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Thread Number: 45977
/ Tag: Pre-1950 Vacuum Cleaners
Is it worth it? |
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| Post# 474507 12/9/2024 at 09:12 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
There is a very nice all original Kirby 505 up for sale on eBay. It looks to have everything but the bag clip rubber cover. At 1,200.00 is it worth it? I have seen them go for more. What say you?
CLICK HERE TO GO TO vacmadman's LINK on eBay | ||
| Post# 474508 , Reply# 1 12/9/2024 at 09:51 by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH) | ||
 | ||
| Post# 474512 , Reply# 2 12/9/2024 at 11:33 by kwalsh97214 (Portland) | ||
Apparently this machine isn't worth it.
The ebay listing has been active for several days, 17 people are watching it, the listing has had several hundred views.
Still not even an offer (say $1,000) acceptable to the seller? A nicer one, a cheaper one, a more complete one may be around the corner in a week, a month, or a year. Then again, maybe not -- and a buyer could have purchased this current one and enjoyed adding it to his/her collection. When I saw the listing and read the Facebook group's comments, I paused and was tempted to buy it -- but my current focus is on a different Kirby model. | ||
| Post# 474529 , Reply# 3 12/10/2024 at 12:25 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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What someone is willing to pay
It's possible this was bad timing putting it up for sale before Christmas. It's not to often a 505 comes up for sale, and more times then not they are far from being original. Even with the faded bag with just a little elbow grease this would be a great addition to any collection.
I wonder today what would a complete Kirby 505 with a NOS bag go for? I guess it would go back to the old adage "it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay". This could also just be a sign of the times, with the cost of everything going up in the last few years, people aren't willing to spurge on something like this. If this is something you have always wanted in your collection there is another old adage that comes to mind. "Get while the getting is good". | ||
| Post# 474569 , Reply# 4 12/13/2024 at 20:21 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
Umm | ||
Post# 474640 , Reply# 5 12/17/2024 at 16:50 by odavid123  (Los Angeles ca ) |
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I’m surprised it’s lasted on eBay for so long  | ||
| Post# 474654 , Reply# 6 12/18/2024 at 09:49 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Yep | ||
| Post# 474679 , Reply# 7 12/19/2024 at 06:04 by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
 I believe that no vacuum should cost as much as a used car. New or antique. Didn't someone on here say before that the old school collectors had a code not to sell vacuums for so much money, or to just gift them forward and not let them become a commodity? Something like that, am I remembering right? Kirby is a widely respected and collected brand by people of modern arts and appliances not just vacuum collectors, so there is a bit of wiggle room for competition. Keep in mind that any vacuums made before or around WW2 likely never survived the WW2 scrap drives and have been pretty much extinct after the last survivors in dusty old barns got pitched into the landfill with no regards to value or preservation. At the end of the day it's still just an old vacuum. I personally wouldn't do over $500. People will put down $300-$400 for a Bison so compare as you will. | ||
| Post# 474690 , Reply# 8 12/19/2024 at 15:34 by OldCrankman (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) | ||
Not a chance | ||
| Post# 474753 , Reply# 9 12/21/2024 at 09:36 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Not quite the same
Comparing a non-original 510 to an all original 505 is not a fair comparison. The 505 is one of the most sought after Kirby models and worth much more then a 510. Unless the seller doesn't know what they have you might get lucky, and get one cheap. If your 510 had been original and the seller knew what they had you would have payed much more.
Jim
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| Post# 474754 , Reply# 10 12/21/2024 at 10:06 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Comparison
Pictured on the right is the NOS 505 bag that I got for $150.00 next to one of Michael Balda's reproduction 505 bag's, At the time I saw this online, I'm guessing the seller saw one of Mikes bags which were still being sold at the time for $150.00. So I think the seller thought that was what his bag was worth not Knowing his was the real deal and worth much, much more. That was my lucky day because I knew what I was looking at.
Jim
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| Post# 474756 , Reply# 11 12/21/2024 at 10:33 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Dang | ||
| Post# 474757 , Reply# 12 12/21/2024 at 11:18 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Les
I agree with you, The 505 was one Kirby model I couldn't wait to find and add it to my collection. When I saw the 505 NOS bag and realized it was the real thing, I literally started shaking and couldn't push the buy it now button fast enough. Once the realization sunk in that I just got a very rare 505 NOS bag I jumped up and started dancing and yelling I got it!! I got it!! My wife thought I had lost my mind.
Side note: I just looked and the seller took my advice and reposted his 505 with a starting bid of $800.00, and a buy it now for $1,120.00. Also as you and I have talked about before, the fact that this Kirby was not pieced together and has all it's own original parts also set it apart from others. Jim This post was last edited 12/21/2024 at 11:52 | ||
| Post# 474762 , Reply# 13 12/21/2024 at 15:58 by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
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@ vacmadman | ||
| Post# 474772 , Reply# 14 12/22/2024 at 10:21 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Kirby 510 and 505
Pictured is a Kirby 510 that I sold some time back. It sold for $449.44 Also a Kirby 505 that I sold for $350.00 what do you think?
Jim This post was last edited 12/22/2024 at 10:39 | ||
| Post# 474774 , Reply# 15 12/22/2024 at 12:15 by kwalsh97214 (Portland) | ||
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I think they are beautiful.
Thanks for posting these photos.
Did the Kirby 505 that you previously sold for $350 have any shortcomings? Earlier in this thread you mentioned your lucky ebay purchase in the past of an original 505 bag for $150. Do you think the original 505 bag that sold a month or so ago on ebay for $450 was a good price for these times? | ||
| Post# 474775 , Reply# 16 12/22/2024 at 13:44 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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I | ||
| Post# 474779 , Reply# 17 12/22/2024 at 17:09 by kwalsh97214 (Portland) | ||
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I do not want to dilute this thread. But... | ||
| Post# 474782 , Reply# 18 12/22/2024 at 18:29 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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505 and 510
They were both sold by auction. I was hoping the 505 would sell for more. It had no short coming's, but the handle grip, cord, and bag were not original. I was pleased with what I got for the 510. It did have a grey handle grip and Belden cord.
AS far as the 505 VS the Kirby 4C, the 4C was only made for one year, and the 505 was made for three years so it's not as rare as the 4C, not to mention the 4C did come first. The first year of the 505 was very close to the 4C, one notable difference is the 4C's aluminum emptor tray. pictured is my 4C with a Machel Balda bag. Jim | ||
| Post# 474783 , Reply# 19 12/22/2024 at 18:44 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Hey | ||
| Post# 474784 , Reply# 20 12/22/2024 at 20:29 by kwalsh97214 (Portland) | ||
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Thanks guys. | ||
| Post# 474787 , Reply# 21 12/23/2024 at 07:48 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Not sure
But I noticed the earlier C models cleaned up better then the later models, it seams to be easier to bring them to a nice clean shine. I think the aluminum castings were done differently on these C models. Maybe David can give us more detail on this.
I agree with you Les, an all original 4C would be just as valuable if not more so then a 505, again they are rarer then the 505. Thanks for your feed back my friend. I noticed the seller of the 505 put his up for auction for just one week. I think this was a mistake. Jim | ||
| Post# 474793 , Reply# 22 12/23/2024 at 16:46 by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN) | ||
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@ kwalsh97214 Definitely fully restored these sell for a lot of money. You can get junkers for a lot less. I've got 2 of the rarer Kirby models for less than $60 each. Just keep your eyes open, ask around, and you might find one when you least expect it! For me the best deals always happen when I don't have any money, lol | ||
| Post# 474813 , Reply# 23 12/25/2024 at 19:49 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Hmm | ||
| Post# 474816 , Reply# 24 12/26/2024 at 09:03 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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508
I was interested in the 508, but unfortunately the light cap trim has been replaced. If I add another 508 to my collection I want it to have the original light cap trim. I restored one a few years back, and gave it to my brother as one of my Kirby floor lights. It also didn't have the original light cap trim, but I did try and get it as close as possible.
Jim | ||
| Post# 474818 , Reply# 25 12/26/2024 at 09:26 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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Nice | ||
| Post# 475052 , Reply# 26 1/8/2025 at 08:48 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Another rare Kirby up for sale.
This is another rare Kirby up for sale. There are a number of issues with this one, refurbished by the factory replacing the ID tag. Handle, bag, wheels, cord, were all replaced. I wonder if this one will sell. The all original Kirby 505 has been reduced to $600.00 or best offer. And still has not sold. Has these old Kirby's lost their appeal to collectors or again is this just over priced, and or bad timing?
CLICK HERE TO GO TO vacmadman's LINK on eBay | ||
| Post# 475054 , Reply# 27 1/8/2025 at 10:16 by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH) | ||
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vacmadman
its not bad timing. the age bracket for what's "collectible" has drastically shifted in the last 10 years. the younger collectors don't care about vacuums before the 1980's now. when i got into this hobby 14 years ago, if you wanted something from the 1950's - 70s because of the baby boomers who remembered those machines growing up, you paid way more than they were worth to acquire from other collectors. Now, i can get pretty much any 50's-70s machine I want from estate sales and thrift stores with no competition, or from other collectors aging out of the hobby, for very cheap prices.
all original coffee can hoovers and pre DS50 Kirby's were the same way then. the people interested in those era of machines is shrinking, younger people like me who still love them are the exception, not the rule. most people in this hobby cant afford restored vacuums anyways, so that made an already niche market in a niche hobby even smaller as the era of vacuums most collectors are interested in shifted out of the early to mid 20th century to late 20th early 21st century era. i restore the vacuums myself because i love them, not because i sell them. but i still understand the sect of the market who only see rare vacuums as investments, not preserving history. | ||
| Post# 475055 , Reply# 28 1/8/2025 at 12:31 by vacmadman (Pueblo Co.) | ||
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Thanks | ||
| Post# 475058 , Reply# 29 1/8/2025 at 17:23 by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
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If
You look Chris sold his 1c in better shape for $500 and has his comvac for $599.
The 1cs aren't original. If chris put his 505 he got from Kent oyler for sale it would go for alot of money. The 505 just has the right design and classic look that appeals to almost everyone. You might see more 70-80s models sell but if you collect kirbys 505 is what everyone wants. | ||
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