Posted 10 years ago
SGAppenzel…
(1 item)
Well kept Model 600 from the early 60's. Has all original parts, and still runs well. I apologize that it looks a bit grimy in the pix. I hadn't had a chance to clean off more than 50 years of fingerprints, and odd bits of grime left by 5 kids and 12 Grandchildren that had helped my mother put the machine away each time she was finished using it. She was usually very tired at that point, and since whatever she was sewing was usually for one of us, it was our responsibility to stow the machine back in it's cubbyhole until we needed it again. My mother always kept a cloth runner over top of the wooden desk when it was closed, so it wouldn't get scratched or damaged.
These pictures of my family sewing machine, where my sister and I each learned to sew 40-50 years ago, were taken at the estate sale after we had moved our father out of the only family home I ever knew about two years ago now. My mother's been gone almost 20 years now, and the sewing machine was supposed to be mine. You'd never know it was so old if you didn't think about it...It can do almost everything the fancy new plastic ones can do. All sorts of fancy stitching, embroidery, of course button holes, and accommodate absolutely any material (if you use the right needle), I'm not exactly anything one might call a seamstress, but I can hem a pair of pants, or fix a split seam if I need to. I have no need for a sewing machine like this, save for sentimental reasons, and I am disabled, unable to work, and live in a tiny apartment with my service dog and ancient cat. I have nowhere to put such a piece of furniture.
I guess what I'm doing here with this show and tell, is trying to find out if there is any point trying to sell this machine? Does anyone think there is a market for such a piece? Or should I just throw it in my storage locker and hope one of my nieces or nephews gets bit by the sewing bug, and decides they want Grandma's old reliable Singer? I'd appreciate any advice. Right now it is buried under a bunch of other stuff I couldn't bear to just give to Goodwill when we cleaned out the family home. Otherwise, I would've tried to take better photos, and show what it looks like with the machine stored. The top is just wood, the machine vanishes from sight completely. ;-) Use your imagination.
The drawers also happen to be full of a bunch of notions that I can include in the package. It includes the ORIGINAL Instruction Manuel (a bit battered, but not too worse for wear), The Buttonholer (part #W642N), in it's own case, and the accessory disks for embroidering. If nothing else, someone may want those things. They aren't anything I should ever use.
Please feel free to respond to this post to give me ideas of what I might be able to do. Or tell me to cut my losses, It's not worth it. I just remember this sewing machine cabinet being the most expensive new thing my Mother said she had ever owned (outside of their actual house), I'd hate to sell it for a fraction of what she paid all those years ago. I also hate to think of it collecting dust in storage until I can either move to a bigger place, of find a suitable home for it in the family. If anyone thinks I've got a snowball's chance you know where, of selling it for more that it will cost to move it, Please, I'd love to hear from you.
Your Singer 600 may not bring much money, but it is one of the "good" Singer zigzaggers with metal gears (instead of now-crumbly plastic). Someone will want it. You have good photos of the front; I suggest adding photos that show the foot controller (or kneebar if it has that), the serial number, and the embroidery disks.
Tamar, thank you for the advice. The fact of it being an entirely metal machine, that is electric, but has ALL the fancy features, (actually, I thought it was the first of thus such, but could be wrong) is why I hoped I could find it a good home without having to just give it away. It does have the kneebar, but I'm 95% certain it also has the foot pedal. I will definitely figure out a way to get photos of them before I list it for sale...It may take me awhile to be able to dig it out enough for taking them. I will also figure out the serial number, and add a photo of the disks...I have that already. Thanks again!
My name is Del. My mother has the exact same cabinet and machine as yours. I can't say what your mother's machine is worth, but I consider my mother's machine to be PRICELESS. Her machine broke and it's going to cost 200 dollars to fix. They tried to sell her a new product but I told her absolutely not. Her sewing machine is probably the most personal possession she has. It represents all the care and love she gave to me, my two sisters, and Dad. It would seem to be an absolute shame if you were'nt able to keep it in your family. God bless you and keep you in good health.
Del, thank you for your comment. I still don't know what I'm going do do with the machine, but I appreciate the encouragement.
Good Morning.??
Wondering if you still have this item.
Yes, I do still have it.
This is a great machine. I have one and I am still using it. It is either worth selling or keeping depending on your situation. I wouldn't just neglect it. It sold for a $1000.00 CAD in 1965.
My mother had this machine and I learned to sew on it when I was 14. She doesn't remember what she did with it, but it is long gone. (Mom is 84.) I wish I had it because it was such a good machine. Honestly, I see vintage machines for sale all the time, and when they are overpriced, they don't sell. Most people are not going to spend much for a 50 or 60 year old machine, even with a cabinet, when they can buy a cheaply made, new fancy machine for around $100. I got lucky and just picked up a late 60's Singer model that does decorative stitches for $5 - and it is perfect. Ultimately, only you can decide if it is worthwhile to keep it. Good luck with your decision.
Look up Bruce Davidson in Winnipeg on FB. He has been looking for a machine exactly like this.
Hello. It is a nice family story behind this much loved machine. Do you still have, or are you interested in selling it. I love it! I am familiar with this model, and have one but I'm afraid it's been used too much. Hope this message finds you well. Perhaps something could be arranged for shipping. It all depends on how far away you are. Thanks for your time. Cornflower
I have the exact same machine and table. Good condition. I'd love to sell it, but don't really know how. Contact me if you can help or want it.
Hi, Jess8888. :-)
Collectors Weekly Show & Tell is primarily a forum for people to show their collectibles and tell people about them, or if they don't know much about them, to seek more information.
Frankly, this eight year old post is a bit of a tangle, because of all the references to selling. CW S&T isn't a sales venue; however, I can see where you might have been led to think otherwise.
You're looking for information about selling your similar machine.
I'll start off by giving you some links about the Singer sewing machine model and cabinet, and then a bit of advice about selling vintage sewing machines in general.
You write that you have the same machine and table, and I'll be proceeding on blind faith (because you haven't created a post of your own with pictures) that you have a Singer model 600 Touch & Sew in a Singer model Copenhagen cabinet.
The Singer 600 sewing machine (scroll down):
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/classes-500+.html
Because I can see in the photos that the name "Touch & Sew" is printed directly onto the front of the machine, rather than on a plate screwed to the front of the machine, it's probably not one of the really early model 600 sewing machine heads, but it's probably not the 600E.
The model 600 is a class of sewing machine heads called the slant needle that Singer developed post WWII. This website has a wealth of information about Singer's slant needle ancestor, the model 301, along with a limited amount of information about its descendants (but not the 600):
https://www.singer301.com/index.html
I can't really give you a single effective link for the below serial number (SN) and quantity (QTY) information, because it's my own compilation from a couple of serial number tables at the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society (ISMACS) website (https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-sewing-machine-serial-number-database.html).
I used some of my own headers, because the CW S&T software isn't kind to tabulated information:
SN PREFIX SN LOW SN HIGH CLASS QTY DATE ALLOTTED YEAR
AN- 375514 375523 600 10 March 21 1962
AN- 502190 582189 600 80000 April 8 1963
AN- 661995 821994 600 160000 January 7 1964
AP- 000001 150000 600 150000 October 26 1964
AP- 352292 392291 600 40000 September 30 1965
AP- 421617 487616 600 66000 January 27 1966
TOTAL QTY PRODUCED 496010
Some more webpages about the Singer model 600:
http://www.oldsewingear.com/blog/category/600
https://sewingiscool.com/singer-touch-and-sew-600e-review/
https://runningstitches-mkb.blogspot.com/2020/02/singer-touch-sew-600.html
I can't find a free soft copy of the operator's manual at the moment, but if you don't have a copy of it, there is more than one online vendor.
Amazon has it, but at an inexplicably exorbitant price:
https://www.amazon.com/Singer-Sewing-Machine-Embroidery-Reprint/dp/B014ASKKSY
This is more reasonable:
https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/singer-600-manual.aspx
The most reasonable I found:
https://store.tandtrepair.com/tosew600se60.html
Whatever you do, stay away from manualslib dot com, because I myself have gotten malware infestations from there.
The Singer cabinet 351, AKA the Copenhagen:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-351w-copenhagen-sewing-machine-cabinet.html
https://www.singer301.com/cabinet/default.html
https://millardsewing.com/product/singercopenhagen/
https://davesmidcenturystuff.blogspot.com/2012/03/singer-401a-slant-o-matic-sewing.html
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/post/i-think-i-want-a-singer-copenhagen-table-10527464
As to selling your vintage sewing machine, this is old but generally good advice:
https://ismacs.net/sewing_machine_articles/how_much_is_my_sewing_machine_worth.html
To that, I would add:
Try to sell your machine advertised as "For local pickup only." These old sewing machines are heavy, and shipping costs can be prohibitive. Also, the machine might get damaged in transit, causing headaches for everybody involved.
Sell it "As is."
Here are some sales venues (not an exhaustive list):
Craigslist, eBay, Etsy, Offerup