Posted 6 years ago
daisee1203
(1 item)
We just inherited this lovely antique Singer sewing machine in a cabinet. Both machine and cabinet need some restoration but otherwise, in good condition. Treadle moves freely from what I’ve been able to test.
I have tried looking for model # info and find conflicting info - I’m specifically looking for the year and model - we have zero history other than it came from a yard sale. I plan on cleaning it up and learning how to use it. From my very amateur research, I believe the “B” means it was made in Bridgeport, CT? Any insight would be appreciated! I would especially love to know the time period.
Thank you so much for all the wonderful info. I am psyched to know it was from the early 1900’s. I am excited to learn more about my historical piece. Thank you for the time you took to help me.
Hi Daisee1203. My research shows this is a Model 31 made in 1904. There were 1,000 of them made. You can find the information at the following link;
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-b-series-serial-numbers.html
Best wishes and happy sewing ~ Bonnie
As long as I'm at it, I might as well start correcting the vintage sewing machine posts that have been left with either incorrect or incomplete information.
At a glance, this is a vintage Singer sewing machine with the famous Lotus decal set applied to it.
The Lotus decal set was only ever applied to model 66 machines. Most of the Lotus model 66 machines were made in Singer's Kilbowie plant (Scotland), but a few were made at Singer's biggest U.S. plant in Elizabethport, NJ. This appears to be one of the latter.
Serial number B1317009 was one of a block of 20,000 consecutive serial numbers ([B]1299001 through [B]1319000) that was allotted by Singer's central office to the Elizabethport factory September 1 1905 and all were destined to be stamped into the beds of model 66 machines, probably some time before November 21 1905:
*snip*
B- 1299001 1319000 66 20000 September 1 1905
B- 1469001 1479000 66 10000 November 21 1905
*snip*
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-b-series-serial-numbers.html
*snip*
ELIZABETHPORT
Letter B Series 1904 1905
*snip*
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer_dating_by_serial_number.html
About the model 66:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/66
The famous Lotus decal set:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal09
The cabinet is either Cabinet Table No. 5 or No. 6 (the only difference between those two is the decoration on the center drawer and the center drawer on this one is missing):
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/5-6_cab.html
About Singer's South Bend, Indiana cabinet-making factory:
https://orangebeanindiana.com/2019/06/12/south-bends-singer-sewing-machine-company/
Here is a 1913 manual for a Singer model 66-1 (the only real difference between the sewing machine head in the manual and the one in this post is that the former has a back-clamping presser foot):
https://archive.org/details/Singer661Manual
About the Elizabethport factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/elizabethport
https://www.ericwilliamsblog.com/left-behind-in-elizabeth-the-singer-manufacturing-company-part-1/
https://www.ericwilliamsblog.com/left-behind-in-elizabeth-the-singer-manufacturing-company-part-2/
My (sporadically updated) collecton of vintage sewing machine links:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-help-for-vintage-sewing-machines
I have a B761146 Series I finally inherited after several homes.
I believe it is an Elizabethport machine 1904-1905 in a 7 drawer cabinet.
However, its Serial number alludes me in any list nor can I find a model number.
I have a B761146 Series I finally inherited after several homes.
I believe it is an Elizabethport machine 1904-1905 in a 7 drawer cabinet.
However, its Serial number alludes me in any list nor can I find a model number.
Hi, BonnieDoon42. :-)
Serial number B761146 is covered in the "B" serial number table linked here in the comments.
If you couldn't find it, it's possible that you were thinking "B761146" would be explicitly written in there (it isn't).
Singer's serial number tables express information in terms of blocks of serial numbers, and unless the serial number you're looking for is either the leading or trailing number of a block, you won't see it.
CAVEAT: please understand that because you haven't created a post of your own with pictures of your Singer sewing machine and its cabinet, I'm operating on blind faith here, and the information I provide might not be correct for your machine.
Serial number B761146 was one of a block of 50,000 serial numbers ([B]722001 through [B]772000) allocated to the Elizabethport factory November 28 1904, and all were intended to be stamped into the beds of model 27 sewing machine heads.
The particular sewing machine head stamped with B761146 probably rolled off of the assembly line some time between November 28 1904 and December 22 1904 (because the latter date is the allocation date of the next block of serial numbers intended for model 27 sewing machine heads):
<snip>
B- 722001 772000 27 50000 November 28 1904
<snip>
B- 780001 790000 27 10000 December 22 1904 Montreal
<snip>
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-b-series-serial-numbers.html
Because nothing in the world, including the Singer serial number tables, is error free (and I can't see your sewing machine to verify that it is indeed a model 27), I'm going to give you a tool that identifies most vintage domestic models of Singer sewing machine heads:
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm
About the Singer family of vibrating shuttle machines (to which the model 27 belongs):
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/28/
Here is a user manual for the model 27:
https://archive.org/details/singer-27-user-manual-en
Here is a gallery of Singer deocoration (e.g. decal sets):
https://web.archive.org/web/20210423202651/http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php/Singer_Machine_Decoration
Here is a gallery of Singer faceplates and access panels:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
Here is a gallery of Singer treadle cabinets:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200528213150/http://needlebar.org/main/singercabs/treadles.html
If you still have trouble identifying your vintage Singer after reading/investigating all of this, then you'll need to create a post of your own with four pictures of your machine and its cabinet.
If you do create a post, please make one of those pictures a focused close-up of the serial number, another of the full front of the sewing machine head, another of the full back of the sewing machine head, and one taken at a three quarter angle of the left side and front (so that it shows the faceplate) of the whole shebang (both the sewing machine head and the cabinet).
While creating a post (after you press "Save"), try to keep your hands off of the keyboard and mouse, because those latter behaviors have a tendency to create multiple duplicate posts.