Posted 3 years ago
NickM
(39 items)
Picked up this Singer machine recently. Great shape machine built in St. John's Canada around 1948. Serial number JC046317.
Trying to determine model number.
Singer Electric Portable | ||
| Singer Sewing Machines69 of 715 |  |  |
Hi, NickM. Cool. :-)
I figure you're already found the rather limited information about Singer serial numbers that have JC prefixes:
*snip*
ST. JOHNS
Letter JC series 1948 1954
*snip*
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer_dating_by_serial_number.html
Yep, that's it: a factory, a range of production years, and no model number information.
Fortunately, people who are used to looking at pictures of vintage Singer sewing machines can tell at a glance that your machine is what's called a Singer vibrating shuttle:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singer.Model27.IdentificationGuide.jpg
They can tell that, because of a number of key features, the most eye-catching of which might be that little house-shaped (some people call it "trapezoidal") access door mounted with a single screw.
Other features that most Singer's vibrating shuttle family members have in common are the split slide plates, and the circular needle plate.
The position of the bobbin winder narrows things down further. Yours is high-mounted, so that probably means it's a model 127, or 128.
It's probably a model 128, but to be sure, you'll need to measure its dimensions (the model 128 is pretty much identical to the model 127, but simply a three-quarters size version). Probably the easiest thing to measure is the length of the sewing machine bed.
If it's fourteen and five-eighths inches wide (14.625"), it's a model 127.
If it's twelve and five-thirty-seconds inches wide (12.15625"), it's a model 128:
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/inches-decimal-equivalents-d_471.html
About Singer models 127 and 128:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/128
Your decal set is called Celtic Swirl:
I can't tell what your face plate and rear access panel look like, but here is a gallery of them for you to browse:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
Your portable case is probably number 198 or 199:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/tables
A soft copy of a manual for models 127/128:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/127-128.pdf
Sorry, that doesn't seem to cover the motorized version. Here is a soft copy of a manual for the portable, electric, model 128-23; however, it isn't free (also, I notice that the trapezoidal panel has been replaced by a simple, large screw):
https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/0d16/47f7/7827_11086231399/img_11086231399_1641483908.JPG
*snip*
This is an Extremely Readable 8 1/2 Inch x 5 1/2 Inch COPY of the original. It is complete consisting of FIFTY-TWO (52) completely readable pages.
*snip*
https://www.bonanza.com/items/like/903923441/Singer-128-23-Portable-Electric-Sewing-Machine-Instruction-Manual
About the St. Johns factory:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/stjohns
My collection of vintage sewing machine links (which is in need of overhaul, but that ain't happening today):
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-vintage-sewing-machine-help
However, I realize it's a lot to sift through, so if you have more questions about your machine (other than value), just ask them here in a comment on your post. If I don't know an answer, I'll go back out into the wilds of the Internet, and try to find one. };-)
I found an adjusters manual for class 127/128 machines:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/364346/Singer-127.html
It does cover the electrical version, although the picture in the table of contents shows the non-electrical version.
It also shows a machine with no trapezoidal access door. I suspect that was a simplification.
I've never looked behind one of those little doors, but I suspect they just covered the large screw and kept out dust/debris. Singer probably figured it was unnecessary, and eliminated it.
D'oh! My brain isn't firing on all cylinders today.
I neglected to give you a link for the decal set:
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal33
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/decals/domestics/celtic-swirl.html
Thanks for this wealth of information. I want to get started with some basics on this machine and this will help. Yes, the Canadian JC serial numbers have little information for the novice. Glad to find an expert, thanks!
NickM, You're welcome. :-)
I'm not really an expert; I'm just an old Internet surfer who has a not altogether explicable fascination with vintage sewing machines. };-)