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Antique SINGER Sewing Machine with base and MANY supplies, tools, etc.

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    Posted 3 years ago

    kinnikakes
    (3 items)

    Hi,
    I am looking for answers about this machine and what steps I should take with it next? I have boxes of the wooden "cases" with tools that go with this, as well as a separate wooden stand with old Singer sewing manuals, supplies, etc.
    I have another Singer machine in a black case that is in very good condition too.
    Thanks

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    1938 Singer FEATHERWEIGHT SEWING MACHINE MODEL 221 SER AF388484 MACHINE ONLY
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    Comments

    1. fortapache fortapache, 3 years ago
      Check the serial number which should be on the right front. Looks like late 1890s to me.
    2. keramikos, 3 years ago
      Hi, kinnikakes. :-)

      I concur with fortapache; check the serial number. In fact, if you could take a picture of it, and add it to your post, that would be great. Here's what you'd be looking for (on the machine bed in front of the upright arm/pillar):

      https://www.singermachines.co.uk/pub/media/upload/image/model_5.jpg

      Just from the pictures you've provided already, I can tell that your machine is a member of the VS1, VS2, VS3, 27, 28, 127 and 128 family of machines:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singer.Model27.IdentificationGuide.jpg

      https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/28

      However, we can determine the allotment date of the serial number, which will get us about as close to a date of manufacture as possible.

      You have wooden accessory boxes, too, huh?

      Do any of them look like this?:

      http://needlebar.org/main/puzzles/index.html
    3. keramikos, 3 years ago
      Oh, and both your decal set and treadle are rather interesting.

      The decal set is called Persian (it's not one I see much):

      https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal28

      And your treadle is unusual in that it doesn't have the Singer name in the middle of the iron frame, but rather a series of patents. They're a bit difficult to read. They look like:

      FEB 17, 1890 OCT 12, 1904 MAR 17, 188?

      Please correct; I'd appreciate it.

      Your cabinet looks a lot like this one, except with more drawers:

      https://treadlequeen.wordpress.com/museum-pages/singer-machines/
    4. kinnikakes, 3 years ago
      Thank you for your comments. I added in 2 more photos. The first should have the serial number and the second is a photo of just a few of the attachments. I only included the “puzzle boxes” and Singer attachments box. I forgot to look at that 3rd year on the metal base when I went back to our storage unit. Do these help?
      Thanks
    5. keramikos, 3 years ago
      Hi again, kinnikakes. :-)

      Yup, that's the magical number we're looking for, thank you.

      Per the Singer serial number tables at the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society (ISMACS) website, serial number 11876009 was one of a block of 574,499 consecutive serial numbers (11,339,000 through 11,913,499) allotted by the central office to a factory in 1893:

      11,339,000 11,913,499 1893

      http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-no-prefix-serial-numbers.html

      The lines of information for serial numbers with no prefixes don't give any information about model numbers, but considering the low-mounted bobbin winder, it's probably either a model 27 or 28 (consult the bed measurements in the table of Main Model Characteristics in the link I gave you earlier).

      It sounds like you have manuals, but here is a link for a soft copy of a model 27 manual (the model 28 is basically a three-quarters size version of the model 27):

      http://www.sewmuse.co.uk/Singer%20VS%202%20Model%2027%20Manual.pdf

      It's uncertain to which factory that block of numbers was allotted, so I'll give you links for the two biggest, Elizabethport, and Kilbowie:

      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/

      https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/kilbowie

      A Google Satellite view of the area that once hosted the Kilbowie Singer plant (there is still a railway station called "Singer" on the northeast corner):

      Singer
      Kilbowie Rd, Clydebank G81 2JN, United Kingdom

      https://goo.gl/maps/ckxa4RrU85UBHXHs9

      August 1934 aerial photographs of Singer's Kilbowie (Clydebank, Scotland) factory:

      https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1257700

      https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1257701

      https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1257702

      https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1257703

      https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1257704

      So you have two of the puzzle boxes. :-) Those are very cool. Here's the patent:

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US397980

      Here is a gallery of Singer sewing machine attachments:

      https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_accessories

      In case I'm forgetting something, here's a link to a collection of vintage sewing machine links:

      https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-vintage-sewing-machine-help

      But it's a lot to sift through, so if you have more questions, just ask them here in a comment.
    6. keramikos, 3 years ago
      I found a similar Singer treadle. No pictures of the back side which shows the embossed patents, but the text lists them:

      *snip*

      Has patent dates of Feb 17 1880, Oct 14 1884 and Mar 17 1885 stamped on it.

      *snip*

      https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ant-vtg-singer-treadle-sewing-machine-1900017480

      Here's the Feb 17 1880 patent:

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US224710

      The Oct 14 1884 patent:

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US306469

      The March 17, 1885 patent is pesky. I've found a couple of sewing machine patents with that date, but they don't seem related to treadles.
    7. keramikos, 3 years ago
      It's not for certain that this is indeed the March 17, 1885 patent embossed on your treadle, but it IS a treadle patent issued on that date.

      The inventor makes this observation in the text of the patent:

      *snip*

      It will be understood that I do not confine my invention to tricycles, as it is applicable to various kinds of foot-power machinery.

      *snip*

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US314013

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