Welcome to Vacuum Land.

  I'm the founder or the Vacuum Cleaner Collector's Club, and an Electrolux collector, in fact, my interest began at the age of 2! What did it for me was the brand new Electrolux model LX, though, my family all had the model XXX. What you have is a post war model because it has round sled runners and a light gray underside.

The model XXX, also called the model 30 was introduced in the fall of 1937, just in time for the Christmas rush. It was an instant hit, and out-cleaned anything Electrolux had made before. It was also the first American Electrolux. The company was based out of Stockholm, Sweden. The factory in Old Greenwich, Connecticut had opened a few years before and made the last of the model XII's, but the XXX was the first completely American Electrolux.

The early ones had a dark gray underside with a matching leatherette to cover the upper body. The polished chrome trim added to the majestic look.  These were outfitted with flatter sled runners, and the doors on the exhaust port was vastly different. Another change was the snap in hose connection, as opposed to the screw in style of the model XII.

The post war style like you have featured some very nice tools, as well as a ride on tool holder called a Companion, and a cord winder.

  Please keep us posted about locating a cord and attachments, this is what it should look like when complete.

And again welcome to the club.

Alex Taber.    

Have a look at these.

I just brought my entire collection out of storage. These are a dozen or more boxes of attachments, wands, hoses and so on to go through. The hose you have is not for the XXX, but will work. The bare floor tool you have looks like it's correct. I also have the companion that goes to the machine. My machines and boxes of tools are in a holding room about a mile from my home, so let me go through my stuff next week, and put stuff together. Just cover the shipping and they are yours.

As for the history of the model and pinpointing the year, here's what I suggest. Look up Electrolux history, written by my good friend Charles Richard Lester. You can also check out his cyber vacuum cleaner museum. Both are well worth looking at.  

Here's a look at some of my wands and tools for numerous brands. Some of the rug nozzles on the wall are the ones I can send to you once I locate them.

Alex Taber.

Nice 1205.

My first paying job, I was only 17, was selling that model Electrolux, so I know it well. As for Charles Richard, when I started winding down after creating, writing and publishing the V.C.C.C. newsletters from January 2, 1983, to May 1993, I turned the task over to Charles Richard. I retired from the club in May of 95, and was away till 2004.

That picture was only one shot of the V.C.C.C. museum and clubhouse. It was located in Naperville, Illinois. When I bought the house in 85, I made a guestroom the club museum, (see photo) but the collection grew. Around 92, I converted a 3 car garage into the museum.

While I love all vacuum cleaners and especially Electrolux and Kirby, it's the non electric machines of the late 1800's that fascinate me most. I have about a dozen of them and will post pictures of them to see.

Alex Taber.

The museum in 93. The blue Kirby came with the wrong bag.  

Museum.

Museum.

Museum.

And here's the oldest known vacuum cleaner. It's called the Whirlwind. Invented in Chicago, patent date June 8, 1869, and the inventor was Ives W. Mc'Gaffy. It was mass produced by 'The American Carpet cleaning company' of Boston which was lucky for Mc'Gaffy, as the great Chicago fire of October 1871 wiped out all the Whirlwind's he sold. This one was located by a friend of mine at auction in New Hampshire, I acquired it in 1988.

Alex Taber.

Wow! Somebody from home!

While I was born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut, I accepted a job in Northwest Indiana, in I got there on my 22 birthday, September 2nd, 1972. Indiana was dull and boring and I spent a lot of time in Chicago. In 1983, I ended up in Lombard, Illinois and when a house off Roosevelt rd. became available, I bought it, that was August 1985.

If you know Naperville, it was a  sleepy little town back then, but perfect for our club. There was the Stardust motel on my corner (Roosevelt rd. and Sherman Ave. ) a little café called Grandma Sally's, and a great restaurant rascals for fine dining.  Shown here is a meeting of the club around that time. Our members are (clockwise)  Norbert Miller co editor,  Don O'Connor,  John Lucia co founder of the V.C.C.C.,  Mike Pupek, Anne R. Taber my mom, who served as our club secretary, and me. Pictured behind Norbert, are the first Electrolux's  models V, and XII. I was very proud of that room, but in time the collection grew to immense proportions, and so I remodeled the garage.

Let me know when you get the model LX, I hope it's the one outfitted with the yellow nameplate with the word Electrolux in red. That was the machine which began it all for me and is still my favorite. Keep us posted about the growing collection, and if you want the history of Electrolux, let me know and I'll get it to you.

Alex Taber.

Here are a few pictures of the museum that I just found today and scanned in.

Museum

Museum.

Museum.

Museum.

Here's a picture of me at about 3, with the two brands I loved then and still do.

The deleted picture was a duplicate od reply 23.

And Finally, here's my Electrolux LX. When this picture was taken, the plug on the cord was being repaired, so the cord winder is not original to the machine, rest assured, it is now, and with the authentic plug.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these pictures. Yes, there was some slight repositioning of the display from time to time. And while I'm on the subject, my thanks to Tom Gasko, and Mike Pupek for adding to the collection. A number of machines were donated to the museum by Tom when he attended the 1993 convention, which were called meetings at that time. The conventions would come later.

Yes, I remember the river walk in Naperville very well.

 There were two versions of the Electrolux model LX. The first was introduced in the fall of 1952, it's the one I have as my daily driver and shown here in what Charles Richard Lester calls "a beauty shot." It's the best thing they made up to that point. The ejector, while a great feature, tended to 'pop' as Electrolux termed the process, too soon, causing a myriad of problems. At first, Electrolux salesmen went to the customers home, made the repair (at Electrolux's expense) by installing a dial to regulate the air pressure that caused it to pop. The later model LX's had the dial installed at the factory. I'm not sure exactly when the nameplates were changed, or why, perhaps to save money. At any rate, they were now polished aluminum. To add a bit of color, hammer tone blue was used for trim, and parts like the cord winder. Suddenly the model LX became the LXI, though was basically the same machine.

About a year ago a member named 'powermate1970' started the thread Lux XXX/30 tools, I'll look up the thread # so you can read it. It's a fun read, and you will learn a lot about your favorite vacuum cleaner.

As for me on the Electrolux XXX, I'm playing with a Kirby model 512 (1952). I was too young to know it, but Air-Way had introduced an upright in 1920 that had a hollow handle, and a hose was used for above the floor cleaning.

So now you know why I became a vacuum cleaner collector. The reason John Lucia and I formed the club was so we could pass our knowledge to fellow collectors, exactly as I'm doing for you.  I love digging research , and sharing history. It warms my heart to know you have started to collect Electrolux's.  

Alex Taber.

Here's a look at the upright Air-Way's and other machines from my display at the 2005 convention in California. The hose on the table could be attached to the handle. The two shown here are The Air-Way sanitation system (1920) and the Chief, which came out in 1937(?) and featured a rotating brush.

Found it.

Go to Vintage archives, type in Lux model 30/XXX tools. The member who created the thread is powermate1970. Thread # 19227, post # 212375. Date of thread is 1/3/2013.

This is a treasure trove of Electrolux information. Tools, machines, patents, some wonderful pictures of all things Electrolux, and yes some bits of trivia from me and many others.

Check it out.

Check out reply # 3 in the thread I mentioned above, I think you'll be pleased.

Alex Taber.

Since you live in Wilmington, Illinois, you are not that far from Cleveland, Ohio. The annual convention is being held at the Kirby company, which will mark the 100 anniversary of the parent company Scott/Fetzer. I believe the convention is in June, but plans are still underway.

I suggest that you and your husband attend, because the conventions are great fun, and very educational. Members from all over the country attend, and many of them bring their collections, or at least their favorite machines. We have cleaning contests, and other events to educate members on things like restoration and so on.

The convention room is breathtaking, rows of banquet tables draped in cloth and holding dozens of vacuum cleaners of every brand and description. In addition, there are people to meet, talk to, and learn from. We also have a banquet, complete with an award ceremony, and prizes galore! 

I'm planning to attend, and if I can arrange transportation, will be bringing my best machines including the non electrics that most members have not seen other than on my posts, and yes, I will bring the Whirlwind.

More information on the date, and so on will be posted after the first of the year, as well as registration forms. I would love to meet you, and your husband. I'd also be honored to show you the very first vacuum cleaners, and other cleaning tools like carpet beaters, and so on.

So, if you can attend, I know you will have the time of your lives.

Alex Taber.

WARNING DO NOT TAKE THE CORDWINDER APART!!!

I know exactly what the problem is, the spring in the winder is sprung. That's common with winders of that age. That spring is razor sharp and needs special tools to rewind it. Your husband could get badly cut if he tries to work on it. I'm sure there are club members who have a cordwinder in proper working condition, and can get it to you.  I also noticed that it has a replacement plug, the cords were made for Electrolux by the Belden wire company, which is in Geneva, Illinois, but was in Chicago at the time the XXX, and LX, LXI's were made. I'll see that somebody gets you a working winder with correct plug. 

You have the Companion in the configuration I like, but the rug tool and bare floor tool are backwards, the swivel ends should point upward not down. The reason for this is so you can place the wand inside the connector and attach it lifting the desired tool off the Companion with ease. You are missing the upholstery tool, dusting brush, and crevice tool (which Electrolux called the 'narrow space cleaner.')

Do you get the instruction book for this LX? If not, that's easy to acquire. Go to the club library icon on the main page of the Vacuumland site, type in vacuum cleaner, and then Electrolux, and a few instruction books will pop up. You can easily download the book for your new LX.

It takes about 4-5 weeks for the bag to fill with common household dirt, but you can fill a test bag with cotton balls, Kleenex, packing popcorn or other material. Set the dial (if there is one) to 'HASTEN' and close the front cover. Turn the LX on, and feed it until it ejects. DO NOT OVER FEED THE BAG, AS IT'S AT THE CORRECT DEGREE OF FULLNESS! It will be common for the LX to run several minutes before it ejects again, but it will! There should be a compartment under the LX that holds 3 bags, see the instruction book.   

If your husband has to do surgery on the ejector, or any component thereof, go to the Lux 30/XXX tools thread, and scroll down, the entire process is explained, including pictures.

In some cases, the previous owners of these machines remove the ejector spring. If your LX doesn't have it, no problem, I have one, and will get it to you when I send the other tools, and I'll include the upholstery tool and a dusting brush.

Have a great time with your Electrolux, and watch for other info that I will scan in today and post tonight.

Alex Taber.

Testing the ejector.

If you want to test the ejection system to see that it works properly, here's all you do. Open the front cover by lifting up on the latch, make sure there is a disposable bag in the chamber, not the cloth one pictured with your LX. Locate the lever under the cleaner (same side as the cover latch) and press upward, the bag should be expelled from the chamber. If it doesn't work, go to the Lux 30/XXX tools thread, and scroll down till you find the post dealing with repair. It's all there, including pictures.

If you need me, I'm here.

Alex Taber.

Two things I noticed.

The vinyl loop thingy on the Companion is used for hanging it in the closet, and not on the machine. People who leave the Companion on the LX, bring that loop back so it's placed with the dusting brush.

Secondly, the hose on your LX is the  correct hose for the 1205. I have the correct hose for your LX, but it needs a latex treatment to make it operable. That process is on another thread by two club members who are experts in this, and can walk your husband through the procedure.

I only have one set of white wall, and dusting brushes, and one Garment Aire bag, but I'm sure we can locate them if you want to acquire the 'entire set' of tools to make it complete. I also have a few original wrappers (bags) and will send you one so you have it for show.

More information as I think of it.

Alex Taber.

I don't know anything about chainsaws, but I assume it is the same mechanism. Charles Richard or my friend Tom Gasko would know that. Tom is the curator of the 'Vacuum cleaner museum' (not to be confused with the museum I used to have in Naperville, they were my machines, and as I founded the club, simply made them the official club collection.) In Tom's case, it is an actual museum open to the public and located near St. Louis, Mo.. A little trivia on Tom, he was the first President the V.C.C.C. had. Up to that point, John Lucia and I didn't want officers in the club, so I did not appoint myself as president, or John as vice president when we formed the club back in 82. Frankly, we never thought our club would go very far. Boy were we wrong!

So check out the Vacuum Museum, it's great.

Alex Taber.

Sorry it took so long to respond, but getting Michelle, on the right track with 'Lexy' was important.

The conventions are fantastic, and the 2006 convention can be found in the section on Newsletters. I have that in my paperwork and will scan it in later today so You and Michelle can see for yourselves. Here's the background on the convention.  

The origin dates back to May 4, 5, and 6, 1985. While I founded the club after meeting with John Lucia in September of 82 and touring the Hoover Historical Center, (I'd already been there in August of 1980, and without knowing was laying the groundwork for the club.) Upon leaving Hoover with about 5 names of others interested in vacuum cleaner collecting, I asked John, "think we should form a club?" His response was, "I doubt if anybody's interested, but write to these guys and see, It won't hurt to ask!" When I got home I did, the first person I contacted was the late Craig Long of Buffalo, New York, and he responded with a phone call that same day. "Yes, I want to be part of the club! Other letters came in with the same response, and I went to work.

At that time, I knew nothing about publishing, but drafted a short newsletter, and went with the obvious name. 'The Vacuum Cleaner Collector's Club' was intended to be a temporary title till John and I could think of a better one, but as everybody liked the V.C.C.C., it became the official name. The first newsletter went to press in December, and was mailed out on January 2, 1983 (our official starting date!") The agreement was that I'd compile, write and publish the newsletter. John and I also agreed to alternate writing a feature article for each issue. He would cover all things Hoover, and I'd cover all the other brands both electric and non electric. At this point the membership was free, and the newsletters were published every other month.

In February I realized we needed letterhead, and an official logo, so I contacted Stacy Krammes, director of the Hoover Historical Center. Her daughter, Liz, was in the process of becoming a graphic artist, and I hired Liz to draw an abstract picture of a non electric called the Baby Daisy. By March, the V.C.C.C. had logo, letterhead and about 6 members. We were on our way!

In the fall of 1984, one of our members, Mike Pupek, came to see me in Lombard, Ill, and in the course of conversation suggested a meeting of the guys in the club. My response was "nobody is going to travel cross country to see some old vacuum cleaners!" To this Mike said, "put the question in the next newsletter." I did, and the result was the first meeting in 85. At this meeting, rules were set, bylaws were drafted, and all the important business was set in place. We even had an official cake cutting ceremony.

6 weeks later, I bought a house in Naperville, Illinois, and turned a spare bedroom into the club museum. As I mentioned in a previous post, everything was perfect for our meetings, as food, lodging and so on was right at my fingertips. From 1986 to 1993 the meetings were in my home. Then in 94, the club returned to it's birthplace, The Hoover Company. In 95, we went to Allentown, Pa. to see the collection of Bob Kautzman who is 'The Vac-Hunter.'

As I had just bought a house in San Diego, California, I decided to retire, turn the club over to Tom Gasko and become a private collector again. Tom was the one who turned our 'meetings' into 'conventions' and it was Charles Richard Lester who took us into cyberspace and thus expanding the membership to outrageous proportions. It's still growing.

I'll leave it up to Tom, Charles Richard and others to take it from there, but each time I attend a convention I still have that 'pinch me' feeling. I never thought we'd achieve anything like this.

Alex Taber.

Great news!

The information about the Convention is posted!

On the main page of our site is "Clubs," click on the V.C.C.C. scroll through the opening remarks by our president Morgan, and you'll find the complete information on the Kirby convention. While I haven't read it fully yet, I can't comment, but all the prices, dates and hotel info is there. Having attended conventions as a basic member and not part of management since 2004, I know how great these events are. I strongly suggest you both try to attend, as you will be in a vacuum cleaner wonderland, and have the time of you lives.

I'm still trying to locate where the older newsletters are. As for those not published in Vacuum Land, I'll locate several of the ones I wrote and scan them in. This might take a day or so, but I'll see that you are able to read them. Pictured here, is my late partner, Charles Brookreson, and I at the 05 convention which was held in Los Angeles in 05.

Hope to see you both in Cleveland.

Alex Taber.

Newsletters.

The next few posts are from old newsletters.

Back cover.

Convention in 2005. Front cover.

A few more pictures from 2005.

V.C.C.C. banquets.

Another table.

Awards.

More awards.

And finally, a repair seminar.

So Michelle and Bill, I hope these pictures whet your interest enough to attend. The weekend if fun, informative, and a great way to add machines, or parts to your collections. To say nothing of meeting some very nice people who love vacuum cleaners.

Alex Taber.

That tool can be flipped over and the top part used to clean small areas instead of the entire carpet. The lever on the side of the tool is the 'Gleaner,' a bar of teeth that comb the carpet to get pet fur. You have to understand that the carpeting of the 1940's and 50's wasn't as plush as today. It was for this reason that Electrolux introduced the Power Nozzle in the late 1950's.

It's all explained in the instruction book, I think you will find that a great read and the best way to understand how Luxy works.

Alex Taber.

These pictures with captions are about 5 pictures to a page, but my scanner is printing each individual picture, not the getting the captions. I'll try to locate the problem and post the entire pages in a few days.

Alex. Taber.

These pages might help.

The ejection system.

It's all about the 'wrappers.'

There is no right or wrong configuration of the Companion, that's a matter of personal taste. I happen to like the Companion resting behind the Cordwinder, but it does prevent access to the compartment where the power cord connects. Others like it reversed, and that's fine too. The same with the attachments, the way you have them in your posts is fine, but I like then reversed so I can simply slide the bare end of the wand in and lift the tool up, or slide it back into position.  Also, as I like the look of the LX adorned with all the tools in place, I have another Companion with tools resting on a chair, coffee table or what have you. Call it an O.C.D. issue.  So feel free to choose any configuration for Lexy, be that with the Companion in place or not.

Please keep me posted as to the condition of the ejector, and if it 'pop's right. As a child, that was the magic moment, and I still get a major high seeing my model LX toss out the wrapper.

Have fun, and to help you celebrate the new addition to your Electrolux family, have a piece of the official V.C.C.C. cake.

Alex Taber.  

Look at our Vacuum of the day, I think you'll like seeing this as you just got one.

Alex Taber.