Posted 4 years ago
Kingchuck
(1 item)
1914 Singer Sewing machine left in my garage.
Don't know much about it except for the fact it's an antique. Has a cabinet that it "folds" into. The drive band that powers it has disintegrated. The wheel and floor pedal all move flawlessly.
Hi, Kingchuck. :-)
I couldn't quite make out all the characters in the serial number. What I get is "xx718889" (where "xx" represents the characters I can't quite read).
What I can tell you about your machine is that the decal set is known as Red Eye:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal10
Two things are known about the Red Eye decal set:
(1) It was a decal set only used in United States Singer factories.
(2) It was only ever used on model 66 machines.
About the Singer model 66:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/66
A manual for a Singer model 66:
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-66-sewing-machine-manual.pdf
About the Elizabethport, New Jersey Singer factory (where it was probably made):
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/elizabethport
Could you perhaps edit your post and include a closeup picture of the serial number?
e.g.:
https://www.singermachines.co.uk/pub/media/upload/image/model_5.jpg
While you're at it, how about adding a picture of the cabinet (we like to see those, too). :-)
Whoops, here's another manual, for a Singer model 66-1 machine, dated 1913:
https://archive.org/details/Singer661Manual
And now that I'm waking up again, I do think that your machine is a model 66-1, because I can see that it has a back-clamping presser foot. :-)
Keramikos,
Thank you for all the information. Trying to add more photos but can't seem to figure out how. Let me keep at it tho.
Kingchuck, You're welcome. :-)
To edit your post and add more pictures (you're allowed up to four pictures per post):
1. Log in to your CW account
2. Right-click on the post, and open it in another tab (it's not strictly necessary to open the post in a separate tab, but I find it handy myself).
3. Left-click on the post tab to activate it.
4. On the left-hand side of the post display, you should see a menu pick for "Edit this item). Left-click on it.
5. On the left-hand side of the "Edit Your Item" display you should see a shaded rectangle with the words "Drop images here or click to browse (3 remaining)"
6. Either drop/drag copies of the images you want to add, or browse to get to their location. I prefer "browse," but that's just me.
7. After you've added the images, scroll down to the bottom of the "Edit Your Item" display, and left-click on "Save."
Voila. I hope, that is.
It's possible that the serial number is "G3718889." that would put it into this block of 25,000 serial numbers allotted July 22nd, 1914, and all of them were indeed destined to be stamped into the beds of model 66 machines at the Elizabethport Singer factory:
*snip*
G- 3711001 3736000 66 25000 July 22 1914
*snip*
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-g-series-serial-numbers.html
And yes, if the machine head 'folds' into the cabinet, that's what's known as a "drop head" (as opposed to one that doesn't fold into the cabinet, and typically required a "coffin top" or "bentwood" cover).
Oops, out of time for the moment. More later. :-)
Keramikos,
Yes, the serial # indeed is G3718889. Thank you for all the other info. No luck trying to add pictures tho
Kingchuck, Oh dear.
Failure of post editing is a rather large subject, because it depends on the operating system and hardware of the client machine.
I suppose I could write a tutorial post with images of how to do it, but my own experience of it is limited to using a Windows client, so I don't know how worthwhile that would be.
More and more, people aren't using desktop machines, but rather tablets or smart phones, and there is a bewildering array of the latter (I myself have a smart phone, but I never use it for that kind of activity as a matter of security).
What you could do is create a whole new post, and then link the two posts via their comments section. I'd do the latter for you.
I knew I was forgetting something.
You mentioned that the leather belt for the treadle drive was disintegrated. That's quite typical.
That leather belt is usually the first thing that gives out on a vintage sewing machine. Modern replacements are available, even on Amazon, although I don't know about the quality there. This outfit seems reputable, and carries them:
https://www.vintagesingerparts.com/collections/leather-belt/products/treadle-sewing-machine-leather-belt-3-16-x-72-grade-a
Here is some expert advice in fitting the replacement belt to the machine:
https://www.quiltingroomwithmel.com/2017/03/replacing-treadle-sewing-machine-belts.html
That the moving parts of your machine all seem to move well isn't surprising. Firstly, those old cast iron machines were built to last. Secondly, it may well have been serviced at some point in the past.
Certainly the decals are in excellent condition. I suppose they could be replacements, but I tend to doubt that, because the finish on the underlying black japanning is a bit dull. Why go to the trouble of replacing decals without attending to the japanned finish?
Either the previous owners seldom used the machine, or they took good care of it.