Posted 4 years ago
Dlw1970
(1 item)
1910 singer serial number G4270884
Just curious about this. I’ve had it forever. Used the stand for a table over the years. Love the sewing machine and would like to use it to display but do not need the cabinet. Cabinets in very hard shape. Just don’t want to be told later that after taking it apart I made a big mistake. Thank you!
Hi, Dlw1970. :-)
Per the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society's (ISMACS) Singer serial number tables (which they got directly from Singer who endorses them via linkage), the serial number on your machine (G4270884) was one of a block of 50000 numbers (4266516 through 4316515) allotted December 14th, 1915, and all were destined to be stamped into the beds of model 66 machines at Singer's Elizabethport factory:
*snip*
4266516 4316515 66 50000 December 14 1915
*snip*
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-g-series-serial-numbers.html
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer_dating_by_serial_number.html
That your machine is a model 66 is evident to people used to looking at vintage Singer sewing machines, because of the distinctive "Red Eye" decal set, which was applied to model 66 machines at U.S. Singer factories (as opposed to model 66 machines that were made at Singer's Kilbowie factory in the UK, where they typically applied the "Lotus" decal set):
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal10
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/redeye.html
http://www.sewmuse.co.uk/singer%2066%2099.htm
However, if you didn't know about the decal set, or indeed didn't have any idea what model of Singer you have, you could have used Sandman-Collectibles' Singer Sewing Machine Identification Template to identify your Singer (it can help identify many different Singer domestic models):
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm
About the Singer model 66:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/66
Your Singer is in fact a model 66-1 (I see that your machine has a back-clamping presser foot).
A manual for the model 66-1:
https://archive.org/details/Singer661Manual
About the Elizabethport Singer factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/elizabethport
https://www.ericwilliamsblog.com/left-behind-in-elizabeth-the-singer-manufacturing-company-part-1/
Now that we've got all that out of the way, on to your concerns. };-)
That is a beautiful model 66. The decals are in excellent shape, although there does seem to be a bit of crazing in the shellac coating on the japanning of the machine bed.
If you want to attempt to minimize the appearance of the crazing, here is some advice:
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/cleaning-repairing-shellac-clear-coat-vintage-sewing-mcahines-t186522.html
Those old cast iron sewing machines were built to last, and if you actually want to use your machine without the treadle table, you'd need to install a motor, or a hand crank (in addition to replacing the missing slide plate and bobbin).
Parts for model 66 machines are still readily available:
https://www.vintagesingerparts.com/collections/singer-model-66
https://www.singeronline.com/model66.html
However, if you're a purist, and want all original parts, you'd have to scour eBay, craigslist, et cetera for those.
As to your treadle table, it's a Singer Cabinet Table No. 2 treadle:
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/cabinet_table_no_2-3.html
It's really not in that bad of a shape, but if you don't want it, you could try to rehome it. A lot of people love those old cabinets. However, shipping anything that has a lot of cast iron can be expensive, so ideally, you should find somebody local or somebody within reasonable driving distance.
The quilting board regulars might be able to help you with that:
https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/
https://www.quiltingboard.com/sendmessage.php
Whoops. One more link for you. This is for a post here at CW S&T that I put together to help people with vintage sewing machines who seek advice on them:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-vintage-sewing-machine-help
It's definitely not the be-all and end-all, but rather a work in progress by somebody who isn't actually a vintage sewing machine expert (me).
Don't hesitate to ask in a comment here if you can't find an answer there (or if it's just too overwhelming to look at all of it).
I'll try to point you in what I think is the right direction, or somebody else might jump in with some valuable advice. :-)