Thursday, August 12, 2010

Treasure Chest Thursday, Purchasing a Kirby

Found in the papers of Man's mother, remember, I told you she saved everything??  This is one piece of paper I am sooooo glad she did save.  I see several fun and interesting pieces of genie data here:  their telephone number (AT 4599), addresses and former address (we knew these), employed by Dearborn Coach Co (driving bus - which we also knew), but there is his Badge number, number 39.  How fun is that??  A prior employer is shown, Gulf Ref. Co. (don't remember knowing this) and the make of his car, a 1938 Hupp.  They paid $122.00 for a NEW 1948 Kirby 508 with attachments.  Even the serial number is here for the machine.

(When I googled 1948 Kirby 508, I found that this fun page that lists Model 508 - 1948 and tells us:
     "The color scheme was completely redone. Improved motor-driven floor polisher with radiating rows of tufted bristles instead of long, coiled Fuller brush strip."
Note:  A quick review of this page in April 2019, I did not see the same information, it may be therek but, buried, or it may be gone to the internet heavens in the sky.)

Millie used this machine until just recently.  It still works.  It was heavier than an elephant, I swear, one could get a hernia pushing this thing around, but, it works, sweeping and sweeping.



Many years after Art and Millie purchased their Kirby, Man and I also purchased one, ca 1973, I still use it today, and just like Millie's it is still a great vacuum, heavy, but not as heavy as hers was!  LOL

One small piece of paper, data on 2 sides, lots of memories, lots of old and new discoveries, Man and I had a lot of fun reviewing this one, fact by fact.  A single piece of paper, but a treasure chest full.



*A note of interest, Art sold Kirby vacuums for a while.

** Ohhh, and that phone number, AT 4599.  I might have to do some more research, the last 4 numbers are the same as the phone number they had at their home in Allen Park since 1952, sadly, in about 90 days, it will be added to the que to be reassigned.  I wonder if they had it transferred from Lincoln Park to Allen Park when they moved??  If so, that number was in the family for 62 years, give or take.

Copyright 2010, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

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5 comments:

Karen K said...

Have two Kirby's myself, one upstairs, one down... too heavy to lug up & down... great machines they are! Sounds like lots of memories in all those papers she saved... a good thing!

Barbara Poole said...

Carol, Isn't her age on the form as well? Boy, I'm glad times have changed in that aspect! Good piece.

Carol said...

Barbara, that is his age, he is the applicant. Also fun to note, at bottom are shown 2 prior creditors.

Karen, mine is upstairs, but I have been known to tote it downstairs and even out to Tana for a really really good sweep!

Greta Koehl said...

We have a Kirby, too! I have since switched mostly over to a Miele, but I wouldn't trade my Kirby in for credit toward purchasing the Miele.

Linda Hughes Hiser said...

I am always surprised where to find good info....nice.