My earliest memory of a vacuum takes me back to when I was just 4 years old.

I vividly remember my mom vacuuming the rug in our living room, and the sound it made was like music to my ears. ( it was a bright red Electrolux Z65 ,pictured here) The same goes for her cake mixer when she would whip up her famous orange cake for our Friday night meal. I would beg her to vacuum the rug and sofa every day, just so I could hear that satisfying “vrrrrr” sound.

As I grew up and moved to LA, I started working odd jobs as a teenager. It was during this time that my best friend Alon K. (may he rest in peace) and I came across an advertisement in the local newspaper. The ad was promoting door-to-door sales of a vacuum called the Kirby G4. We decided to give it a shot and began knocking on people’s doors . In the beginning, we only sold one or two a month, just enough to cover our rent. But the more we did it, the better we became.

Along the way, we started accepting trade-ins as a form of discount for the newer models. It was during this time that I developed a deep appreciation for the older Kirbys. I was in awe of the craftsmanship that went into the vacuums from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. This sparked my curiosity, and I began digging for more information about these vintage models. Unfortunately, information was scarce, with only one website belonging to the briliant Mr. Charles Lester  providing detailed information about the 500 series. This inspired me to conduct my own research on the earlier models.

My collection of vacuums grew and grew, reaching around 60 in total. However, I eventually decided to take a break from collecting to focus on my career and building a family. What was initially intended as a two-year hiatus turned into a 20-year absence. But now, I’m back and unboxing my beautiful collection, featuring vacuums from the early 1920s trough the mid 1960s, along with manuals, paper clips, and other collectibles. I’m excited to share all of this on my website for everyone to see. Please understand that this is a work in progress, and as more details come to my attention in the future, I will update the information here.

I want to dedicate this site to my best friend Alon K., who sadly passed away in 2002. I would also like to express my gratitude to my husband Aaron and my kids Ethan and Rachel for their unwavering support and patience as I put all of this information together.”

Sincerely yours,

David