Images(9)

Cleaner, Vacuum

Object number2021.47.1 a,b

Manufacturer Hutchinson Manufacturing Company

Datec. 1910

OriginWilkinsburg, PA

MediumMetal; Paint; Leather/Animal hide; Wood

Credit LineTransfer from McLean County Museum of History, Gift of Elmer Augsburger

DescriptionManual hand-operated vacuum cleaner consisting of top section and bottom section. The two sections connect at center with one bolt latch on each side. Top section of manual vacuum. Long U-shaped metal handle. Mounted on handle is expandable leather/animal hide compartment with red painted wooden disk at top and bottom and three internal rings. Expandable compartment is connected to handle with silver-tone metal bracket mounts; the top mount includes a handle for vacuum operation; the bottom mounts have metal bolts and wingnuts for connecting to vacuum’s bottom section. Top of compartment has two wood/fiberboard flaps covering holes. Bottom of this section has a gray fabric filter element. Top of upper wooden disk has engraved maker text. Bottom section of manual vacuum. Red painted metal canister is cylindrical at top and conical at bottom and connects to chrome metal vacuum head at base. Head has one rolling component at each end. Top of canister has one u-shaped bracket on each side for connecting to top section of vacuum. Front of canister has gold painted rectangle with gold and black painted maker text.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (a,b together): 50.5 × 10.375 × 7.5 in. (128.3 × 26.4 × 19.1 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (a): 35.625 × 10.375 × 7.5 in. (90.5 × 26.4 × 19.1 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (b): 23 × 8.25 × 6.125 in. (58.4 × 21 × 15.6 cm)
InscriptionsTop of canister body at back center has old museum collection number painted in black on white ground “843-1009”.
Marks(a)
Top of upper wooden disk has engraved maker text that is largely illegible but includes “… / MACHINE…”

(b)
Front of canister has gold and black painted text “SUCCESS / HAND VACUUM CLEANER / HUTCHINSON MFG. CO. / WILKINSBURG, PA.”
Historical NotesThis vacuum cleaner was made by the Hutchinson Manufacturing Company in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. It was donated to the McClean County Museum of History in 1954 by Elmer Augsburger of Flanagan, Illinois. He received it from his aunt Fanny Egli. Deaccessioned by the McLean County Museum of History and transferred to the Heinz History Center in 2021.

Previous owner Elmer Augsburger

Previous owner Fanny Egli

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