Posted 3 years ago
Mike420
(2 items)
I found “the bartlett” sewing machine on the side of the road. what I have found it is the 1910 series. No table just the machine.
The Bartlett 1910 sewing machine | ||
| Mike420's items2 of 2 |  | |
The Bartlett 1910 sewing machine | ||
| Mike420's items2 of 2 | | |
Posted 3 years ago
Mike420
(2 items)
I found “the bartlett” sewing machine on the side of the road. what I have found it is the 1910 series. No table just the machine.
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Hi, Mike420. :-)
About H. S. B. & Co.:
https://www.fiddlebase.com/american-machines/hibbard-spencer-bartlett-co/h-s-b-co-sewing-machines/
Perhaps its cabinet looked like this?:
https://www.k-bid.com/auction/33819/item/4
Here's another in a different style of cabinet. Tantalizingly, the owner mentions having a manual:
https://www.justanswer.com/antiques/hvwwa-bartlett-antique-treadle-sewing-machine.html
I'm afraid that there's not much applicable in the quoted material from the 1865 Scientific American, as that applies to an old patent:
https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.1270010a/?st=gallery
Here's the sewing machine head in a 1910 HSB catalog, referred to as the "OVB" (Our Very Best):
https://archive.org/details/HibbardSpencerBartlettCat1910/page/n831/mode/2up
On subsequent pages, they show other HSB sewing machines, and cabinets, including that gorgeous cabinet from the K-BID listing:
https://archive.org/details/HibbardSpencerBartlettCat1910/page/n835/mode/2up
Here is a partial transcript of the text on pages 1101 and 1102 (sorry, some of the OCR conversion was pretty rough, needs considerable touching up, and I'm running out of time at the moment):
*snip*
Upper View OVB Bartlett Sewing Head.
The OVB Bartlett is a family sewing machine of the very highest grade embracing the most complete association modern time and labor saving improvements ever combined in one machine and is presented to the trade and the public as an ideal embodiment of the very best in modern sewing machine manufacture.
The basic construction, which is on the gear principle, is clearly defined in the accompanying X-Ray view. These gears are built of best quality hardened tool steel and they are so accurately fitted and adjusted that they operate most quietly and easily. The gears are riveted to the shafts by steel pins and cannot become loose. In this particular. alone. the OVB Bartlett has a great advantage over other sewing machines which make use of eccentric shafts with many screws and parts. any one of which if loosened, will destroy the perfect action and cause a poor stitch to be made. In a large measure. the gears are responsible for the wonderfully easy running qualities and the almost entire absence of the objectionable noise (accompanying other machines) for which the Bartlett is noted. The clever adaptation of the gear principle gives the OVB Bartlett a simplicity of construction which makes it ideal for family use. Not only is the user assured that the OVB Bartlett will always operate correctly, but the necessity of constant payment of money to sewing machine repairmen is done away with. It is interesting to know that no other high grade up-to-date family sewing machine has this form of construction.
The Stitch formed is what is known as the double lock stitch, made by two threads. which are firmly locked in the center of the goods, presenting a smooth and finished appearance on either side. It is recognized to be the best all around, serviceable stitching for family sewing.
The Head is unusually handsome and well proportioned; it is elaborately finished in three durable coats of hand rubbed and polished baking black japan with handsome imported decalcomania decorations in gold and bright colors.
The Arm is of the largest size furnished with any family machine and it is very strong and perfectly proportioned The clear space underneath is r'14 x8 inches, thus permitting the easy and convenient handling of the bulkiest material.
The Needle Bar is round. accurately finished and thoroughly hardened. It is equally rigid in every direction, has no lost motion and consequently operates freely, easily and without noise. The upper end of the Needle Bar is covered and protected by a handsome nickel plated steel cap which insures absolute cleanliness in the bearings, thereby preventing the accumulation of dust and grit and the ensuing hard and noisy running which is common to other machines less fortunately equipped.
The Needle is straight, short and strong and is flattened on one side which makes it impossible to place it in the machine wrong. It is held in place by a patented needle clamp which locks it securely and at the same time permits its ready removal. Genuine OVB Needles are the highest quality possible to manufacture and are made in the same factory as the OVB Bartlett head. They should be used to insure perfect sewing.
(Continued on page 1102)
OVB BARTLETT SEWING MACHINES.
Fully Warranted For Ten Years
The tension is of the latest improved disc type and is located in a convenient position on the front of the face of the arm. While the action is extremely responsive and sensitive and covers a wide range of adjustment, it is so simple that there is no possibility of it getting out of order or causing trouble. Reference to the X-ray view on preceding page will prove interesting.
Automatic Tension Release is the latest and very best and important improvement applied to sewing machine production. It is operated automatically by the presser bar lifter which when raised, causes the removal of all tension on the upper thread so the work may be freely removed without injury to the needle or breaking of the thread and without any attention from the operator, where on other machines it is necessary to remove the tension entirely by hand.
The Takeup is positive and automatic in its action. It is operated directly by a cam on the main shaft (see X-Ray illustration) and will control any size or kind of thread in a perfect manner in any class of sewing, tus producing an absolutely correct and perfect stitch.
The Shuttle is self-threading, of large size, and the accompanying bobbin holds a harge quantity of thread so it is not necessary to be constantly and frequently changing the bobbin, thereby delaying the work. It is made of the finest tool steel and is glass hardened, so there is no sign of wear even after years of constant use.
The Shuttle Level has a very short radius, as will be found upon referring to the accompanying cut. This does away with the vibration accompanying other machines, having the common lever with the long swing. It is a wonderfully good feature and is really worthy of more extended notice than space limitations will permit.
The Feed Point is double, extends on both sides of the needle and has four distinct motions, thereby guaranteeing an even movement of the goods being used at all times and under all conditions. This feed is absolutely positive., being free from springs and other uncertain devices which invariably wear and weaken after a machine has been in use for some time and cause serious trouble. It is one of the strongest features of this machine.
The Stitch Regulator controlling the length of the stitch is operated by a thumb screw sliding in the slot on the bed plate in a convenient position for the operator. Attached to the thumb screw is a pointer so that one may instantly set the machine by moving the screw and pointer to the proper place on the scale or index, thus making any size stitch (from six to thirty-two to the inch).
*snip*
D'oh! I notice that I missed some spots that needed correction, but you get the drift.
Picking up where I left off:
*snip*
The Automatic Bobbin Winder is a most important improvement for with the the bobbins are wound in an accurate and uniform manner. This is done with absolutely no care or attention on the part of the operator further than to keep the treadle moving. This ingenious device is positive and operates without springs.
The Hand Wheel is strongly build and is finished with a beautifully nickel plated polished rim. It is equipped with a releasing device by means of which the mere movement of the milled edge disk at its outer edge releases the wheel so one can wind the bobbin without causing the machine to operate.
The Face Plate is held firmly in place by a single thumb screw so that it is very easily removed. It is beautifully etched showing our OVB trademark in bold relief.
The Working Parts throughout are build of best quality steel, all those subjected to constant wear being thoroughly hardened in oil and will last for a lifetime. The exposed parts are beautifully and permanently nickel plated over copper and then finely polished.
With this Iron-clad Ten Year Warranty Backing up Every OVB Bartlett Sewing Machine Of Our Line You Incur No Risk, Loss of Money, or Time.
CERTIFICATE OF WARRANTY.
We herby warrant this Family Sewing Machine number __________ to endure the wear and tear of family use for Ten Years from the date of purchase, and agree to replace Free of Charge, during that time, any defective parts, excepting only the wear and breakage of Needles and Shuttles.
HUBBARD, SPENCER, BARTLETT & CO.
*snip*
Mike420, I think I've taken this about as far as I can.
I've created a post with excerpts from various editions of HSB&Co. catalogs showing their sewing machines:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/305416-hibbard-spencer-bartlett-and-co-sewing
The two middle images pertain to your machine.
A persistent mystery (for me, anyway) is who actually made this machine? I suspect it might have been made by one of the major sewing machine makers of the day (such as Davis, National, or White), and badged for HSB&Co.
However, thus far I've been unable to find another machine that looks exactly like it. Similarly, thus far I've been unable to find a soft copy of a manual for this machine.
One of the vintage sewing machine enthusiasts forums such as the one on Facebook might have a copy:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VintageSewingMachines/
Their librarian has a collection of about a thousand vintage sewing machine manuals.
FWIW, here is my collection of vintage sewing machine links:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-vintage-sewing-machine-help
Good luck. :-)
So OK, I wasn't quite ready to let this go. };-)
It does bear a resemblance to the National Special/Improved Seamstress:
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=File:11natimpseam2890965a.jpg
Model: Special/Improved Seamstress
Size: Full – 14½in x 6 ¾ in
Body Shape: Rounded
Inspection Plate(s): Large Screw
Upper Tension: Face Plate
Stitch Length: Bed Screw
Notes: (Improved Seamstress & Wanamaker B)
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=National_Vibrating_Shuttle_Machines
Perhaps I should say that the 1915 OVB Bartlett looks like the National Improved Seamstress, because they both have the tension disc assembly on the face plate (along with the attendant move of the thread guide there).
Even the decals on the pillar look the same, although it's worth noting that the verbiage in the 1910 catalog describes the "decalcomania" as being "imported."
A search for the Wanamaker B proved interesting:
*snip*
1890-1900 "The Wanamaker B" Vibrating Shuttle Sewing Machine (treadle head - no cabinet), sold only by the Wanamaker Department Store. A badged machine made by the National Sewing Machine Co. (My edit: the serial number under the front slide plate looks like 217986.)
*snip*
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com/post/18901900-the-wanamaker-b-vibrating-shuttle-sewing-machine-9800268
This Wanamaker B doesn't have the same decal set, but it has the forward-facing tension disc assembly like the 1910 OVB Bartlett.
So perhaps the Victorian Sweatshop forum could help you out with a manual:
https://www.victoriansweatshop.com
Mike420, It's a bit of a long shot, but through worldcat dot org, I found out that the Minnesota Historical Society has a hard copy of an instruction manual for the National Sewing Machine Company's Seamstress model:
https://mnpals-mhs.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01MNPALS_MHS/ge68j0/alma990015677980104294
Your local library might be able to request that a copy be made (for a fee, of course):
https://www.mnhs.org/library/services/libraries#ill