebay ad could only hint and I took the gamble.

Besides, I like a green vacuum...


Post# 81169 , Reply# 2   9/20/2009 at 20:18 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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A shame the hose has been stepped on but I believe I can straighten out the two coil kinks with judicious bench vise application. I took this picture before sorting out the flattened cardboard divider and cleaning the chicken coop feathers out of the box and the crap off the straight wand.
Full size wand bore and super airflow, this li'l beastie puts out 30", more than enough for the spray attachment and sucking down cobwebs.
Very cute half-size glass and aluminum Moth Chryslator. :-)

Vac-Kits, as you may know, use Premiere's favoured double cone cloth dust bag used on the full size cylinders. The bag compartment has a domed pole up the center that folds the bag back on itself that effectively doubles the cloth surface for air to pass through.


Post# 81171 , Reply# 3   9/20/2009 at 20:31 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Can you guess where the sleuthing urges are heading yet?

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Switching gears for a moment, one of the first vacuums I found over 30 years ago is a gorgeous one-piece aluminum cast Streamline Premiere two-speed upright. It has a pale green replacement cord and a bojack bag 'made for the GE/Premier' and the top has been shortened. Nonetheless, it is a fine and surprisingly quiet performer - the equal of a Hoover, I outfitted it with a Hoover paper bag liner and I used it for many years as the daily...er, monthly driver through various apartment loft moves and eventually my wee house.

I've posted pictures of it and always asked 'What year might this be from?' with no reply.


Post# 81172 , Reply# 4   9/20/2009 at 20:40 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Back to the VAC_KIT

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Similar to my GE TIDY kit, the Premier Vac-Kit came with an owner's manual for both the little cylinder and the full size upright, no doubt in hopes the new owner would consider purchasing both vacuums had they bought either and not the other. I can hear the partner cajoling now "Sweetums, my arms get tired running the Duplex up the drapes and it keeps falling off the stairs...".

Post# 81174 , Reply# 5   9/20/2009 at 20:58 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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These are the 1939 Owners Manual booklets for GE's portable TIDY and the upright model AVF-801.

It was the inclusion of both these manuals with the GE TIDY that set me on a quest for a 'matching GE upright of the period. Mine was brought back from the North Canton Convention by Pete, having been hauled there from like, Nebraska or Omaha - we all fondly remember Petek, eh? :-)


Post# 81176 , Reply# 6   9/20/2009 at 21:04 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Yeah, I'm draggin' it out.................

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I love the paper trail, don't you?

Also with the TIDY, these sales tags for the pair. Yup, 1939

Can you guess where this is going yet?

Of course I do not know when Premier of Cleveland was absorbed by GE or whether Premier was joined at the hip as a Division of GE all along?


Post# 81177 , Reply# 7   9/20/2009 at 21:08 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Back to the Premier Manuals

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First up, the Owners manual for the VAC-KIT.
pages 1 & 2



Post# 81178 , Reply# 8   9/20/2009 at 21:10 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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pages 3-4

Post# 81179 , Reply# 9   9/20/2009 at 21:20 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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pages 5-6

Oddly, the manual makes mention of - and illustrates - only a curved wand. No wonder Milady is bending over so much. Once again "Honerybunch, I need the upright, dammit! or no snookumsnookey for you!"

Ergonomics may not been invented yet but straight wands had...and this Vac-Kit has both straight and curved, as I'm sure they all did. Another case of pre-production printing.

Btw, I love that 'leatherette' textured stucco wall treatment in the Livingroom. Fern Green, I think would contrast well with the shellacked woodwork. Or is that the housewife's name.....? That a home perm hairdo from being tied up in rag knots overnight, me thinks; certainly not an upscale Salon 'do. Snappy shoes, for sure.


Post# 81180 , Reply# 10   9/20/2009 at 21:22 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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pages 7-8

Ah yes, the family Auto. Handsome feller there, Fern. :-)


Post# 81181 , Reply# 11   9/20/2009 at 21:26 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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last pages 9-10.

The afore mentioned double cone dust bag.
Surely Fern, you are about to hold the bag to the newspaper before shaking out the bag?


Post# 81182 , Reply# 12   9/20/2009 at 21:30 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Now then, on to the other Premier Owners manual.

Post# 81183 , Reply# 13   9/20/2009 at 21:32 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Opening pages

Mmm, interesting handle bale and yoke... my handle has 3 prongs, too...


Post# 81184 , Reply# 14   9/20/2009 at 21:35 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
I can see clearly now...

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Oh my Stars! It's a DUPLEX! Wish I had that Harlequin Check bag. :-(

Post# 81185 , Reply# 15   9/20/2009 at 21:37 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Pages 6-7

Post# 81186 , Reply# 16   9/20/2009 at 21:42 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Gotta love it when things come together like this.

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Reunited at long last, The Premiere Home Care Set.

Replaced the green cord on the DUPLEX with the original one from the lesser VAC-KIT.

But what year?


Post# 81187 , Reply# 17   9/20/2009 at 21:45 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Can you feel the looming excitement?

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You'll have to be patient a bit longer.

Closeup of lovely forms and shapes.


Post# 81188 , Reply# 18   9/20/2009 at 21:47 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Oh yeah, both Manuals have the same Premier Guarantee Certificate printed on onionskin parchment.

Post# 81190 , Reply# 19   9/20/2009 at 21:48 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        

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Underside of the DUPLEX.

Post# 81191 , Reply# 20   9/20/2009 at 22:00 (5,302 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
And now, The Revelation.

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Back page of the Owners manual for the DUPLEX. Hardly ever find these records completely filled out but if anything, there is always a sales date. This sort of solidly dated information completes the circle for a historical trivia junkie such as myself. I know others here share this obsession.

Can anyone expand on the Premier/GE timeline, this is the place to post it, please.

And if anyone has a spare Premier Harlequin patterned bag stashed away...

Vintage Dave


Post# 81192 , Reply# 21   9/20/2009 at 22:19 (5,302 days old) by luxg ()        

Dave, that Premiere Home Care Set is just beautiful!!! Congratulations. Thanks for posting the manuals as well. Very fun pictures and reading!!

Terry


Post# 81216 , Reply# 22   9/21/2009 at 06:10 (5,302 days old) by kenmore81 (Warwick, RI)        
My Gosh Dave!

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I am drooling over your set. I have always dreamed of owning a GE or Premier upright of this era. Congrats!!!

Post# 81317 , Reply# 23   9/22/2009 at 18:23 (5,300 days old) by akabent (LEFT Coast)        
Hello Dave

Really enjoyed reading this. I have a really nice one but with only the machine and hose. Cord & plug still perfect, too. It's fun to see what it originally was born with.
Thanks,
Rick


Post# 81345 , Reply# 24   9/23/2009 at 10:29 (5,300 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
Thanks Terry, Ken. Rick and all the other vintage enthusiast

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As a 35+ year collector 'of a certain age' I like to beat the drum and wave the banner of appreciation and reverence for the truly Vintage Vacuums of my Grandmothers' and Mom's eras and my own as a young shaver growing up in middle class suburbia the 50s, 60s and 70s. Unlikely we will ever again have domestic machines built to such a high standard and the fact that so many survive in usable condition is a testament to thoughtful durable engineered construction and visual design beauty.

50 years from now the only contemporary plastic vacuums that will survive will be those kept safe and preserved in collections such as ours and how 'quality' will they look alongside their forebears of chromed steel and polished aluminum? Some of the superior design work coming out of Europe
these days will always have a place in my Museum of Progress, The Sears Kenmore (made by LG) Premalite upright bagless being but one example.

But don't get me started (oops, too late) on the plastic Far East Orient sourced consumer vacs made available today that have the gall to be marketed under purloined fine brandnames and logos that used to signal the epitome of Corporate Conscience & Quality. Fools are indoctrinated in Foolish Thinking every day but no one in their right mind can preach that today's Hoover, Electrolux, etc. carries on the lineage of their originating companies, as much as TTI and the other global conglomerates would have their customers believe, or as much fun as they are to play with and compare...and have break down or burn up within a year of average use. One has only to flip through threads & posts in the post-1980 Contemporary Forum to have this sink in. Everyone has their opinion based on their age and observations, and rightfully so, but sometimes I just have to roll my eyes and restrain myself from responding...'which one of these Wallyworld vacs is best?' None of them. It's plastic, darlin' and any Dial-A-Matic would eat it for lunch and desert. Same carpet destroying nylon brushroll, same screaming single fan motor, same convoluted twisting air passage whether bagged or bagless, same hard plastic sheathed power cord and so on. Their guts came from the same factory then went next door to have pretty coloured thin plastic shells screwed in place with meaningless logos affixed, then stacked in containers to be dropped off at seaside ports of call throughout the world. Off to the warehouse and in to the Stores' vacuum aisle to bewilder the buyer into selecting 'the best one'. Uh-huh, like a Pontiac ain't a Chevy, ain't a Buick - it's all about which styling appeals to you most.

Of course there are and always will be exceptions, costing 10 times as much, such as Compact/Tristar, Kirby, Filter Queen and the Air-Way derived cylinder, who continue to produce the same sensible machine decade after decade and even they are gradually succumbing to plastic components and cheaper louder faster motors. You can't replace sound muffling thick felt with open cell foam and expect it to be quiet.

Dave..goin' with the zephyr-ous airflow...vintage-ly speaking.


Post# 81359 , Reply# 25   9/23/2009 at 12:26 (5,300 days old) by kenmore81 (Warwick, RI)        
Well Said Dave.....

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I always enjoy your threads. How true is it when you look down the asile at Wally and just cringe at the latest "improved" vacuums.
Now Im all for going "GREEN" whenever possible but these companies stamping out these hunks of plastic screemers that one has to buy year after year,the only thing going green is TTI. In thier wallet lol. I tend to recycle the bagless,using the dirt cup as a planer ;~).
Thanks Dave for another awsume thread.


Post# 81369 , Reply# 26   9/23/2009 at 13:39 (5,300 days old) by a007kirbyman (--->> Originally My Mom <<--- (now Wisconsin))        
Dave, 'this thread/post #81345' (& other posts of yo

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KUDOS, KUDOS, KUDOS* [[ nothing more needs to be said, as this sums it up well ]]


Have a wonderful day Dave (& all)

Bill


*Acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement.



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