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Thread Number: 33551
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Eureka Vacuums History |
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| Post# 365371 1/19/2017 at 21:21 (2,987 days old) by EurekaFan (Wisconsin) | ||
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Hey everyone! I was just wondering if you had any info on Eureka cleaners from the 50s through the 90s. I don't know much and was hoping to gain some more knowledge from joining this forum! Thanks all. | ||
| Post# 365420 , Reply# 3 1/20/2017 at 20:25 (2,986 days old) by ronni (USA) | ||
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Here's a copy of the 200-series upright manual cover with the "flying E" logo. It's either from the late '50s or early '60s.
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| Post# 365422 , Reply# 4 1/20/2017 at 21:18 (2,986 days old) by EurekaFan (Wisconsin) | ||
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Wow!! Thanks so much for all of that information! This is going to be super helpful. Thanks again! | ||
| Post# 365494 , Reply# 6 1/22/2017 at 15:19 (2,984 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
Hi Harrison,
You can get a nice record of the history and development of the Eureka Company by looking at some of the advertisements they put out over the years. I'll try to post a bunch of them for you over the next few months...hopefully in chronological order so you can see how the product line evolved over the years. Click on the button that says "View Full Size" so you can read the content of the advertisement. Here is a print advertisement from 1946, just after World War II ended:
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| Post# 365653 , Reply# 7 1/26/2017 at 02:40 (2,981 days old) by TheSpiritOf76 () | ||
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EurekaFan... Let me post some paperwork that might just flip your switch! I am pretty much the resident Eureka lover here. Enjoy!
Jae The Eureka Empress! | ||
| Post# 365654 , Reply# 8 1/26/2017 at 03:35 (2,981 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH) | ||
Thank you for posting these photos. Eureka at its very best. Brings back memories.
I have the 2070 in Blue and my aunt wanted a new vacuum when she built her new home and she had seen my vacuum and I took her to the vacuum store and she purchased the 2071D, which was just like mine only in the cream color. Sincerely, PR-21 Bud | ||
| Post# 365667 , Reply# 9 1/26/2017 at 16:47 (2,980 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 365674 , Reply# 10 1/26/2017 at 19:51 (2,980 days old) by EurekaFan (Wisconsin) | ||
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Awesome!! Those are so cool! If you have more please post them! | ||
| Post# 365682 , Reply# 11 1/26/2017 at 21:45 (2,980 days old) by TheSpiritOf76 () | ||
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Certianly EurekaFan.... I would be more than happy to share.. | ||
| Post# 365683 , Reply# 12 1/26/2017 at 21:53 (2,980 days old) by ronni (USA) | ||
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Great pics! I noticed that some of the model designations have letter suffixes. Did that indicate an update or alternate iteration as Hoover's model suffixes did (e.g. was there a 1660-A along with the 1660-B)? | ||
| Post# 365687 , Reply# 14 1/26/2017 at 22:41 (2,980 days old) by ronni (USA) | ||
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Good to know. Thanks for the response. | ||
| Post# 365696 , Reply# 15 1/27/2017 at 07:09 (2,980 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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It's interesting. Sometimes Eureka changed the suffix letter to indicate a minor change (like colour), but other times they actually notched up the number itself. In 1974, I remember giving my dad one of the colour line-up inserts (posted above) from the Home Furnishings Daily Chicago Housewares Show special edition. It shows the great upright lineup that topped Consumer Reports tests in 1973 - Models 2042, 2082, 2072, etc. I wanted Dad to buy the deluxe Cordaway Rugulator 2082. When he brought it home a few weeks later, it was a 2083: the difference? a little indentation on each side of the metal base plate which were called Edge Kleeners. Eureka even added little decals on each side of the gold base to advertise the enhancement.
Another interesting thing about model numbers in the 1960's. As Eureka approached 1960, its two main vacs had Model Number 260 (Automatic Upright) and 960 (Rotomatic Canister). Then as they approached 1970, the Vanguard upright had model number 2070. Eureka. The very best in vacuum cleaners. Those were the days, my friend. :-( | ||
| Post# 365701 , Reply# 16 1/27/2017 at 09:01 (2,979 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa) | ||
Eureka not the one in AR!
Anyone seen the passion play?
Hmm! I do know where I can get Eureka 1489 from reply #11 pic #11. I may go get it tomorrow. Even though I’m not a die-hard Eureka person I do have/like the Vanguard, and model 1265 from pic # 15 reply #7 and one similar to model 1428 reply #11, 14. I just sold model 2215 to a fellow collector on here and I know he will happy with it! Thanks for posting Jae. Not many people take the time or have the knowledge to post advertisements like this and I find them fascinating. | ||
| Post# 365780 , Reply# 18 1/29/2017 at 07:22 (2,977 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Amazing Eureka upright collection, Jae! Very jealous!!!!
Looking at the Automatics 250 and 260, I could see now how easily these Eurekas would have scared me half to death as a child. The headlights and the whole look of the motor heads make them look like some terrifying mechanical monsters - especially when the headlights are turned on! Yikes!!!!! The later Vanguards and round Continentals look less menacing! It's no wonder many of us vac fans were terrified of these machines as toddlers... :-( | ||
Post# 365791 , Reply# 19 1/29/2017 at 09:41 (2,977 days old) by vacuumlad1650  (Wauponsee, IL) |
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Jason
I've never been quite the Eureka expert... What year(s) would the Eureka 2050 have been produced?
Andy
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| Post# 365830 , Reply# 20 1/29/2017 at 17:51 (2,977 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 365843 , Reply# 21 1/29/2017 at 18:57 (2,977 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
Eureka
Here's a random 80's Eureka...
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| Post# 365943 , Reply# 22 1/31/2017 at 19:07 (2,975 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Here is an Eureka advertisement from 1953....
This is when Eureka introduced a "tub" style canister cleaner called the "Roto-Matic" because the hose swivelled 360 degrees on the top of the tub.....
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| Post# 365944 , Reply# 23 1/31/2017 at 19:17 (2,975 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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And here is another print advertisment from 1956....
...which shows an improved Roto-Matic canister in red, plus a larger Super Roto-Matic and a new Super Automatic Upright Cleaner....
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| Post# 365952 , Reply# 24 1/31/2017 at 22:44 (2,975 days old) by TheSpiritOf76 () | ||
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I have one of those small Roto-Matics.... Mine is dated 1954. It is in perfect condition, even has a brand new, genuine, vintage Eureka paper bag, from the correct era. I just need a hose for it (excuse the pics of the old vacuum room, lol). | ||
| Post# 365959 , Reply# 25 2/1/2017 at 05:57 (2,975 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Wow! That IS in excellent condition! Hope you find a hose to complete the package.
If I remember correctly, Eureka had a winner with the Roto-Matic as it was not that expensive and was highly rated in Consumer Reports at the time. I guess it was Eureka's answer to the GE Swivel Top tub vac of the same era. | ||
| Post# 366589 , Reply# 26 2/11/2017 at 20:59 (2,964 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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And here is a photo of a Eureka vacuum display from a store from about 1957 or 1958 or 1959. The store is already displaying the new 50th Golden Anniversary (1909-1959) editions of the Eureka Super Rotomatic Golden Crown canister (in green, cream and gold) and the green and gold Super Automatic 260 upright cleaner in the centre with the matching cardboard tool carrier. The anniversary editions were already being advertised in 1957, two years before the actual anniversary, so it's hard to tell exactly which year this photo is from.
Wish I had this in colour!
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| Post# 366602 , Reply# 27 2/12/2017 at 08:37 (2,963 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan) | ||
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Did they still make the round canisters in 1959? My parents received a pea green canned ham Mobile-Air vibra-beat for a wedding gift in '59. | ||
| Post# 366615 , Reply# 28 2/12/2017 at 13:02 (2,963 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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I'm pretty sure the Super Roto-Matics were still being made at the same time as the new Mobile-Aires. Probably into the first years of the 1960's when the Eureka line-up went all Lagoon Blue. There was a blue version of the Super Rotomatic barrel vacuum, which means it was being sold alongside the other blue canisters and uprights.
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Post# 366629 , Reply# 29 2/12/2017 at 16:27 (2,963 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada) |
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| Post# 366630 , Reply# 30 2/12/2017 at 16:49 (2,963 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Hi Gary,
I don't think the separate curved wand was introduced until 1959 when the Vibra-Beat carpet nozzle made its debut. Eureka must have thought it would be easier to store 3 separate floor "heads" (bare floor brush, regular carpet nozzle, Vibra-Beat nozzle) if the necks were removed from the nozzles entirely, and replaced by one single curved wand. Marketing wise, Eureka touted the system as making it easier to change floor heads: you simply swivelled any of the 3 heads 180 degrees to the "bottoms up" position which lined up a nipple on the curved wand with a notch in the ring of the attachment neck. This released the tool from the curved wand. You did the reverse to secure another tool. Consumer Reports did not like the system - they found the tools had a tendency to rotate to the "release" position and fall off when being carried between tasks! Since there was a brief period when both Roto-Matic canisters and Vibra-Beat canisters were both being produced, it makes sense that the later Roto-Matics had the separate curved wand too since it was more economical to manufacture one version of bare floor brush for all Eurekas. The tool set for our blue Super Automatic upright had a separate curved wand for just the floor brush! :-) | ||
| Post# 366632 , Reply# 31 2/12/2017 at 16:57 (2,963 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 366633 , Reply# 32 2/12/2017 at 16:59 (2,963 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Post# 366723 , Reply# 33 2/13/2017 at 19:29 (2,962 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada) |
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| Post# 366724 , Reply# 34 2/13/2017 at 19:44 (2,962 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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I know. It may have not come with the VB nozzle, but because Eureka was already selling the new canned ham vac, all the tools across the Eureka line up had to use the new "neckless" tools. It was probably cheaper to have common "neckless" tools included with all Eureka vacs from 1959 forward, including the old Rotomatics.
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| Post# 379937 , Reply# 36 10/18/2017 at 11:36 (2,715 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA) | ||
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Great thread for Eureka fans! I especially like the 'Widetrack' models in appearance.....have no idea how good they were.
Kevin | ||
| Post# 426397 , Reply# 38 6/2/2020 at 13:39 (1,757 days old) by bohrium (Maryland) | ||
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hose for Eureka 1660? Does anyone know the part number for the hose for the 1660? Its the non-electric one and the Hesco diagram doesn't show it. Alternately, where can I get one of the quarter-turn locking hose for my sweet 16. | ||
| Post# 438324 , Reply# 39 2/7/2021 at 19:34 (1,507 days old) by nic_stephens (Springfield, mo) | ||
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Hose for eureka 1660 Bohrium, I will look it up for you. | ||
| Post# 438468 , Reply# 41 2/10/2021 at 11:35 (1,504 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.) | ||
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I believe that The blue pro-line came before the red commercial red Sanitaire. They were a little fancier than the red models. A friend has a 15" wide ESP Widetrack that by todays standard is a Sanitaire painted moss green. | ||
| Post# 448448 , Reply# 43 12/7/2021 at 15:01 (1,204 days old) by texbodemer (Mountlake Terrace) | ||
Can you share more of this document?  | ||
| Post# 449244 , Reply# 44 1/13/2022 at 20:30 (1,167 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky) | ||
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| Post# 449245 , Reply# 45 1/13/2022 at 20:33 (1,167 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky) | ||
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| Post# 449248 , Reply# 46 1/14/2022 at 15:09 (1,166 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
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| Post# 453191 , Reply# 48 5/31/2022 at 15:43 (1,029 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky) | ||
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Well, I now own the F, B, and D. The F is a Standard, but with a model G front wheel setup and a model G handle. It also has ridges carved into the nozzle, and has a caster on the back.
The B is a Special, which uses the same caster/motor setup as the F, but with a reused model 9 head casting. Some had the handle painted yellow to match the tag. Sold as the economy model. The D is also known as the Deluxe, the predecessor to the K. The last Eureka to have a sleeve bearing motor, but the first to have a flat headed nozzle with an embedded brush. The handle to motor terminals were quick disconnect like the model 11. Thread of all of these and more coming soon, I digitized that page from Dadsvacuum showing production dates and serial #s. | ||
| Post# 453192 , Reply# 49 5/31/2022 at 16:06 (1,029 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
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| Post# 459559 , Reply# 53 1/18/2023 at 17:43 (797 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 459560 , Reply# 54 1/18/2023 at 18:37 (797 days old) by Paul (USA) | ||
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You're welcome, Brian! For sure, that's where the Eureka Floor & Surface Cleaner Museum should be - with perhaps a Wardell Room, a Burritt Room, a Schaefer Room, and your curator's quarters of course! 😀 | ||
| Post# 459565 , Reply# 55 1/18/2023 at 19:00 (797 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 460603 , Reply# 57 2/23/2023 at 16:51 (761 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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| Post# 460635 , Reply# 59 2/24/2023 at 13:31 (760 days old) by Paul (USA) | ||
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Model 1 Ad! 1911 Mar. 18 - THE MICHIGAN MANUFACTURER ad
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| Post# 460769 , Reply# 60 2/28/2023 at 01:13 (757 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.) | ||
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Mr.Wardell Freddy to friends and family was quite a handsome bloke. I'm sure the girls chased him all over the school playground growing up, just sayin' lol. | ||
| Post# 460772 , Reply# 61 2/28/2023 at 01:41 (757 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky) | ||
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| Post# 475969 , Reply# 63 3/12/2025 at 06:32 by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Wow! Thank you again Paul for your meticulous research and valuable posts. Could not have done a better job myself!
The 1909 start date mystery has always confounded me because Eureka started advertising their “Golden Anniversary” models in 1957!!! These are the famous green and gold Super Automatic 260 (a nod to 1960?) upright and the companion green and gold Super Rotomatic 960 Golden Crown tub canister. And somewhere along the line, I think you posted a wonderful explanation of how these colours related to Ancient Greece’s use of similar colours for athletic awards - connected to the Greek origins of the word “eureka - I have found it”. | ||
| Post# 476006 , Reply# 66 3/13/2025 at 19:35 by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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I don’t think that Super Rotomatic is Lagoon Blue….it’s definitely that green colour that was used on the anniversary editions.
I actually have a powerful memory of the difference between the green and blue that Eureka used at this time: By the late 1960’s, our blue 260 upright had a worn-out handle bail that no longer kept the handle locked in the “storage/upright” position. We had our Eureka picked up for repairs by Vacuum Rebuilders of Montreal (on Saint Laurence Boulevard) so that they could see if this problem could be fixed. To my horror, our Eureka came back with an avocado green handle bail which they must have harvested from some trade-in!!! So to this day, I have a strong visual memory of the contrast between the green and blue colours used by Eureka at the time: the green was a kind of avocado green and the Lagoon Blue was kind of a turquoise. I can spot the difference very easily. | ||
| Post# 476062 , Reply# 69 3/17/2025 at 07:11 by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada) | ||
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Aha…gotcha! Much appreciate all your enlightening posts about Eureka, Paul - as always! Guess I got a little confused…🤣
I guess the anniversary green was taken over completely by Lagoon Blue with the arrival of the little turtle Princess in 1962. It’s interesting that Eureka made a round green canister cleaner for Singer at the time - first time I had ever seen a green Singer canister. Doug Smith shows it as part of his great collection on his Altervista website…. | ||
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