Wanted   Do you have a passion for antiques and collectibles - and writing?   The Wayback Times invites you to submit freelance articles for use in print and on our new web site.   E-mail your text submissions to The Wayback Times.   Articles published in The Wayback Times since 1995 have covered a wide range of interests, from Golliwoggs to toy VW collecting, and from collecting insulators to hunting old books.   Most authors of our online selection of articles have included their e-mail addresses and they are always delighted to hear from other collectors.

Ad Rates / Articles / Classified Ads / Editorial / Home / Links / Showtime   Vintage carpet beaters in demand    List Tom Iannelli Next   Vintage carpet beaters clean up in market sales   By Tom Iannelli As society entered the 20th century a new age of wonder began. Electricity began to reach the cities of North America and the modern age truly began.   Women toiled to cook and clean with primitive instruments but a new age of "ease" was slowly dawning. As wall-to-wall broadloom was, as yet, unheard of, houses had to be swept, and area-rugs cleaned, regularly.   The invention of the modern vacuum has its origins, arguably, somewhere in the 1870s. In the first decade of the 1900's several different companies would claim to have invented and/or perfected the modern electrical vacuum.   Despite the invention, it would be slow to gain in popularity, and even slower to become a common household item due to the looming depression. During this same period of time the mechanical "carpet sweeper" was also invented, and gained quickly in popularity.   Pre-dating both these wonders of the modern age was the modest wire "carpet beater." Most homes in North America were constructed with either wooden slat or plank flooring, and area rugs were used to add warmth and depth to rooms. Most could occasionally be taken outside and thrashed manually to remove the inevitable accumulation of dirt. Wicker carpet beaters have existed in some form for thousands of years, and are still mass produced around the world, to be used for their original purpose.   But in North America, the wire carpet beater was born.   Most carpet beaters were simple affairs of loops, sometimes intertwined, sometimes coiled. They came with and without wooden handles, and in their simplest form would be awkward and hard to wield effectively. Hence, as the carpet beater developed, a more ergonomic raised handle developed which would allow the user to stand at an angle to the carpet being cleaned, and would allow a more effective grip on the beater itself. These carpet beaters were cheap and readily affordable. In the 1901 Timothy Eaton catalogue, they sold for 10 cents.   I have read that carpet beaters were never produced in a heart shape and that any such instrument should be viewed with suspicion.   Research contradicts this notion, as "heart shaped" carpet beaters were sold in the Sears Roebuck catalogue as late as 1903, selling for 45 cents.   The widespread use of carpet sweepers in the first decade of the 20th century saw the demise of the humble carpet beater though, and by 1908 carpet beaters had disappeared from the sales catalogues altogether.   A variant of the carpet beater was the smaller "pillow fluffer" used, as expected, to fluff pillows stuffed with feathers. They were often used as toys by the children of the house, and are often marketed today as such.   Despite the widespread popularity of carpet sweepers and vacuum cleaners, the "Batwing Beater" was patented in 1927 and was widely produced and sold, perhaps due to the crippling depression which had settled upon the world at that time.   Carpet beaters are still a popular collectible, often being used by amateur and professional decorators due to their sometimes complex and intricate styling.   Twenty years ago, pre-eBay, they sold regularly for $20-$40 at most antique shows in Canada, depending upon the style. Now with the widespread reach of eBay, all but the rarest style can be purchased for just a few dollars. Not surprising as they must have been manufactured by the millions during the 1800s.   Are there fakes on the market? Absolutely. Contrived animal shapes and scenes are fairly obvious, but other fakes abound. While most carpet beaters are made from wire approximately 3mm thick, it is not a hard and fast rule. Modern coat hangers are manufactured from wire 2mm or thinner, but so are some legitimate carpet beaters.   The best guide is your inner voice . . . if it simply looks wrong, it probably is.     Return to top of page   This Is Livin' Publishing © 2011 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster