Posted 3 years ago
Bwodom
(1 item)
Making decision to purchase. Gears inside hand wheel, platform, and faint remnants of decals are unlike any others in my collection.
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Hi, Bwodom. :-)
Yes, intriguing. It's pretty old, given that platform.
So, let's see: platform, leaf tension, circular needle plate, dual slide plates. It's probably a shuttle sewing machine, possibly a vibrating shuttle, but it could even be a transverse shuttle, given its age.
That front slide plate being so light in color in comparison with the back one suggests that it's a replacement. Many shuttle sewing machines had those dual slide plates, so it's even possible that it came from a machine of a different make and model.
I can only make out a tracery of flowers on the horizontal arm, no letters. BTW, I don't think those are decals. Before decals came out, decoration was painted on the machine.
Are there perhaps any numbers underneath the front slide plate, or on the underside? The sewing machine head and bed might have to be separated from the platform to look for more clues, which you probably aren't in a position to do, given that it isn't yours quite yet.
It's reminiscent of this Domestic B, except the platform on the Domestic B is wood:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/domestic-sewing-machine-1880s-161652002
More Domestic brand machines:
https://www.kelsew.info/domestic/domesticmodels.html
Unfortunately, if your machine is some flavor of a Domestic brand machine, the serial number would have been on the front slide plate, e.g.:
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:Domestic1558824f.jpg
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:Domesticha74513e.jpg
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php/Domestic#Domestic_Sewing_Machines
Not that there is a master database for Domestic sewing machine serial numbers.
The only maker of vintage sewing machines that has anything close to comprehensive serial number records is Singer.
'Tis a puzzlement. I'll keep looking, but so far no joy.
Hi again, Bwodom. :-)
There are more than a few other antique hand-cranks mounted in a metal platform out there, but still no joy on finding a twin of yours.
However, I think we can safely say that yours is a vibrating shuttle rather than a transverse shuttle. All of the transverse shuttle machines I've seen out there have that distinctive cruciform configuration of needle and slide plates seen on the Singer models 12, 13, and 48.
Bwodom, still no joy on finding a twin or near-twin.
Like I said, I've found other antique sewing machines that tick most of the boxes, i.e., metal platform, circular needle plate, dual slide plates, leaf tension, and exposed gears in the hand crank. However, none that tick all of the boxes, plus have that exact pattern of scrolls on the platform.
I don't know if you're planning to go back and examine and/or acquire that machine, but here's something to consider. Look at this iStock picture of an (unfortunately unidentified) antique sewing machine:
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/sewing-gm157279781-4236576
It's a picture of the back of the machine, something I usually find very frustrating if it's the only picture of the machine, but in this case, it shows something interesting.
The sewing machine bed is attached to the platform by hinges. Presumably, there is some kind of latch on the front that allows one to swing the sewing machine head back to examine/maintain the undercarriage.
Yours appears to have a latch on the front. Is it hinged on the back? The undercarriage might be a source of identifying information.
FYI, New Home made a couple of similar metal platform machines:
http://www.needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:Newhomet1ironbase.jpg
http://www.needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:Nhnewnationalus.jpg
It also looks like at least some of the New Home metal platform machines had hinged beds/platforms:
http://www.needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:Newhometparts.jpg
http://www.needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=New_Home_Sewing_Machine_Company