Posted 3 years ago
TBass
(1 item)
The serial number on this model show H458125, which when I've looked this up on line shows it as model 60, made in 1906. When I look up at that year and model I don't see anything with this artwork design on it. Does anyone recognize this design? Thank you for any information. I like the design and am intrigued to know a little more about it.
A quick search reveals several. We have some experts in this area and I'm sure they will be along shortly and tell you everything you want to know..in the mean time..
https://vintagesewingmachinesblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/my-sewing-crew-1st-edition/amp/
Hi, TBass. :-)
You're right on the year, but I think perhaps your eyes skipped a digit on the model. There was indeed a Singer model 60, but it was an industrial machine:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/classes-1-99.html
Per the Singer serial number tables at the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society (ISMACS) website, serial number "H458125" was one of a block of 25,000 consecutive serial numbers allotted by the Singer central office to one of its factories on June 18, 1906, and all were destined to be stamped into the beds of model 66 machines:
H- 440701 465700 66 25000 June 18 1906
H- 722351 742350 66 20000 September 25 1906
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-h-series-serial-numbers.html
FYI, I also excerpted the next block of serial numbers destined for model 66 machines to give you an idea of when your machine might have rolled off of the assembly line (some time between June 18 and September 25 1906).
There is no information at ISMACS as to which factory typically got "H" serial number allotments, but per sewing machine expert Alex Askaroff, it was Elizabeth(port):
https://sewalot.com/dating_singer_sewing_machine_by_serial_number.htm
It's possible, because the Elizabethport factory did apply this particular decal set to some model 66 machines, although the famous Red Eye decal set was much more common in the U.S.
Your decal set is called Lotus, and that was the decal set typically applied to model 66 machines at Singer's Kilbowie/Clydebank factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal09
I can't tell what your faceplate or the rear access panel look like, but here is a gallery of them for you to browse:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
Your cabinet is interesting in that it has the beaded center drawer of the Cabinet Table No. 6:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/5-6_cab.html
However, your drawer fronts are plain, and it looks like somebody either replaced or painted the drawer pulls.
About the much beloved model 66:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/66
It's a little difficult for me to see, but it looks like you might have a back-clamping presser foot, so here is the 1913 manual for a model 66-1 (the back-clamping presser foot model 66):
https://archive.org/details/Singer661Manual
In case it's a side-clamping presser foot, here is the 1929 manual for a model 66:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-66-sewing-machine-manual.pdf
I'll give you information about both the Elizabethport and Kilbowie factories.
The Elizabethport factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/elizabethport
https://www.ericwilliamsblog.com/left-behind-in-elizabeth-the-singer-manufacturing-company-part-1/
https://www.ericwilliamsblog.com/left-behind-in-elizabeth-the-singer-manufacturing-company-part-2/
The U.S. factory that made most of the cabinets for domestically-made Singer sewing machines:
https://orangebeanindiana.com/2019/06/12/south-bends-singer-sewing-machine-company/
The Kilbowie/Clydebank factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/kilbowie
The current Google Satellite view of the area that once hosted the Kilbowie Singer plant (there is still a railway station called "Singer" on the northeast corner):
Singer
Kilbowie Rd, Clydebank G81 2JN, United Kingdom
https://goo.gl/maps/ckxa4RrU85UBHXHs9
A circa 1934 documentary made at Singer's Kilbowie (Clydebank, Glasgow, Scotland) factory:
https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1592
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
However, it's a lot to sift through, so if you have more questions, just ask them here in a comment.
dav2no1, Thanks, that's a pretty cool website; I don't think I've seen that one before. :-)
Hi again, TBass. :-)
In looking back, I don't know that I fully addressed your initial interest, which was everything you ever wanted to know about the Lotus decal set but was afraid to ask. };-)
As I mentioned earlier, the Lotus decal set was primarly applied to Singer model 66 machines at the Kilbowie/Clydebank factory.
Most decal sets never were given names by Singer; the names by which most are now known were given to them by fans:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/index.html
The Lotus decal set is also known as "Egyptian Green":
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/domesticpics/66lotusdscf0136.jpg
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestic-decals.html
Who designed it? I don't know. :-(
The names of a couple of Singer decal designers are known (William Haehnel and George Alfred Squire), because USPTO design patent listings have been found:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/domesticpics/painted-flowers/D13662_DESIGN_FOR_ORNAMENTATION_haehnel.pdf
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/domesticpics/ottoman-decals/D15220_DESIGN_FOR_ORNAMENTATION_Ottoman12.pdf
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/domesticpics/painted-flowers/D15221_DESIGN_FOR_ORNAMENTATION_cinquefoil.pdf
The vintage sewing machine enthusiasts and researchers at needlebar dot org did a deep dig on the Ottoman Carnation decal set design:
http://needlebar.org/main/otto/index.html
Here is the 1856 reference book mentioned:
https://www.isbns.net/isbn/9780691172064/
Archive dot org has a copy:
https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008700086/mode/1up
Perhaps the designer of the Lotus decal set drew inspiration from that book.
If I ever run across a name for the designer, I'll document it. :-)
Well, it's a bit frustrating, but the only design patents for sewing machine ornamentation that I've been able to find thus far are for 19th century ones. Both the Lotus and Red Eye decal sets are 20th century designs (circa 1902 and 1910 respectively), because they were used exclusively on the Singer model 66. FYI, I suspect that the numbering system at the needlebar dot org website might be unique to that site, and doesn't necessarily correlate to Singer's ornamentation numbering system:
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php/Singer_Machine_Decoration
Here are Google Patent versions of the ones I've found, including for the three at ISMACS (many are for non-Singer machines):
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD12306S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD12407S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD12547S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD12552S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD13662S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD13876S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD13877S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD13878S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD13879S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD14334S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD14335S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15005S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15217S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15218S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15219S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15220S/
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD15221S/
This document at the Smithsonian is a bit tantalizing (there is no digital version):
*snip*
Series 2, Decalcomania, undated, consists of one album of decal samples and loose decal/transfer cards created for Singer sewing machines and other sewing machine companies. Decalcomania is a decorative technique by which engravings and prints are transferred to other materials, such as the body of a sewing machine. Today, the use of the word "decal" is more widely used.
Some of the decals are on tracing paper, tin, and poster board. Some are in color with floral designs, and the size and style of font vary. Other decals include patent marks, the name "Singer Manufacturing Company," "Singer," oil level, and there are custom decals for specific sewing machine companies such as the Camel Sewing Machine Company, Ltd.
The decals are arranged numerically by transfer numbers, and there are two distinct groups of decal design/transfer cards. One group is numbered 63 to 141 (not inclusive) with the majority of the designs in color; the other set of decal cards is arranged in an unbound portfolio book numbered 1 to 41. Many of the decal/transfer cards have additional information about which machine or class of machines the transfer was designed for. For example, transfer #316 was used for the 99-13 machine. Machine 99-13 is also labeled with a sticker titled "SD-37." Presumably this indicates that the decal was Singer design number 37. If a decal was cancelled this is noted with a date.
*snip*
https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/NMAH.AC.0169.pdf
While that Smithsonian collection is described as pertaining to the period 1927-1983 (which would be too late for the Lotus and Red Eye decal sets), the Decalcomania series is undated, and one decal set has what I regard as a relatively low number assigned to it (37). It seems possible to me that it contains decals older than 1927.
FYI, per the singersewinginfo dot co dot uk website, the Singer model 99 made its debut in 1911.