History enthusiasts could clean up their very own piece of the past when a collection of historic vacuum cleaners go under the hammer at a Birmingham auction.

Vacuums from the early 1900s are among the unusual lots set to be sold at Biddle & Webb in Ladywood at 10.30am on Friday.

About 50 vacuums are in the collection - including two made in 1925 that are disguised as walnut coffee tables and were popular in households that were short on storage space or keen to hide clutter.

Jeremy Thornton, Biddle & Webb’s managing director, said: “All of the vacuums are being sold by one client who has spent the past 20 or 30 years building up his collection but now feels it’s time they go to a new home so they can be enjoyed by someone else.

“We’re really hoping there’s another collector or even a museum out there that would be interested in buying the whole collection and giving them the love and appreciation they deserve.”

He said the maximum he expects to raise for each vacuum is £100, with the whole collection estimated to be worth between £1,500 and £2,000.