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Posted 5 months ago
corlando
(3 items)
I found this one for sale in New Hampshire. It is a Singer 1893 Treadle. Serial number 11889562. The Treadle is complete with the orginal puzzle box, cabinet, and coffin cover, is prestine condition and has not been refinished. I am going to have to do some restoring on the machine, but it functions when using the treadle. Can anyone tell me if it is a 127, or 27? The serial number tells me it is a 1893, the only missing item is the manual which I hope someone can help me locate.
Posted some new pics, after I gave the cabinet a wash down and waxed it.
Thanks
Singer Sewing MachinesWhen it comes to Singer, even avid sewing-machine collectors tend not to mi…
It is a 27, the 127 has automatic tension (releases when the presser foot is raised) and doesn't have the little spoon shaped tab on the tension dial. http://www.singerco.com/accessories/instruction-manuals
The free download manual for the 27/28 is the one to get. It will have everything you need to know for the machine.
Thank you Bernadette, I was given a red eye today. I posted that one also as I need help to determine if it is a 66 :)
when I got the cabinet I noticed that the coffin cover brass fittings (fittings in on the cabinet) that the coffin cover latches into are missing. Does anyone know where I can acquire replacements? Post picture of fittings
I can see the front latch on the table, in the current photos. There should be two similar behind the machine. In the lid, the front latch locks down, the two at the back just slip into place. I can see the lock hole in the front of your cover.
The ones in the back are the ones that are missing. The lid has all fittings, but the cabinet is missing the back latches. Any ideas on where I could possibly find replacements :)
there are a few online stores and ebay sellers that part out old machines and cabinets - the other option is find one of the same table which isn't in good condition and take them off. there are also collector networks online where you could ask if anyone has some they're willing to part with. :)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Singer-Treadle-Sewing-Machine-Coffin-Style-Table-Top-/290827308090?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b6a88c3a
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Singer-15-27-VS2-Treadle-Sewing-Machine-Cabinet-Extension-Leaf-Table-Top-/370679641056?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564e3a73e0
Depends how much you are willing to pay :) seller might remove just the fittings for you to save on postage.
lovely machine -- good luck with the restoration -- be careful around those decals because i believe -- unlike the singer featherweights and red eyes -- you can't buy them or at this time no one is printing as the demand is low and the cost for design work is high
another good website on antique sewing machines is the ISMACS -- Internal Sewing Machine Collectors Society
http://www.ismacs.net/home.html
Thanks for the links :) the cabinet only needed some Murphy's oil soap, and some waxing. I cleaned the brass handles and they are now all shiny and pretty. I did some cleaning on the machine, she is all oiled and runs smooth. The base of the machine has some wear but she is 119 years old. I hope to look that good at that age. I will look on ebay for the fittings, thanks Bernadette for the links. Epson, I used the info that I found there on the last machine, it is a good site for infoon these old machines. I posted new pics.
oh wow corlando!!!!!!!!!!! -- super super super job -- great patina on that cabinet -- she's a real beauty -- she is lucky to have you as the owner -- makes me want to go out and find one for myself -- but with 3 elnas and 3 featherweights that is plenty for this gal to take care of and love -- will just come to this site and ogoogle over yours -- what did you use for the brass cleaner if you would not mind sharing
I used tarn x and automobile metal polish, I let the handles soak in the tarn x for about 10 mins. The I used a plastic soft brush to get into the grooves of the design. After they were all clean I put the metal polish on, the polish will help to protect them. The difference after cleaning them was amazing. I'm glad that the person who had this beauty treated her with love as all she needed was a gentle cleaning.
it looks lovely :)
I found the missing parts, someone on eBay had them. 15.00 and her cabinet will be in mint condition. I called Singer to see if they could help me locate them. They stated that the serial number is dates the machine to 1893 as I knew, but they said it is a VS2 not a 27. Now to find an original manual of for the machine and puzzle box. I located one for my Singer 66 Red Eye...lol...so I guess the hunt continues.
Hi Christine,
Fantastic news about the parts.
You're getting a bit caught up or confused with the VS2/27 thing. It's like saying a car is a 4 cylinder 2 litre, or it's a Mitsubishi Lancer, they're two different descriptions of the same thing. :) Please understand that the people at the Singer helpline know very little about antique and vintage machines, beyond looking up a number in a database, that is all they're going by. Your machine model IS a 27 even though for a while Singer designated them the 'Vibrating Shuttle 2'. The VS2 is the 27, the VS3 is the 28 or 3/4 size machine, and the VS1 is slightly different an earlier version with narrower slide plates and the takeup lever in a low position. The 27-1, the first VS2, had the fiddle bed, yours is a 27-2 with the rectangular bed. The 27-3 is the same as a 27-2, but with a round rear inspection plate, not the kidney shaped one yours has.
Puzzle boxes - these were made for 3 different models of Singer: the VS, the IF and the 24, and in VS and IF there are several types, not all sellers on eBay know which one they've got. :) The main way to tell is the VS type has the 'ladder frame' for long bobbins, and the one made for IF machines has the 'hairpin prong' for round bobbins.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Singer-27-2-Attachment-Instruction-Book-/220920219777
This is an Australian seller with a good reputation :) Note the cabinet options on the leaflet that comes with this set.
The free 27/28 manual on Singer website (link up above in my first post) although not original, has more comprehensive information than this manual will contain, for general maintenance, threading etc.
I agree and was a little surprised when she said it was not a 27 and it was a VS2. However I was searching the web looking for a manual to purchase and I did find a VS2 from 1893 with the rectangle base. http://www.clawges.com/sewing/VS2_Manual/index.html
So, there was a VS2 with that base in 1893, weird huh? Thanks for the links I will check them out :) Also the same treadle pic as the link you sent, with no Singer on the cross bars in the center of the treadle.
But it IS a VS2 - the point is, it's also a 27-2. It's both, except you're trying to determine if it's one or the other - they're 2 different names for the same thing. One describes the machine by it's action, the other by it's factory model number :) On some websites, they differentiate the VS2 and the 27 by saying that the VS2 is the fiddle base, but this is incorrect - the rectangular base 27 is also a VS2. The 27-1 is the fiddlebase, the 27-2 is the rectangular base. Singer discontinued the term VS2 and VS3 in favour of just using model 27 and 28, but they're still the same thing.
No, I knew it was a 27 was just weird that Singer said it was not. But, what I am trying to do is find a replica of that 1893 manual that I sent you the link of :) but there is an original one for sale on eBay for the 27 that is from this era.
I see :) the people at Singer don't really know anything about the old machines, they are just reading their database which says the machine is a VS2, they shouldn't really tell people things like that :)
That 1893 manual on Charles Law's site might be on the Smithsonian website.
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/
Go into 'Explore the Collection', search by model, put in your search for Singer VS2 and tick the box that says 'only entries with images' and see how you go.
The manual isn't there :( but there are a couple of other early ones, for 27 and for the puzzle box attachments. :) it's a great resource! Have fun.