Posted 3 years ago
bryce983
(1 item)
I got this sewing machine from my grandma and was looking for information on it. I tried to research the model number but couldn’t find any information on it. Anything information would be appreciated.
Singer sewing machine | ||
| Sewing177 of 2539 |  |  |
Hi, bryce983. :-)
How great that you have your grandmother's sewing machine. <3
Thank you for posting a readable picture of the serial number cartouche. :-)
So, serial number "JC732027."
Perhaps you'd heard or read somewhere that Singer has the most comprehensive records of any vintage sewing machine maker, and stumbled on the Singer dating section of the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society website:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/let_singer_date_your_sewing_machine_for_you.html
"Aha!," you said. "Comprehensive Singer Serial Number Charts!"
So you clicked on that link, and looked at the list:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-sewing-machine-serial-number-database.html
Then you said, "What the heck! Where are the JC prefix serial numbers?!"
So you rummaged around some more, and found this:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer_dating_by_serial_number.html
"OK," you said, "At least I have a range of years (1948 - 1954), and a factory name (St. Johns) now, but no model information. >8-0
If you went back out into the wilds of the Internet, you might have stumbled upon this handy tool for identifying domestic Singer models:
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm
Sandman says that your machine is a model 15-91:
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm#4
Of course, if you don't have a trusting nature, you might have looked around some more, and found this chart that really gets down in the weeds of the characteristics of that various minor models of Singer 15:
http://needlebar.org/main/15chart/
It's possible that your machine is some other minor model, but you'd really need to scrutinize it.
In the meantime, here's a manual for model 15-91:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/15-91.pdf
About the model 15:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/15
The decal set on your machine is called "Trefoil":
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal17
The face plate looks like it's probably, either "15K (Striated) (Simanco 125367)," or "15K (Later Striated)":
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
I can't tell which rear access panel you have, but there are also some pictures of those towards the bottom of the face plate gallery page.
Your cabinet is the number 65:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/65_cab.html
About the St. Johns factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/stjohns
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/singer-sewing-at-the-st-johns-factory-quebec-canada
https://www.urbexplayground.com/urbex/singers-abandoned-plant
Ironically, the very popular model 15 indirectly led to Singer's downfall:
https://www.quiltingroomwithmel.com/2017/01/singer-15-clone-vintage-sewing-machines.html
http://www.institchessewing.ca/bring-in-the-clones/
In case I'm forgetting something, here is my collection of vintage sewing machine links:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-vintage-sewing-machine-help
But it's a lot to sift through, so if you have any more questions, you can just ask them here in a comment, and if I don't know the answers, I'll go back out to the wilds of the intertubes and do my best to try to find answers.