Posted 4 years ago
keramikos
(20 items)
This post is a guide for people seeking help in identifying vintage sewing machines.
If your only interest is the potential monetary value of your vintage sewing machine, either choose the Appraisal link on Collectors Weekly (there is a fee involved), or read the external "How Much Is My Sewing Machine Worth?" article linked in the REFERENCES comment below.
If you want to know other things about your machine, such as the make, model, or age, you can use the links in the REFERENCE comment below to help you identify it yourself. If that seems too daunting, then you can create a post about your machine and one of the Collectors Weekly Show & Tell regulars might be able to help you.
If you decide to create a post, add up to four photographs of your machine and in the description put what information you already know plus what you'd like to learn.
You're allowed up to four images per post, so here are some recommendations:
1. A clear, unobstructed photo of the full front of the machine, including the cabinet if it's installed in one.
2. A clear, unobstructed photo of the full back of the machine, including the cabinet if it's installed in one.
3. A three-quarters angle photo of the machine from the left and front sides, including the cabinet if it's installed in one (the first image in this post is a three-quarters angle view from the left and front sides).
4. A close-up photo of the serial number (where available, especially if the machine is a Singer).
IMAGES CREDITS:
https://archive.org/details/Singer661Manual/page/n2/mode/1up
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/286304-i-need-help (many thanks to CW user Djomla)
REFERENCES 20220621:
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FOR HELP IN APPRAISING MONETARY VALUE OF VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES
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I personally do not do appraisals.
You could try Collectors Weekly's partner (it's not free):
https://www.valuemystuff.com/us/appraisal
Or, you could consider the free advice of one of the experts at the The International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society (ISMACS) website:
https://ismacs.net/sewing_machine_articles/how_much_is_my_sewing_machine_worth.html
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HELP FOR VINTAGE SINGER SEWING MACHINES
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https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/308616-help-for-vintage-singer-sewing-machines
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HELP FOR VINTAGE WHITE SEWING MACHINES
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https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/308611-help-for-vintage-white-sewing-machines
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HELP FOR VINTAGE "BADGED" SEWING MACHINES (INCLUDES KENMORE)
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https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/308614-help-for-vintage-badged-sewing-machines
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HELP FOR VINTAGE GERMAN SEWING MACHINES
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https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/308615-help-for-vintage-german-sewing-machines
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GENERAL VINTAGE SEWING MACHINE REFERENCES
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The International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society website is a compendium of information about many different vintage sewing machine manufacturers (at least 72) and models:
http://ismacs.net/
The 1968 and 1976 editions of Grace Rogers Cooper's "The Sewing Machine: Its Invention and Development," available in various downloadable e-formats:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32677
https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/sewingmachineit00coop
The NeedleBar Original Web Site Archive is inactive, but it has a lot of very detailed information about various makes and models of vintage sewing machines:
http://needlebar.org/main/
Prefessional sewing machine expert Alex Askaroff's website:
http://www.sewalot.com
A blog by sewing machine expert Mel:
https://www.quiltingroomwithmel.com/
A website by sewing machine expert Paul:
https://projects.foxharp.net/sewing_machines/
A page of vintage sewing machines by Zorba the Veiled Male (don't let the odd handle fool you, this person knows a lot about vintage sewing machines):
http://www.doubleveil.net/zssmp/
A webpage of vintage sewing machines created and maintained by retired engineer Wayne Schmidt:
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/Antique%20Sewing%20Machines.html
Some advice on restoring vintage sewing machines:
http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachineshop/cleaningmachines/cleaningmachines.html
A website with advice for restoring and maintaining various makes and models of vintage sewing machines:
https://mermaidsden.com/
An article on cleaning, and restoring both vintage sewing machine heads and cabinets:
http://ismacs.net/sewing_machine_articles/a_tricky_woodwork_restoration.html
Another with tips on removing old paint from cabinets and cabinet hardware:
https://tashamillergriffith.com/2015/11/22/satisfaction-restoring-a-treadle-cabinet/
An excellent website for vintage sewing machine owners (caveat: this is a business). Articles, interviews, tutorials, services and a way to contact somebody who maintains a digital library of about a thousand vintage sewing machine manuals:
https://www.stillstitching.com/
Forums for vintage sewing machine enthusiasts, many of whom have detailed, expert information about many different sewing machines:
https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/
https://leatherworker.net/forum/forum/50-leather-sewing-machines/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VintageSewingMachines/
https://groups.io/g/ISMACSDigest