Historical information

The history of Hoover dates back to the early 1900s and directly to Mr. James M. Spangler, an American janitor who invented the first vacuum cleaner to assist in dealing with his asthma. Originally founded in Ohio in 1908, Hoover Limited became a registered company in the United Kingdom in 1919. The first factory, in Perivale, Middlesex, England, opened in 1932. Hoover became the undisputed leader in the floor-cleaning market, so much so that in USA vacuuming became referred to as “hoovering”.

This model was widely advertised in Australia from 1952 to 1958. Advertisements referred to it as “The Wonderful Hoover Floor Polisher”. It came complete with Scrubbers, Felt Pads, Lambswool Pads and Built - in Head Light and in 1952 sold for £32/8/-, or could be purchased with a deposit of £8 and weekly payments of 15/-. They claimed that the Hoover Polisher would take the drudgery out a woman’s work and appealed to men by saying the lambswool pads could be used to perfectly polish the headlights and duco of cars.

Significance

This item is represented of domestic appliances used throughout Australia in the 1950s and 1960s

Physical description

An upright Hoover electric polisher made from die-cast aluminium with Bakelite outer casing and electrical components.

Inscriptions & markings

On plate attached to back:
THE HOOVER ELECTRIC POLISHER MODEL 0212A./TRADE MARK D.C. OR A.C. 0-60) CYCLES VOLTS / 300 WATTS RATING SERIAL NOPF 533695 PROTECTED BY PATENTS, REGISTERED DESIGNS AND TRADE MARKS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD MADE BY HOOVER LTD. GREAT BRITAIN