Regina 1889 hand pump vacuum

If I'm correct the patent date of 1889 is not the vacuum cleaner but rather a music box, player piano or some other musical device, and most likely was in Germany.

That's right the vacuum cleaner was a later sideline. The type you have, a long cylinder on wheels and pushed via a long pole handle may or may not be the first. As I don't have my notes on hand, I can't say for certain which was first though I think it was a the two-person tank-style pumper.

While Regina started out in Germany, they relocated to New Jersey in the first years of the 1900's 02- to 07, or there abouts. Eventually they phased out the music box, player piano, and so on and went into vacuum cleaners as the main line of production. And in the late 1920's through the late 30's made a series of uprights. Then around 1948, they introduced a lightweight vacuum cleaner which was called the 'ElectrikBroom,' which took the country by storm. They also got into floor polishers, and a number of small appliances like can openers.

As I said, I don't have my patent, and other info with me so this is as close as my memory can get, but the backstory is quite interesting. Perhaps a few old-timers have some of my earlier notes and can fill in the details.

Alex Taber.

By the way, the name 'Caligula' refers to the cat in my avatar, he was the mascot for the V.C.C.C. circa 1986.


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Post# 462966 5/7/2023 at 20:11 (579 days old) by ColoradoMarine (Vancouver)
Checkrate/Likes I have a 1889 hand pump vacuum that I'm trying to find as much information on. Google only gets me so far.

Post# 462967 , Reply# 1 5/7/2023 at 22:22 (579 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes "I have a 1889 hand pump vacuum that I'm trying to find as much information on." e.g., "How much is it worth?"

Post# 462968 , Reply# 2 5/7/2023 at 23:57 (579 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky)
Checkrate/Likes Afaik Regina only started with vacs around 1907, when their music box sales started to tank.

Post# 462969 , Reply# 3 5/8/2023 at 00:11 (579 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes *Link* I might be going out on a limb but this is probably the vacuum he has. That's alot of work needed to make a bellows vacuum that's nit desirable in show condition. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Lesinutah's LINK on eBay

Post# 462970 , Reply# 4 5/8/2023 at 02:12 (579 days old) by Caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *ColoradoMarine.* If I'm correct the patent date of 1889 is not the vacuum cleaner but rather a music box, player piano or some other musical device, and most likely was in Germany. That's right the vacuum cleaner was a later sideline. The type you have, a long cylinder on wheels and pushed via a long pole handle may or may not be the first. As I don't have my notes on hand, I can't say for certain which was first though I think it was a the two-person tank-style pumper. While Regina started out in Germany, they relocated to New Jersey in the first years of the 1900's 02- to 07, or there abouts. Eventually they phased out the music box, player piano, and so on and went into vacuum cleaners as the main line of production. And in the late 1920's through the late 30's made a series of uprights. Then around 1948, they introduced a lightweight vacuum cleaner which was called the 'ElectrikBroom,' which took the country by storm. They also got into floor polishers, and a number of small appliances like can openers. As I said, I don't have my patent, and other info with me so this is as close as my memory can get, but the backstory is quite interesting. Perhaps a few old-timers have some of my earlier notes and can fill in the details. Alex Taber. By the way, the name 'Caligula' refers to the cat in my avatar, he was the mascot for the V.C.C.C. circa 1986.

Post# 462971 , Reply# 5 5/8/2023 at 02:27 (579 days old) by Caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes *History on the music box found.* ColoradoMarine: If you go to 'Regina music box' on Wikipedia you'll get the basic history, which did indeed start in 1889. Sadly, there is little on the early vacuum cleaners, which was what I focused on many years ago, and may be buried in the archives here at Vacuumland. Good luck in your search.

Post# 463022 , Reply# 6 5/8/2023 at 15:23 (578 days old) by ColoradoMarine (Vancouver)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Regina 1889 pump vacuum* I took some pictures to go along with my post from earlier Photos... < > Photo 1 of 3 View Full Size

Post# 463026 , Reply# 7 5/8/2023 at 17:04 (578 days old) by Caligula (Wallingford, Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes 1 This seems to have been the standard design from the beginning of the two-person pumpers. The first was called 'The Hercules' and was invented by a father and son known as 'Peck.' They were from Rochester, New York. The year was 1872, and prior to this were a few uprights. The very first for home use was the 'Whirlwind' it was invented by Ives W. Mc'Gaffy of Chicago, Illinois and patented on June 8, 1869. This was a straight suction machine and operated with a hand crank at the top of the handle. By all accounts it was a dismal failure, but it got the ball rolling. Once the Hercules hit the market, however, things began to improve.

Post# 463035 , Reply# 8 5/8/2023 at 20:42 (578 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes *Nice* The year was 1872 typing like that its almost like you were there.

Post# 463039 , Reply# 9 5/8/2023 at 21:24 (578 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)
Checkrate/Likes lol, he's just narrating the story. Rob Taber, thanks for posting that information. Not many people know about these anymore as it's so old. Most museums do not even, they just have a short little description and not much else.

Post# 463045 , Reply# 10 5/9/2023 at 08:11 (577 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *ColoradoMarine* Your Regina would have been a popular vac around 1910 and they are still found today.You have to remember that much of America on the farms had no electricity until after WWII.It would have had a cloth bag to catch dust and dirt,hose,long wand with curve at top and small rug nozzle and would have been an improvement over moving furniture and hanging rugs on clothes line to beat them.