Thread Number: 19414
Why Collect Vacuums? |
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Post# 215136   1/21/2013 at 15:18 (4,084 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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I have to tell you, I'm very glad I stumbled upon this board. I really had no idea there were so many vacuum collectors out there!
I've always loved vacuums myself, but never had the time or space to really cultivate a collection. I do, however, have a small collection (WORKING collection, that is) of vintage TELEPHONES. But that's another discussion. My question here is -- what drives you guys to collect vacuums? Is it a "guy" fascination for shiny electrical devices with motors and lights? Is it a yearning for a bygone era? For gay men in particular, is it a subconscious affinity for appliances we associate with our mothers? Also, what is your ultimate "end game" in cultivating your collections? Is the action of acquisition feeding a subconscious need? Do any of you have dreams of resurrecting, say, the Hoover company to its former glory, building top-quality appliances and employing legions of Americans once again? I'm just curious about what drives all of you. Love you guys! |
Post# 215169 , Reply# 2   1/21/2013 at 17:36 (4,084 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)   |   | |
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This question has come up many times before, however you have brought up some new ideas.
Why do I collect vacuums? I've been interested in appliances since I was an infant. The vacuum cleaner and the lawn mower were my favorites. I love vacuums themselves, but I also find watching the process of carpet cleaning enjoyable. You get to see those wonderful carpet lines being created, which I think is the best part. Seeing a vacuum bag inflated is has always been relaxing to me, thus my username. So collecting is part of a continuation of infant-hood fascination. "Is it a yearning for a bygone era?" For me that is a complete yes. This decade is not for me. Owning vintage vacuum cleaners is like holding a piece of the past. I like to think of the history that came with the machine. For example, I've owned a few Kirbys over the years. Each and every one of those machines were part of an in home-demo. Why did that person buy the Kirby? What type of emotions surrounded the purchase? Was it a present for the homemaker? "Is the action of acquisition feeding a subconscious need?" Possibly. I have always had a small number of social connections, so I sometimes wonder if collecting fills the void of human connections(outside my family). Maintaining a collection sort of gives a purpose to what I do. If I wasn't here, all my wonderful vintage machines would probably be in a landfill. Not to say collecting is the only reason I live, but it does make me feel good. I can make human connections, but the process takes longer for me compared to most people. On that same note, I feel like what I've collected(vacuums, records, photography/video production) is what people will remember me by. I do not want to be an average guy. I want to be someone who created something unique that no one else could have done or taken the time to do. That is how I'd like my children to think of me, when such as time comes. I don't have much of an "end game" in mind other than I would love a full blown display room. Genuine Hoover advertisements along with all my favorite 1970s-1990s machines. I am completely falling in love with my Electrolux Silverado, and would love to own a complete Lux lineup; Model 30 onwards. All this would be put in one room, displayed as if it was vacuum shop from the past. I'm excited to read the responses to come on this thread! -Nathaniel |
Post# 215173 , Reply# 3   1/21/2013 at 17:50 (4,084 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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I can't speak for the others in the club, but for me, it's all three. I must admit, my gay lifestyle is the least of them, that centers around my love of Broadway musicals!
For me, the connection is family and friends. My favorite vacuum cleaner is the Electrolux LX. See my posts in the thread, Lux XXX(30) tools for the full story. However, collecting is only part of the interest. The main interest is history. Who invented what, and why? It's a lot more complicated but the reason John Lucia and I formed the club, was that we wanted to save fellow collectors from having to dig for information, as we'd had to do. Both of us had a wealth of info and felt the need to share it. Alex Taber. |
Post# 215174 , Reply# 4   1/21/2013 at 17:56 (4,084 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 215177 , Reply# 5   1/21/2013 at 18:24 (4,084 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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Interesting question, Matt....
Though I have never had the space to collect lots of vacuum cleaners, I have been fascinated by them ever since I overcame my fear of them as a toddler. My psychological analysis of why I have this love of vacuums is based on an understanding of my growing up in a psychologically chaotic family. I now understand that I seem to be a member of a portion of the population which are HSP's - Highly Sensitive Persons. It is a recently discovered psychological phenomenon that presents itself in many ways, but it basically means we have brains that "take in" a lot more data and signals from our local environment than 80% of the population. It does not mean that we are "smarter" - it actually means that our brains get overloaded and overwhelmed more than others. Because of that, we crave order and cleanliness and hate chaos and messes. Many of us are notorious "filers" at our jobs! The arrival of computers has helped HSP's a lot - we can do a lot more organizing with them. But the internet is a bit of a problem: it can really be overwhelming trying to keep up with emails and dealing with "too much information" that becomes overwhelming. Sooooooo I now understand that vacuums represent devices that calm me down because they clean away the "chaos" in a home! And especially since I grew up in a family characterized by anxiety and chaotic relationships, the vacuum seemed to help counter the psychological mess I was born into. That is my analysis of why I personally became fascinated by these magical cleaners of life! |
Post# 215199 , Reply# 7   1/21/2013 at 20:02 (4,084 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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Post# 215200 , Reply# 8   1/21/2013 at 20:03 (4,084 days old) by guido (ITALY)   |   | |
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1 - collecting butterflies or post-stamps must be so boring........
2 - collecting vacuum cleaners means being able to see a "soul" in an ordinary object ( like a vacuum cleaner ) that ordinary people usually are unable to see. 3 - searching for certain old machines is a real treasure-hunt and finding a missing rare-to-find model has no price... 4 - vintage vacuum cleaners - like other everyday objects - are a reflection of gone-by times, design and tecnique. We are proud to preserve a memory of it...even if it is from an unusual point of view. When you see them "inside" - how they were built - you get so much EMOTION for the good quality of the materials, the intelligence and care of a then-modern, new, brilliant idea which came to life and was often hand-made or hand-assembled by persons ( not machines ) around Europe or USA ( China was still far to come ). 5 - restoration on older models takes time, experience much information and care and can be very relaxing 6 - Vacuum cleaners are probably the most interesting electrical device, in a normal ( vintage ) household : they move, light up, transform into something else and ...vroooooom ! 7 - you should see the face of your guests when you show them your vacuum cleaner collection ! 8 - the more time passes and the more difficult it is to find some older models and their ORIGINAL spare parts : it really is a great challenge ! 9 - Vacuum cleaners or floor polishers were not created for display or collecting reasons ( like a beautiful vase, a picture or a chandelier ). Their destiny is usually service and they were often discarded when not working properly anymore or replaced with smaller or lighter models. We love to give them a new life and oportunity ! 10 - I don't know if there is subconscious affinity for appliances we associate with our mothers ( could be ) but for sure there is a sort of " imprinting " from the early years : we all remember the "first" vacuum cleaners of our life...the "guilty" ones ... when it all began ! ( italian friend and massive-Vorwerk-collector TOMMY-MILAN visited me in december and brought me the best christmas present EVER !!!!! : the italian LESA 1957 floor-polisher model "LESALU/1" that i had been searching for at least 6 years ! So, after collecting EVERY old advertising about this machine for years, I finally got one. It's the blue on in the middle. I also spent a wonderful sunday with Tommy - a very kind and funny person - in a giant flea-market and enjoyed a great Chinese meal ! What more could you want? I take the occasion to share this rare and beautiful machine with all of you ! ) |
Post# 215202 , Reply# 9   1/21/2013 at 20:15 (4,084 days old) by powermate1970 ()   |   | |
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Thank-you! I do have the "blue" one in avacado green, complete with the green wands!!! I will have to dig it out and get you a picture. |
Post# 215207 , Reply# 10   1/21/2013 at 20:23 (4,084 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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... very interesting points indeed.
I think I might also be a touch HSP -- I seem to remember much, much more about my childhood than my siblings ever do. Four decades later it still replays itself in vivid Technicolor detail as if it just happened yesterday! You touched on another interesting point that resonated with me: the craving of order. I think we all have so much stress in our lives -- and our complex world only seems to get increasingly so -- which only intensifies the desire to retreat into our own little cocoons, with those things that give us comfort, where we can truly control our own environment. The *comfort* issue is another main point with me. When my mother first had me, my grandma (mother of ELEVEN kids!) gave her some valuable advice: "Don't make the house too quiet or too dark for their naptimes and bedtimes, otherwise the least little noise or crack of light will wake them up." Brilliant advice, really. She would put us up for our naps, put a stack of albums on the turntable, crank up the music, and do her housework (including, of course, running the sweeper). And she never closed the blinds or the curtains -- we slept in the sunlight. As a result, Mom and Dad were able to have quite a few cocktail parties downstairs at night while we (mostly) slept through it all (I, of course, always snuck down to the landing in my jammies so I could get a peek at all the grown-ups through the railing!). Little did my mother realize, also, that she was conditioning me to be able to successfully work crazy hours in broadcasting in New York City decades later. But there was something oddly comforting about hearing that Hoover motor, quietly muffled by the white shag rug downstairs in the living room and dining room (it was 1971, after all); all children have an innate fear of abandonment, and it can be a little bit scary being upstairs in your room, away from Mom ... but hearing the muffled roar of the sweeper downstairs meant that Mom was, in fact, down there. The roar of the motor -- the shine of the headlight -- the inflation of the bag (and there was something special about a newly-loaded fresh bag -- it seemed to inflate even more than usual, giving the motor more of a throaty sound as well) -- it all meant the natural order of the household was carrying on, and all was right with the world (at least OUR little world). Just as was hearing the whine of the electric mixer in the kitchen nearly every day in early December, nearly drowning out the sounds of Johnny Mathis and the New Christy Minstrels, as Mom did her Christmas baking. |
Post# 215215 , Reply# 11   1/21/2013 at 20:49 (4,084 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)   |   | |
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My brother and sister are much like yours in their disregard for the past and even my Mom performed a purge of 3/4 of the old photographs of our family stretching back to immigrant great grandparents from Scotland and Germany as they forged a new life in Canada. At the age of 13 I was devastated tho I couldn't put it into words but simply sobbed in my grandmother's lap upon the discovery a few weeks later. I loved leafing through those albums on a cold winter's Saturday afternoon...
My sister now has custody of what remains but a few years back I managed to extract a few for my own files. Matt, you write with such clarity, crystal clear remembrance and insight. It is a pleasure to have you among the other nostalgic deep thinkers here. :-) A wise 87 year old man I bought my pipe organ beginnings from buttonholed me at one point and gave me sage advice I'll never forget... "Dave, never let your childhood go and try very hard not to let yourself get old in your soul as your life unfolds." He passed in his sleep of natural causes at the age of 90 entirely satisfied with his time on earth. My wish for all is that we all achieve the same. Dave This post was last edited 01/21/2013 at 21:33 |
Post# 215218 , Reply# 12   1/21/2013 at 21:22 (4,084 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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NYCWriter - as Bob Hope once sang "thanks for the memories"....what you describe is deeply familiar to me...though my HSPness (oops, that did not come out very nice...) prevented me from ever getting a good night's sleep! :-)
There are theories about how the increasing prevalence of depression is due to the increasing instability of modern life, and if we only focused a little bit more on creating cozy homes and warm families (of friends as well as relatives), there might be less depression in society. We need clean and ordered and safe homes to return to after weathering the crazy world out there... ...and when I was a little boy coming home from an overwhelming day at school, what was the first thing that greeted me when Mom hung up my ski jacket (Montreal)? It was my pale blue Eureka upright with all his little attachments sitting predictably in their tool carrier....*sigh*.....:-) |
Post# 215219 , Reply# 13   1/21/2013 at 21:37 (4,084 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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... it's nice to be appreciated.
Eurekaprince, my Mom's Hoover 1060 stood like a sentry when it wasn't being used in our kitchen pantry. It was a BIG pantry -- a room unto itself -- big enough for my mother to have her desk set up under a pass-through window opening into the dining room. The opposite wall had a big window, under which my dad positioned a deacon's bench with storage underneath for our toys. My brother and I used to sit on that bench on frosty mornings, looking out the window at the valley below, sipping our hot chocolate. We always wore our little moccasin slippers, because the linoleum floor was always cold; a checkerboard of alternating mint green and pale yellow squares, complementing the pea soup-green walls with white woodwork and cabinets. The white Frigidaire refrigerator was also back there in the pantry, built into the wall of white cabinets, and standing right next to it, ready to be pressed into service at a moment's notice, was Mom's pale brown Hoover with yellow hood. :) |
Post# 215221 , Reply# 15   1/21/2013 at 21:40 (4,084 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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Post# 215226 , Reply# 16   1/21/2013 at 21:55 (4,084 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)   |   | |
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I was born and raised in this house until about age 10.
We lived on the second floor, my childless aunt & uncle on the spacious attic floor and my Maternal Grandmother ruled the roost benevolently from the ground floor. It was a Depression survival sort of arrangement that evolved into three vast apartments housing her children. Mom would lug Gramma's Filter Queen up the back servant's stairs when needed and upstairs my aunt had Gramma's older Hoover upright. Our compact kitchen was where the central leaded glass window is, dining-room to the left in the side tower and I would spend hours lying on its ledge listening to and singing along with the radio...while my brother rotted his brains in the living-room to the right watching the B&W cabinet TV. My memories of this house and environs are clear as a bell. Dave This news clipping dates from about 1965 when the City of London was systematically buying up and sabotaging similar Victorian houses on the block facing the City core's Victoria Park, in preparation for building a hideously windowless concrete new City Hall, Concert Hall and a tall Condominium building on the land...to celebrate and 'edify' Canada's 100th birthday Centennial in 1967. My Grandmother was livid! This post was last edited 01/21/2013 at 23:05 |
Post# 215270 , Reply# 17   1/22/2013 at 08:24 (4,083 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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Post# 215360 , Reply# 21   1/22/2013 at 19:21 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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I could give several reasons, but it mostly wraps around memories and history, especially with vintage machines. When you think about it, we are preserving a part of history that is often forgotten. And when you have machines from different eras it shows how design has evolved over the years.
As for the memories, when I was a child I knew what vacuums my relatives and friends had and where they kept them. My parents had a Lux XXX as their main vacuum, and a Kenmore "torpedo tank" that they used in the basement and to clean out the cars. Unfortunately the Lux XXX and Kenmore "torpedo tank" in my collection are not the ones they had. However, I do have the Electro-Hygiene 966 tank that I bought for Mom to replace the Lux. I also have my Grandmother's model 82 Hoover Constellation that Grandpa bought for her for their last anniversary before he passed away, and a Westinghouse canister that belonged to an Aunt. The memories are also why the Electro-Hygiene brand is special to me. Two Aunts and a Great-Aunt had them, and the Great-Aunt was so sold on them that she had 3 of them in succession. Two Uncles sold them, and one Aunt & Uncle met because of them--one Uncle who was selling Electro-Hygiene introduced another salesman to his divorced sister-in-law (my Aunt), they got along well and were eventually married. I also sold Electro-Hygiene myself during my Senior year in high school and for a while after I graduated. I may never be able to afford an antique or classic car, but I can usually get a vintage vacuum fairly cheap and sometimes free, and I get the same satisfaction out of restoring a vintage vacuum as I would a vintage car! And how many vacuums can you fit in the space of one antique car? And yes, there is also the thrill of finding one you have been looking for a long time. Jeff |
Post# 215365 , Reply# 22   1/22/2013 at 20:00 (4,083 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 215372 , Reply# 23   1/22/2013 at 20:48 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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I sold Electro-Hygiene, NOT Modern Hygiene, from January to late July in 1974. Then again for a while in 1976. The model 966 tank was virtually unchanged from it's introduction in 1953 to the end of the line in 1983. They were quite similar to Royal tanks, with the addition of a deodorizing crystal chamber on the front.
The model 903 upright was similar to a Royal 880, except that the bag, bumpers, cord, and attachments were red, where the Royals were blue, and the EH had a deodorizing crystal chamber under the headlight, but the Royal did not. NOTE: from the time Electro-Hygiene was originally introduced in 1934 until they went out of business in 1983, the crystal chamber was only available on Electro-Hygiene, and not Royal. But after EH went out of business the chamber was offered on the 880 and a few other Royal models. Another difference between Electro-Hygiene and Royal, is that Electro-Hygiene had a Lifetime rebuild warranty similar to Kirby, but Royal did not. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a few pictures of Electro-Hygienes. First, a 966 tank. This one is not my Mom's, but one that I got at an estate sale a few years ago. Jeff |
Post# 215374 , Reply# 24   1/22/2013 at 20:50 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215377 , Reply# 25   1/22/2013 at 20:54 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215378 , Reply# 26   1/22/2013 at 20:57 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215379 , Reply# 27   1/22/2013 at 21:02 (4,083 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215384 , Reply# 28   1/22/2013 at 21:39 (4,083 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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Isn't it amazing that no matter how ashamed we all were about this fascination as little boys, we remember so well the different vacs people had! Here are my recollections from growing up in Montreal in the 1960's and 1970's:
Auntie Rita: orange Hoover Dial-A-Matic with chocolate tools in a bag, then a beige Canadian Electrolux joined him later Grandma Molly: Copper Lewyt tank vac with matching copper and light brown tools and black hose Grandma Rose: little brown Regina Sanitron made in Welland Ontario - with grey tools and cardboard attachment caddy - plus a brown Regina floor polisher Uncle Allen: turquoise Eureka Mobile-Aire that must have been bought when Dad bought our Eureka Automatic 260 upright in 1958 The Wexlers down the street: Singer Tank Vac (Roto-matic Clone) with bulky turbo carpet nozzle and dark purple Eureka-like attachments The Labows from school: Beautiful Eureka Empress with all white attachments The Tobins across the street: lovely red Canadian Electrolux that was brought out into the sunshine on their driveway by their hunky Dad on weekends throughout the summer to clean his sportscar (I remember it being soooooooooooo quiet!) Many neighbours had their old 1950's vacs hidden as back-up machines in their basements (old Hoover uprights with full attachment sets, old General Electric tanks in pink and green with those carpet nozzle slots used to push the canister, etc.) The Vorwerk Electro TeppichBurste ET-1 at the Dan Caesaria Hotel in Israel (1973) The Westinghouse Convert-Vac in the shop window of a hardware store in Atlantic City (1960's) The Premier Duplex upright we used to get as a loaner from Vacuum Rebuilders on Saint Laurent Boulevard everytime they picked up our Eureka upright for a tune-up! Loved watching that bag inflate!!!! The first time that our local Eaton's Department store displayed the Viking versions of Eureka's new Power Team canisters in 1973....I thought I died and went to heaven! I'm sure there are more memories engraved in my grey matter - just can't think of them now. It amazes me how this one home appliance created such a magnetic fascination for all of us. |
Post# 215387 , Reply# 29   1/22/2013 at 21:50 (4,083 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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Oh...and the most important memory of all:
The grey General Electric MV-2 Portable Cleaner displayed along with all the other General Electric appliance gifts in the Grande Finale Christmas scene of the "Carousel of Progress" exhibit at the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair's General Electric Pavilion! The pavilion was designed by Walt Disney and his amazing Imagineers, and the famous "Carousel of Progress" took audiences around 6 stages to see the advances made in home appliances through the 20th century by General Electric. I even know the song by heart: "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow....." I wanted to ride that carousel over and over again just to see the little GE handvac!!!! :-) |
Post# 215775 , Reply# 30   1/25/2013 at 11:01 (4,080 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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That blue tank is one that I owned. It was also the first vacuum cleaner I bought brand new, though it was not called Electro-Hygiene, or even Royal, it was called 'Super Macy!' What had happened was that Macy's department store had bought about 50 of these, stuck their name on it and sold them in the vacuum cleaner department. The year was 1966, I was not quite 16, and saved up the money I earned from mowing lawns, and doing odd jobs. I had to use the ruse that I was buying if for my mom as a Birthday present. Fact was, I bought it for me! My mom loved it, but as she hated housework, was delighted when I offered to vacuum the house. Did she know the truth? Sure! As much as I loved vacuum cleaners, she hated em! Wasn't too happy about my interest either, but I got even. My mom was an executive secretary, and when I started to do our newsletters, made her club secretary. It was a win/win, because she turned me into an editor'publisher. Something that went far beyond the club.
As for that Super Macy/Electro-Hygiene, it was a great machine, and almost as good as our Electrolux XXX. |
Post# 215783 , Reply# 31   1/25/2013 at 12:08 (4,080 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)   |   | |
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Brian, The Carousel of Progress was moved back to Anaheim Disneyland after the fair, where is was still running when I was there in 2002 as part of the revamped Tomorrowland. Perhaps it still is?
Dave CLICK HERE TO GO TO aeoliandave's LINK |
Post# 215802 , Reply# 32   1/25/2013 at 14:20 (4,080 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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Yes Dave...I know....I have been following the journey made by the Carousel of Progress ever since it re-opened in Disneyland's Tomorrowland in 1967. A second version opened in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in 1971, with a new theme song ("Now is the Time") and a revamped final scene. In the mid 1980's, the California version was replaced by "America Sings" which took audiences thru various scenes of singing Audio-animatronic animals. I'll have to check out your link, because at some point in the 1990's, the carousel at Disneyland stopped turning and a static exhibit was installed. I had no idea that the Carousel of Progress had been revived in California!!! :-)
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Post# 215806 , Reply# 33   1/25/2013 at 15:14 (4,080 days old) by luxman107 (USA )   |   | |
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Oh man, I loved that carousel of progress at the New York worlds fair. I could have gone on that a million times. I was abou 11 years do at the time. Great memories |
Post# 215904 , Reply# 35   1/25/2013 at 23:57 (4,080 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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I had heard of the Macy before but have never seen one in person. But I have no doubt that there were more than 50 of them made. Macy's, as well as other retailers, contracted with P.A. Geier/Royal to build vacuums for them, and I'm thinking they may have done this for several years or more. Stark, Regal, Good Housekeeper, Electro-Hygiene, and Modern Hygiene were all built by P.A. Geier as well, but that is about the only connection between Electro-Hygiene and Modern Hygiene--that they were built by the same manufacturer. However, the prewar tank models of Royal and Modern Hygiene were almost identical to each other, but the prewar Electro-Hygiene tank was a little different, with a blue tank and Electro-Hygiene's exclusive crystal chamber on the front cover.
Also interesting is that Health-Mor contracted with P.A. Geier to build the Health-Mor Sanitation System for them, as well as the first few models of Filter Queen, until Health-Mor opened a plant in Chicago and began building their own machines in the early 50's, part way through the production of the model 350. Here's a picture of my prewar Royalaire model 186. The prewar Modern Hygiene was identical to this. Jeff |
Post# 215905 , Reply# 36   1/26/2013 at 00:06 (4,080 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215909 , Reply# 37   1/26/2013 at 00:16 (4,080 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 215917 , Reply# 38   1/26/2013 at 02:31 (4,080 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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The vacuum-collecting bug bit me very early in my life. It all started with my mom's Kirby Classic III, which my dad bought for her November 7, 1978. He wanted it and she did not, but he was the one that won out on that argument, and there my mom was stuck with this machine for the next 16 years.
My paternal grandparents (my dad's parents) also acquired a Kirby Classic III in 1987 shortly before moving to the St. Johns neighborhood of north Portland, OR from Boise, ID. At my grade school, there were two Royals both from the 1987-90 period. One was the standard 14" wide model 660 and the other was the 18" super-wide model 680. Other vacuums were thrown into the mix on occasion, including the 1979-83 Hoover U7037 Heavy Duty. In junior high, the Royals used there included a model 671Z 14" wide (1990-92) and the 680 (or 690) 18" super-wide. Unfortunately for me (ages 9-15), I took apart a lot of my vacuums I'd acquired to the point where I can't remember how they all fit together again. That was my "Humpty Dumpty" moment there. I totally regret that period. After having acquired my paternal grandparents' Classic III (I was then 17), I never took apart another vacuum since. ~Ben |
Post# 215977 , Reply# 39   1/26/2013 at 10:46 (4,079 days old) by caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)   |   | |
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Thanks for the info on the P.A. Geier Co., it was indeed the factory where the Health-Mor uprights were made. It was also the home of Royal (which was originally a non electric upright pumper in 1905), and later the Electro-Hygiene. But it was much more involved than that, because many Royal-like uprights, Bee-Vac, Cadilac, and others were made. P.A. Geier also made all the wands, hose handles, couplings, rug, bare floor, upholstry tools, and other metal parts. I understand that they also made hoses, and bags. The actual brushes were made by 'Fuller Brush' (who else?), the wooden brush rolls were made by the Cleveland wood Company (again who else?), the cords for most brands, including Kirby was The Belden Wire and Cord Company, and all instructions books were published by the donally company in Chicago. Another powerful company at the time was The Britman electric company, but my info on them is not as good as P.A. Geier.
It was nice to see the Health-Mor, I have one, as well as the Filter Queen model 200. Thanks for the information. Alex Taber. |
Post# 216875 , Reply# 40   1/30/2013 at 16:22 (4,075 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA)   |   | |
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The reason I collect vacuum cleaners is because I have always been fascinated with washers/dryers/dishwashers/vacuums/shampooers since I was 5 years old. I am currently 36 years old. Mechanical things always intrigue and relax me. |
Post# 216886 , Reply# 41   1/30/2013 at 18:38 (4,075 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)   |   | |
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I have a Royal 880 with the attachments and original service folder. In the folder is the receipt for the vacuum, and it was bought new in 1978. As a matter of fact that store is still in business today. This machine has the crystal chamber under the headlight cap. How could that be if Royal didn't include it until Electro Hygiene went out of business?
Joe |
Post# 217213 , Reply# 43   2/2/2013 at 08:36 (4,072 days old) by midcenturyfan (Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England)   |   | |
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I started collecting vacuum cleaners when I decided that I needed an indoor hobby to supplement my main hobby of collecting classic cars. Vacuums are a good thing to collect because there are a huge number of different models, even from a single manufacturer, and they are reasonably inexpensive and readily available.
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Post# 217632 , Reply# 44   2/4/2013 at 20:23 (4,070 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)   |   | |
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Post# 217635 , Reply# 45   2/4/2013 at 20:33 (4,070 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Joe, and Jeff,
I want to point out that such restrictions over that were relaxed by 1976, because I know Drake Smith (thevacuumguy96) has a Stark-branded Royal 880 dating from then and make no mistake, that one too has the crystal chamber underneath the headlight. I know, because I asked him all about and he confirms it does have the crystal chamber. ~Ben |
Post# 218061 , Reply# 47   2/7/2013 at 21:33 (4,067 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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Post# 218081 , Reply# 48   2/8/2013 at 00:47 (4,067 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)   |   | |
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Brad!!! Big hug of understanding to you from me here in central Canada.. :-)
You are very welcome - I'm so glad that my work on trying to understand the "uniqueness" (mean people would call it "weirdness") of me has helped you too. It has been an amazing relief to read Elaine Aron's book "The Highly Sensitive Person" as it really explains so much of how I react to the messy world out there. Thank you for adding the notion of the back and forth movement of the vacs as another calming feature of our favourite household appliance. This makes perfect sense to me, too! You know, in a previous post in this thread, I mentioned the Eureka Mobile-Aire canister owned by my aunt and uncle in the 1960's back in my hometown Montreal. Apparently, when my cousin was born, her parents use to run the Eureka in her room to help her sleep!!! They claim the hum of the motor helped to lul her to sleep!!! What is so strange about all of this is that I was initially terrified of our blue Eureka Automatic 260 upright! The design of the vac made it look like an angry monster to me: it had that single eye headlight with the metal eyebrow and the tool port cover looked like a nose! The wide mouth seemed to be ravenously swallowing up everything in its path. In an attempt to try to convince me that it would not chase me on its own, Mom tried a little experiment one day: she turned it on in the hallway in the upright storage position and opened my bedroom door behind which I had been hiding to protect myself from the crazy monster. And she tried to explain: "....you see? It won't chase you on its own...don't be afraid..." At which point, that grumbling Eureka with its scary headlight began moving forward on its own towards me!!!!! "You see!!!!!" I cried...."it IS coming after me!!!!" And I slammed the door in Mom's face! LOL! :-). It was at that point that someone decided to put white tape over the eyes of the Eureka so that it would look less sinister. And that seemed to reduce my feared reaction everytime she took it out of the closet to clean the carpets. It was only with the advent of the internet and eBay that I began to see vintage ads for those Eureka uprights which actually promoted the fact that they "practically walk on their own"!!!! So its really weird how my fear somehow was conquered and how that turned into a magnetic fascination with these domestic "conquerors of chaos." I thank Vacuumland for giving me the opportunity to really share this fascination with like-minded cleanerphiles, and to help me come out of the vacuum cleaner closet along with others! :-) |
Post# 218251 , Reply# 49   2/9/2013 at 01:18 (4,066 days old) by beerad (Beautiful Vancouver BC)   |   | |
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this is awesome sharing Thank you. |
Post# 218306 , Reply# 50   2/9/2013 at 10:43 (4,065 days old) by Ultimatevacman ( Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK)   |   | |
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I think the reason I collect vacuums has something to do with my childhood.
I remember as a toddler, watching my mum vacuuming with an old argos vacuum, and I used to have a toy one that looked just like it, and whenever she was vacuuming, I was doing the same with my toy one. And one time, when I was a 2 years old, me and my parents went on holiday to center parcs, and there I found Henry! I used to play with it and vacuum with it, and I remember leaving and feeling really sad that I left Henry behind! And now, at the age of 22, I have my own Henry :) |
Post# 218325 , Reply# 51   2/9/2013 at 12:54 (4,065 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)   |   | |
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... thanks for sharing!
I was also teased for my love of "sweepers" (as we call them in Western PA). As I mentioned before, I think (for a gay man like myself at least) the fascination is a Perfect Storm of the male love of machines -- loud, shiny, and with lights -- along with an association of an appliance with our mothers. Also for someone like myself, a love, reverence, and connection to the past with vintage machines. And as someone else mentioned, the vacuum is a tool that brings *order* to a chaotic lifestyle. No matter how upset your world might be, the sound of Mom vacuuming when you were little meant the natural flow and order of the household was right on track. |
Post# 218336 , Reply# 52   2/9/2013 at 14:03 (4,065 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK)   |   | |
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I collect vacuums beacuse I feel sorry for them, I see them at the tip or on eBay or some other used items internet listing website and I see them in a right sorry state. They have been abused and most likely never cleaned in how ever many years and are just dumpped for a new one! So I come and "rescue" them and restore them so they can keep on going. Perhaps that sounds witty but that is true. :P about the fasination for certain models and different feautres, I have no idea, we are all facinated by different things. (make of that what you please!) I do like the way some vacuums look aswell, same reason a girl would love the look of a certain dress! I have no idea why I really love vacuums and certain models, but there is nothing wrong with loving things that make us happy. (make of that what you please!) Alex. |
Post# 218346 , Reply# 53   2/9/2013 at 14:57 (4,065 days old) by Ultimatevacman ( Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK)   |   | |
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Post# 218351 , Reply# 54   2/9/2013 at 15:29 (4,065 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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My entire family had HOOVERS. I was fascinated going to each home and compiling my "list" of who had which. I loved the sound, seeing the bags inflate, seeing the light, Seeing the attachments. I was absolutely fascinated by them all. When very young, my grandmother's 28 scared me... so big, brown, loud, almost sinister, compared to the others. My aunt got me a toy HOOVER, to help me "get over my fear". I'd say it worked! I respect the machinery, as well as the aesthetics. When I was little, I rurned over our Convertible 67. It said, The HOOVER Company, North Canton, Ohio. I KNEW then, that one day, I would go there. The rest, is history. |
Post# 281872 , Reply# 55   5/26/2014 at 04:03 (3,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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The first Royal 880 metal uprights with the chemical chamber under headlight were produced around March 1974 (series letter "B" in serial number).
~Ben
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Post# 282289 , Reply# 56   5/29/2014 at 14:59 (3,591 days old) by anthony (leeds uk)   |   | |
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i also remember visitng relatives and sneaking off to find there vacuum i still have my mums Hoover Senior 652a standing behind the kitchen door where its always stood since it was new back in 63 mums long gone but the hoovers still hear ,its also to do with the styling and the build quality that has always atracted me to them then theres that satisfaction you get when you get an old cleaner working after it has stood dormant for years i have no interest in modern machines at all they just leave me cold
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Post# 313681 , Reply# 57   1/28/2015 at 22:54 (3,347 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 313710 , Reply# 59   1/29/2015 at 10:26 (3,346 days old) by vac-o-matic (Saint Louis, Mo.)   |   | |
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Amazing read, thanks for sharing! |
Post# 313713 , Reply# 60   1/29/2015 at 11:22 (3,346 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 313736 , Reply# 62   1/29/2015 at 14:24 (3,346 days old) by compactc9guy (Bathurst NB)   |   | |
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For me collecting vacuum is remembering the past, my grand mother had a c9 compact vacuum i now own one. Every time i use it i picture my self cleaning her living room , that was my reward for doing my home work. She helped me whit cleaning whit her was my one on one time whit her . As i was getting bullied at school so cleaning was an escape for me ahhh the sound of a vacuum blocking the chaos mhm heaven to me . And then i began using it more and more changing bags ect taking care of it, you could say it became my friend as i said before school was not pleasant for me early on getting tease ect.. So cleaning was something i was good at me im good at some thing wow i tough my grand ma would say good job whit the compact hun thanks for your help i was getting praise for once, I was getting kind words so that's how it all began i kept at it for 24 years now i own several vacuum cleaner(compact c9 , lux discovery 20 $ in yard sale mint , lux floor pro 1086,25 cash, lux zb86 from a fellow collector im restoring it and a 16 gallons shop vac .) and i would clean at school. IL always remember in grade 5 i think cleaning the classroom whit this huge shop vac now that was awsome (i was young bear whit me here ) i never seen such a huge machine and its the school so it was like special one you could say none of the student wanted to clean so i did it the teacher was real happy other student asked why i like it i just said i like cleaning i feel useful. (I had a purpose i was good at some thing help my self esteem in a weird kind of way. ) Then i just started cleaning more and hunting for vacuum at trifts shops in my town, id fix them sell them like my own little shop you could say . Why do i like cleaning now that im older ? I like a neat house so i always look for the best appliances, i love electrolux and compact ,hoover ,tristar and filter queen also its what i grew up whit each vacuum belong to a special some one in my life so i had a connection whit those machine .I guess now its a hobbie .I love looking for information and new stories about vacuum that's why i joined this site finally a place i can talk about my weird collecting of vacuums, a place i can talk and read stories of other colelctors people like me who just like old vacs . I guess its like owning older cars you have a peice of history a peice of the past almost like a time machine you can go back to those good old days for a sort momment and forget the rough day you had . To me a machine that picked up the dust was fascinating how does it work?what makes it do that? I plug the cord turn it on and bam dust is gone how? why? what? So i began taking them apart and finding out why does it vacuum theres a motor a fan a cord a hose and a case aahah i tought thats how it works same whit cars ect i like fixing stuff insted of trowing it away if its broke i fix it i learn how to do it so i guess thats my story .
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Post# 313740 , Reply# 63   1/29/2015 at 15:28 (3,346 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Post# 313745 , Reply# 64   1/29/2015 at 17:13 (3,346 days old) by Human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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Just to be clear: I'm not gay. I also don't really consider myself a collector so much as an accumulator. If I find something that's well made and worth saving, I'll invest my energy in making that happen. Since I first got online some 20 years ago, I have come to use message boards like these to find out information about things that I've accumulated so that I can fix them up.
I think I got that trait from my grandfather. He scratched out a living as a mechanic and truck driver during the Depression years and then got into rental real estate. Tenants often left behind perfectly good--or easily repairable--appliances and other stuff that he would fix up, sell, or give away. Like him, I am handy with tools and have an innate understanding of how machines work. Of the five vacuum cleaners I presently own, only one was bought specifically because I needed a vacuum cleaner. I got the Electrolux 1205 because I was rebuilding after a divorce and had a limited budget. I found it at a Goodwill store, it was cheap, and in great shape. Of the other four, two were dumpster rescues (the Kirby G-Six and the Dayton shop vac) that were just too good for the landfill, one was given to me (the Kirby Heritage), and one was bought on a whim because it was cool and cost next to nothing (the Royal Prince hand vac). Now here's the weird part. Unlike most people on this list, I'm a total slob. I live alone and I despise doing housework. While I swept some of the hardwood floors last weekend, I haven't vacuumed the carpeted areas (my bedroom and the living room) in several months. I used to not be that way, but the older I get, the more clutter overwhelms and gets ahead of me. |
Post# 313746 , Reply# 65   1/29/2015 at 17:40 (3,346 days old) by danielsand ()   |   | |
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Re post #63.......no problem "sptyks"! I like Internet, I really do, but sometimes it's hard to get the emotion (real meaning) behind the typed words on the screen. |
Post# 314072 , Reply# 68   2/2/2015 at 02:31 (3,343 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.)   |   | |
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Dittos to Daniel and Edger!!! I couldn't agree with your wise observations any more!!! Thank you for your posts...they were like a breath of fresh air which cut through the noxious stink of a world turned upside down!!! I pretty much collect only three kinds of vacuums, and they are KIRBY, KIRBY, and, of course, KIRBY - simply just because they are the very BEST!!! Many, many warm thanks again!!!
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