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Brushes With Adequacy: 1925

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "OK Brush Co., exterior." When constrained cleaning budgets preclude the purchase of the best in bristles, consider settling for an OK Vacuum Brush. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "OK Brush Co., exterior." When constrained cleaning budgets preclude the purchase of the best in bristles, consider settling for an OK Vacuum Brush. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

 

On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5

Faulty brands

OK Brush outlasted the So So Sewing Machine Company by only a few weeks.

Address

Was there a street address for this with the photo? Just curious. Looks like Penn Quarter area.

[Good question. Where are we? - Dave]

They were beaten out of business, right?

By the Outstanding Vacuum Brush Co.

Proto Dustbuster

Commercial America, Vol. 18, 1921

Handy Vacuum Brush

Wherever electric current is available, the vacuum cleaner has proved itself to be a most sanitary and practical way of cleaning rugs and carpets. The problem of cleaning upholstered furniture, pillows, mattresses, draperies, etc., also presents itself, however, and the use of the older hand brushes seems laborious when compared to the efficacy of the modern floor cleaner.

The O. K. Vacuum Brush has been designed for this sundry work by the O. K. Machine Co., Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana, to supplement the work of the vacuum cleaner and to lighten the task of keeping dust from accumulating. The machine is a complete unit built especially for small cleaning, having a motor-driven brush which picks up lint, and at the same time has ample air suction to remove dirt and grit imbedded in the surface of the fabric.

A desirable feature of the brush is the self cleaning dust bag in the handle. All that is necessary to clean the bag is to remove the cap on the rear of the handle and turn on the motor, which blows out all the dirt. The clumsy, dirty dust bag, hanging in the way and dragging over the cleaned surface, is eliminated in this way. The motor is turned off and on by a thumb controlled switch on the motor case.

The device is especially useful in cleaning automobile upholstery. For this purpose and for places where there is likely to be an over amount of dirt an auxiliary dust bag is furnished which attaches to the rear end of the handle, and by a loop over the arm. The operator is thus enabled to clean for a considerable length of time without emptying the bag, which is kept out of the way, requiring the use of only one hand to operate the machine. The O. K. Vacuum Brush has a 110-voIt universal motor wound on precision ball bearings.

Am I seeing stars?

On the ledge just below the arched window, on either side there is something with a star coming out of the top. Maybe a decorative vent of some kind. Always intrigued with these photos. Thanks and keep them coming!

Re: Assignment for Dave

Sorry for taking up too much space here, but I don't know what "Ima" means.
As far as the camera goes, my guess is an Agfa ( thanks Binghamton, NY)
with an attached Schneider Xenar f4.5, 24 c.m lens. Why, because I have one
and want to be a wise-guy.

All in the Family

OK brushes. Inferior to Fuller Brushes.

Assignment for Dave

Name that camera.

["Ima." - Dave]

Brush of a Thousand Uses

1. Sweep the kitchen floor.
2. Sweep the parlor floor.
3. Sweep the hall.
4. Sweep the stairs.
5. Sweep the bedrooms.

We're still working on 6-1,000.

Self-portrait

This is one of the only photos I can remember on Shorpy where the photographer is visible. When I was shooting architecture for clients, this would be a strict "no-no." But I love the fact that we get to see a little bit of the craft behind the shot.

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