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Posted 3 years ago
JenniferUSA
(1 item)
Can anyone tell me for sure which model sewing machine this is? I have been trying to get a shuttle for this machine and I have been sent one that doesn't fit. I understand VS2 and 27 may be the same thing but I am confused as to what exactly I have here. I know the serial number dates to 1889.
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Hi, JenniferUSA. :-)
Just at a glance, it's fairly obvious that you have one of the older members of the VS1, VS2, VS3, 27, 28, 127 and 128 family of Singer machines, with that trapezoidal access panel, the fiddle base, and the 'painted' flowers ornamentation.
I'll have to take your word about 1889 being the year of manufacture, because I can't read the 7 digit serial number in your pictures, but this would be the range for 1889:
*snip*
8,615,500 9,436,999 1889
*snip*
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-no-prefix-serial-numbers.html
Per the wikipedia article on that family, the model VS-2 had a fiddle base, but the model 27 had a rectangular base:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer_Model_27_and_127#Identifying_characteristics
In the wikipedia article, there is a chart of shuttles:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer_Model_27_and_127#Shuttle_changes
The correct shuttle assembly number for the VS-2 would be 8227, and the shuttle nose would have a hemicircular pit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singer.Model27.shuttles.8227.jpg
It unfortunately doesn't give a part number for the shuttle itself, but the main distinction between the shuttle for the VS-2/VS-3 and the 27/28 is that the latter has a wasp waist (shuttle assembly part number 8327 and shuttle part number 8301):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singer.Model27.shuttles.8327.jpg
Here is the parts list that the wikipedia article used as a source:
http://www.universalsewing.com/images2/parts_lists/all/k4fe8bor.pdf
If the shuttle you received has a wasp waist, then that's probably the wrong one.
I'm not quite sure how to advise you except to put you in touch with the vintage sewing machine enthusiasts at the quilting board forum:
https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/
https://www.quiltingboard.com/sendmessage.php
They are very knowledgeable, and might be able to assist you in getting the right shuttle.
Oops, I forgot to give you a link to a soft copy of the manual for the VS-2:
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-sewing-machine-vibrating-shuttle-manual-1891.pdf
(I won't bother you with links for ornamentation, faceplates, cabinets, etc. unless you want them.)
Keramikos I would love the other links, especially for the cabinets.
And Thank you for the help so far. I would still love help narrowing down which of the models this is. I suspect it is a VS2 but just don’t know for sure.
JenniferUSA, Sorry, I thought I was keeping up with these vintage sewing machine posts, but I seem to be slipping. >8-0
The closest decal set that I've found to yours would be the "Red and cream roses, daisies, forget-me-nots":
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/paintedfloral.html
Here's a gallery of face plates (yours seems to be some variation of "Vines":
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
And your cabinet some flavor of the extension leaf:
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/extlf_cab.html
I agree that your machine is probably the model VS-2, but I don't know whether that can be confirmed absolutely. As you've probably divined, the evolution of Singer's vibrating shuttle machines was a series of small changes.
I don't know whether you've tried contacting the quiltingboard forum, but in addition to that, the members of the victoriansweatshop forum are very knowledgeable (indeed, the founder of the latter forum is a member of both, and he's a guru):
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/
Hi again, JenniferUSA. :-)
I just wanted to give you a bit more information.
First, somebody here at CW S&T posted what they described as an 1889 Singer VS-2 some years back:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/187042-antique-singer-treadle-1889-vs2
Like yours (as near as I can make out, the serial number on yours is 888?414), it would indeed be in the group that was manufactured in 1889, because it has a serial number of "8819191."
What a difference a few months make.
It's interesting to note the ways in which that machine differs from yours.
The gold decal set (Victorian) is interesting mostly because I would have thought it newer than your multi-colored flower ornamentation.
It also has a plain face plate.
Finally, it seems to have only one patent listed on the front slide plate, which the owner describes as "oct 15th 1886."
Your front slide plate lists four patents, which try as I might with various image editors, I can't quite read.
It looks like:
PATENTS
OCT ?? 188?
JULY ?? 188?
SEPT 22ND 1885
JULY 10TH 1887
Here are a few more links with Singer vibrating shuttle information:
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singers_missing_link_the_high_arm_vibrating_shuttle.html
https://www.quiltingroomwithmel.com/2018/02/history-of-singer-27-vintage-sewing.html
http://needlebar.org/main/singervs/27-1/index.html
http://needlebar.org/main/singervs/index.html
http://ismacs.net/shuttleidentification/barker-catalog-page-14.html
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/post/singer-vs-2728-series-comparison-9704941
I think I've taken this about as far as I can, because I'm not a vintage sewing machine expert. I do think you'll need to contact people who have hands-on experience with Singer vibrating shuttle machines.
If you haven't already done so, I would recommend taking more pictures of your machine, including clear pictures of the full front, full back, and pictures of the shuttle.
I'll leave you with a little vintage mood music:
Dinah Washington - What A Difference A Day Makes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p58B8wzMubY