Posted 3 months ago
CMN
(1 item)
My mum has a vintage singer sewing machine we think it belonged to her mum?
Does anyone have any idea of a date or value please. It does work but not in great condition. one part of the bracket which holds the crank handle has snapped off although it does hold in place with the other bracket.
It looks well used as the pattern has worn in places. The serial number is R288600
Welcome to CW!! You'll have info on your machine very soon from one of our very knowledgeable members!
Stuff
Hi, CMN. :-)
Ah, a new VSM post! Like water in a parched desert. };-)
So cool that it's a family heirloom, too. <3
Vintage Singer sewing machines are actually the best documented of all the old brands, so help is at hand.
Serial number R288600 was one of a block of 120,000 consecutive serial numbers ([R[198640 through [R]318639) allotted by the Singer central office to one of their factories January/June 1902.
All of the serial numbers in that block were destined to be stamped into the beds of model 28K sewing machine heads.
In fact, that block was immediately followed by a smaller block of another 3,000 (dunno what that "R" in the "Notes" field of the serial number table is about), and then in July/December 1902, another block of 120,000:
R- 198640 318639 28K 120000 January / June 1902
R- 318640 321639 28K 3000 January / June 1902 R
R- 540025 660024 28K 120000 July/December 1902
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-r-series-serial-numbers.html
So your VSM probably rolled off of the assembly line sometime between January and June of 1902, because by July of the same year, Kilbowie already had an order from the central office for 120,000 more model 28K sewing machine heads.
FYI, the "K" suffix on the model number just means that the factory that cast the sewing machine head was Kilbowie. Mechanically, the 28K is identical to a model 28.
The Singer model 28 is part of a family of sewing machines known as vibrating shuttles. The big visual tip-offs on your machine that it is a vibrating shuttle are the little trapezoidal access door, and the long dual slide plates:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singer.Model27.IdentificationGuide.jpg
About the model 28:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/28
Your decal set is called "Victorian":
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal08
I can't see the faceplate or the rear access panel, but here is a gallery of them for you to browse:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
Here is a manual:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-models-27k-28k-sewing-machine-manual.pdf
About the Kilbowie factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/kilbowie
The 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
Here's a documentary made at the Kilbowie factory circa 1934:
https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1592
Value is a fraught subject. I generally avoid it like a mine field; however, here is some good general advice:
https://ismacs.net/sewing_machine_articles/how_much_is_my_sewing_machine_worth.html
I recently joined the Victorian Sweatshop forum, and got some advice on the subject of valuation from an extremely knowledgeable VSM enthusiast:
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1337249191&postcount=2595&forum=501752
As to your broken hand crank bracket: that's unfortunate, because original hand crank parts are like hen's teeth. :-(
The Victorian Sweatshop forum has a couple of catagories for items that are either for sale or are free to a good home:
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/?forum=515764
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/?forum=515765
Of course, there is also eBay, Etsy, Craigslist, etc.
You could get lucky. :-)
I'm actually a bit rusty on advising new VSM owners at this point, so if I forgot something, just ask questions here in a comment. If I don't know the answers off of the top of my head, I'll go back out to the Intertubes and try to find answers, or give you a referral.
Here's my collection of VSM help posts (they're overdue for updating, but hey):
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-help-for-vintage-sewing-machines
You should keep it. It isn't worth a lot with a broken crank.
fortapache, Sorry. };-)
The short version:
Manufacturer: Singer
Model: 28K Hand Crank Portable
Age: Circa 1902
Condition: Working, but hand crank has a broken bracket
Here's a parts list for Singer models 28-1 to 28-4, 28-8, 28-9, 128-3 and 128-4:
http://hensewfiles.com/PDFs/SINGER%2028-1.pdf
Modern reproduction hand cranks are available, but the quality is questionable.