Some Family Electrolux History Elucidated

My aunt (my father's sister) was visiting today, and I finally seized the opportunity to ask her to confirm what the household vacuum was when she was a child. In my post on the ZB55, I mentioned that my paternal grandparents had one in their basement when I was a kid, and, after I began collecting vacuums, I recalled my memories of it, and hazarded a guess that it was the old household vacuum.

Well, it turns out I was slightly off. I showed the 55 to my aunt today, and she said their old vacuum was like it, but brown. Could it have been the Z57? Indeed it was. When I showed her the 57, she recognized it right away.

Could I have been mistaken in my memories? I don't think I am. I definitely recall that distinctive black and silver 55 with the black 'Cord-o-matic' cord winder. My aunt opined that the 55 could have been a 'shop vac' used by my grandfather, who had a workshop in the basement (he had been a shoemaker).

So, the household vacuum was the 57. My father would have been 10 or so at the time (he was the oldest), and my aunt would have just been born, so I'm glad that this great childhood memory has been confirmed. Incidentally, the same grandparents had a Super J with the gold hose and power nozzle (quite possibly the gaudiest vacuum Electrolux ever made!) which I always busted out when I was visiting.

After all this, of course I busted out the 57 for a little cleaning!