Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Vacuums bearing the name Rubbermaid?

Allstar Javelin vacuums? (found bags for some, but no pictures of the vacs themselves)

Does anyone remember the Bissell 2-fan lightweight upright? It is still around under the powerflite and the Tornando names (both part of Tacony now)

How  many different names Eureka vacuums were produced under? (I'm showing my age here, Carmine!) I can recall Bradford (for W.T. Grant) Mary Dunbar (for Jewel Tea Co) Wizard (for Western Auto) Signature (for Montgomery ward) Penncrest (for JC Penny) Kent commercial, Power Flite, Perfect, Titan, Compact (unrelated to Interstate Industries), Wetrock,(commercial brand) I am sure I missed a few. Anyone care to fill in the missing links?

HARDSELL wrote:

Me, fib?  Never, at least I don't remember.  And perhaps, your memory is not soooo good!

BTW, I remember the Cadillac tanks.  Sold them used for $14.95 in the 50's with a one year guaranty.  Even came with other name brands like Admiral.  And I recall you posting about it here before!  Good tank.  All metal.  Chrome ends.  Coppertone tan body with the name plates on both sides and red trim lines.  Two speed motor.  On steel runners.  Not very popular but good straight suction tank.

Carmine D.

Yes, Carmine, I remember Cadillac vacuums. A tank, a odd tall cylinder /canister on casters with an attachment crown, rather like an elongated Filter Queen, and an upright. These were manufactured by Landers,Frary, and Clark, the same folk who made Universal vacuums. I also remember Kingston vacuums, a tank with the suction port at a 45' angle, a canister identical to the Royal and the Saniway, and an upright. They were sold door-to-door.  And there was the Columbia, which was sold in WT GRANT as "Grant Maid" It looked like a cheap version of the Royal canister with the cheaper version of Kenmore attachments. Speaking of Kenmore, does anyone remember the breadbox canisters by Kenmore? They looked like a square breadbox, and could be purchased with one of three different attachment sets, with the option of a power nozzle. Also, an odd looking little vac called the Stradivario-hose mounted of/off switch, looked like a large model airplane, minus the wings, pointed up at about a 45' angle. And, I just saw online Sanitaire uprights with the ORECK name on them! Does anyone remember the Anser ? It looked like an old Hoover 27/28 but very attractive in red/black/chrome. Did they make any other models? And did Lewyt eve make any uprights or were they strictly canister folk?

Trebor wrote:
I believe Allstar Javelin vacuums are a rebadged Sebo/Windsor like upright vac. 

CarmineD wrote:

I thought you couldn't remember and then I read this.

My mothers was a light shade of lime green and lots of chrome. I do rember a big chrome name plate.

Trebor wrote:

Hi Trebor:

The Kingston tank, as I recall, was blue and not on runners.  It was on a platform base that the user pulled along.  All metal.  Sturdy.  Built like a bomb.  The Kingston cann was slightly more delicate and petite than the tank.  Mounted on caster wheels with attachment holders on the top of each wheel caster.  I remember the square Sears Kenmore canns with and w/o the P/N heads.  Decent vacuums.  To my knowledge, Lewyt never had an upright.  Just canns.  But Lewyt bought out Shetland/other way around and sold Shetland-Lewyt brooms for several years. 

Carmine D.

Speaking of innovation . . .






Venson

Hello Venson:

Nice picture, thanks for posting.  A more modern [for the day] version of the Sears Roebuck and Co.  Ken-Kart Vacuum, I believe it was called.  Fashioned as a tank on a support to resemble the rockets being launched into space at the time: circa late 40's and 50's.  I believe the official model number was 116.732.  In burgundy/brown models.  It used a canvass attachment holder in the back vice the shelves on this Ken-Maid model.  And of course was a tank vice a cann like this model. 

In over 40 years of business, I saw many of the Ken-Kart cleaners, but none of the later Ken-Maid versions, save the cann separated from the rest.  Nice array of tools.  Back in the day when tools for vacuums came complete to handle any chore that may arise in the home.  Still a status symbol to own and use a vacuum but the image was declining fast. 

Carmine D.