Posted 3 years ago
keramikos
(25 items)
This post is a further attempt to help vintage sewing machine owners identify their machines, specifically with locating a serial number.
Not all vintage sewing machines have serial numbers, and even those that do don't necessarily have them in a prominent location like pre-1950s Singers do.
Further, not all vintage sewing machine companies that issued serial numbers kept comprehensive records of them, or even if they did, the records may have perished in a fire, war, or some other calamity.
Still, it's worth looking for a serial number, because it's one more clue that in combination with other clues can help in dating the machine.
For example, somebody who has a vintage National vibrating shuttle sewing machine with a serial number could compare it with vintage sewing machine enthusiast Wayne Schmidts' National VB-TT Type 5 that he was able to date reliably using its serial number, and other factors:
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/images/sm%20bessy%20small.jpg
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/Antique%20Sewing%20Machines.html
The first picture is of a Coombe badged Naumann Klasse 8. I'm very grateful to K. Newton for permission to use their picture. (This isn't the first time K. Newton has helped me. They contacted me out of the blue with an invaluable piece of information that helped me solve the stubborn mystery of the Coombe badge name.)
The second picture is of a Singer model 185K. I'm very grateful to CW S&T user fortapache for permission to use their picture.
The third picture is of a Singer model 403A, and the serial number is on a boss on the left-hand side of the underside. I'm very grateful to CW S&T user AnythingObscure for permission to use their picture.
The fourth picture is of a Manhattan D badged National VB-TT Type 5, and the serial number is underneath the front slide place. CW S&T user Jeremy25 didn't respond to my request for permission to use their picture of the serial number, and hasn't been active here for almost a year, so I'm going to treat this one as the property of CW unless and until I find out otherwise. I'm crediting Jeremy25 on the picture both as a courtesy, and as a provenance trail.
There will also be a reference comment with links that may be periodically updated as I find long term websites with good pictures of serial number locations.
REFERENCES 20211012:
NATIONAL SEWING MACHINE HEAD SERIAL NUMBER LOCATIONS
Per the needlebar dot org website, serial numbers on old National vibrating shuttle machines are found under the front slide plate. On later ones, it will be underneath the machine bed.
On National rotary machines, it will be found either at the base of the pillar, or underneath the machine bed.
Here is an example of a badged National VB-TT Type 5 serial number (3005230) found underneath the front slide plate:
https://d3h6k4kfl8m9p0.cloudfront.net/stories/UJvm9ew.4rsudCFxpi2UjQ.jpeg
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/291516-manhattan-sewing-machine
VINTAGE SINGER SEWING MACHINE HEAD SERIAL NUMBER LOCATIONS
For most vintage Singer sewing machine heads made prior to the 1950s, the serial number is plainly visible, stamped on a small, bronze-color elliptical cartouche located on the sewing machine head's base in front of the pillar, e.g.:
https://www.singermachines.co.uk/pub/media/upload/image/model_5.jpg
If the serial number isn't on one of those little bronze cartouches, then you'll have to look elsewhere.
On a few early models (pre-1865), the serial number might be located on the throat plate (AKA the needle/slide plate).
Singer Model 15K110 underside with serial number ET805575:
The serial number is located on the underside, presumably because the serial number cartouche in its traditional location would have interfered with the newly introduced feed throwout/feed dog drop switch (colocated with the bobbin winder spool):
http://needlebar.org/main/15chart/110/parts.jpg
http://needlebar.org/main/badged/badged5b.jpg
https://pungolivinghome.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dsc0913-edited.jpg
https://pungoliving.home.blog/2019/05/21/how-to-clean-and-recondition-a-vintage-singer-15k110-sewing-machine/
SINGER MODEL 24:
The serial number is located on the back side of the base.
SINGER MODEL 30:
The serial number is located on the underside, and if the sewing machine head is mounted in a footed base, you'll have to remove it in order to see the serial number.
SINGER MODEL 101:
"The serial number is underneath the machine on the right hand side."
https://forum.missouriquiltco.com/forum/we-don-t-know-much-but-we-know-quilters/general-discussion/57610-where-is-the-serial-on-singer-101-anybody-know
SINGER MODEL 185:
The serial number is located in front on the part of the bed casting that is normally hidden when the machine is installed in a cabinet or base.
Singer 185K Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number ER155839
https://d3h6k4kfl8m9p0.cloudfront.net/stories/3I0XptSl5IFVBRBXC9tsag.jpg
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/206020-singer-185k-sewing-machine-part-too
SINGER MODELS 221 AND 222 (FEATHERWEIGHTS)
The serial number is located on the underside.
Singer 221 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number AD784129
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0992/8814/files/Serial_Number_2_medium.jpg?4381655699600843957 AD784129
Singer 221 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number AD541637
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0992/8814/files/Serial_Number_large.JPG?4381655699600843957
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/dating-your-featherweight-machine
Singer 221 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number AG822210
https://i.shgcdn.com/a1c1efe0-cffb-4399-8559-0c7892c3c249/-/format/auto/-/preview/3000x3000/-/quality/lighter/
Singer 222 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number EK325075
https://i.shgcdn.com/016c48da-1916-4793-9a29-8c008ef7fd2c/-/format/auto/-/preview/3000x3000/-/quality/lighter/
https://featherweightdoctor.com/singer-featherweight-221-and-222-serial-numbers/
Singer 221 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number AL908817
https://rhetoricity.com/misc/sewing/featherweight-55/serial2.JPG
https://rhetoricity.com/misc/sewing/featherweight-55/
Singer 221 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number AH340726
http://theclosetofgreaterherndon.org/singer-featherweight-sewing-machine/singer-featherweight-serial-number/
SINGER MODEL 237:
The serial number is located on the underside of the bed casting that is normally hidden when the machine is installed in a cabinet or base.
Singer 237 Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number ME308450
http://possumjimandelizabeth.com/adjusted_images/collect_sew_sing237d.jpg
http://possumjimandelizabeth.com/xhtml/collect_sewing_sing237.html
SINGER MODEL 301:
The serial number is located on the underside of the bed casting that is normally hidden when the machine is installed in a cabinet or base.
Singer 301A Sewing Machine Picture of Underside With Serial Number NB0713555
https://pungolivinghome.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/dsc1667.jpg
https://pungoliving.home.blog/2019/06/29/reconditioning-a-vintage-1956-singer-301a/
http://singer301.com/dating/default.html
https://www.shopperlib.com/antique-vintage-singer-sewing-machines-identification-value/
WHITE SEWING MACHINE SERIAL NUMBER LOCATIONS:
Here is a picture of a White Rotary with its serial number located at the base of the pillar. It has a prefix of two alpha characters, "FR," which is the standard for White Rotary machines:
https://antiques.lovetoknow.com/image/267521~white-sewing-machine.jpg
https://antiques.lovetoknow.com/antique-sewing-machines-tools/white-sewing-machine-background-model-guide