Posted 2 years ago
EEdward
(1 item)
I am visiting my wife in Turkey. A neighbor showed us her old sewing machine that she says is maybe more than 100 years old. It is embedded in a desk, "Numan", and the serial on the base plate reads C3669190. When I looked up the serial in ISMACS, the info on C series is limited - and I don't know which model this is. In my image searches, I haven't seen too many machines with the knobs and switches like this on the neck. There are no ornamental decals like many other machines. Can you help identify? She said she has only one bobbin, and it is hard for her to change thread colors. I would love to know which bobbin fits her machine to get her a few more when we return back to the States! Thank you.
Hi, EEdward. :-)
A treadle mounted Singer with a "C" prefix serial number. Very cool.
Yeah, the infamous "C" serial numbers. :-(
We can still figure out some things about this machine.
There's a online tool for identifying various models of domestic singers:
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm
Sandman thinks we're looking at a Singer model 206:
https://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm#37
About the model 206:
*snip*
The Singer class 206 sewing machines was very advanced for its time, as it was the first domestic model with zigzag (swing needle) capability. They were produced in the Bridgeport, USA factory as the 206W, at the Kilbowie, Scotland factory as the 206K and at the Wittenberge, Prussia factory as the 206D. The 206 machines were produced between 1936 and 1953, when they were replaced by the very simular 306.
*snip*
The Singer 206 was unusual in using needles with shorter points than the common 15x1 needles used on other domestic machine models. It is essential that ONLY the correct type 206x13 needles are used in the 206 models, or else serious damage can result. The 206's also used special type 55623 large capacity bobbins which were mounted vertically.
*snip*
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/206
Probably the oldest this machine can be is about 1936 and the youngest is about 1939-1944 (because of WWII):
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/wittenberge
Incidentally, here is the much copied Wittenberge Singer information to which the writer at singersewinginfo made reference:
http://www.toolfool.org/sewing/Wittenberge_Serial_Numbers.pdf
http://www.toolfool.org/sewing/Wittenberge_Machine_Series.pdf
On to the problem of bobbins -- and needles while we're at it -- because the 206 also takes a special needle.
This outfit has two different bobbin types that are supposed to fit Singer model 206 (it says 206K, but the "K" suffix just means 206 machine heads made at the Kilbowie factory):
*snip*
Guaranteed to fit Singer Sewing Machine Models:
103K7, 115, 120U, 188K1, 191D200A, 20U, 20U11, 20U13, 20U31, 20U33, 20U43, 20U53, 20U73, 20U73B, 20U83, 20U83B, 206K, 251, 281, 291U1, 291U3, 306K, 306W, 319, 1191D300A, 1591D300A, 591D200A, 591D300A, S16
*snip*
https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/bobbins-universal-deep-groove-10pk-55623s.aspx
*snip*
Guaranteed to fit Singer Sewing Machine Models:
103K7, 188K1, 20U, 20U11, 20U13, 20U31, 20U33, 20U43, 206K, 251, 281, 291U3, 306K, 306K25, 306W, 319
*snip*
https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/bobbins-aluminum-quick-winding-55623aq-10pk.aspx
Now for the needles:
https://www.singeronline.com/si20neformo2.html
Come to that, Amazon is selling both needles and bobbins advertised to fit Singer model 206 machines:
https://www.amazon.com/Schmetz-206X13-14-Needles-Singer/dp/B085M2BL8G
https://www.amazon.com/YEQIN-Bobbins-Machine-Alphasew-Bernina/dp/B01MU9MF3Z/
Here's my collection of vintage sewing machine links in case I'm forgetting something:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/285089-help-for-vintage-sewing-machines
However, it's a lot to sift through, so if you have any more questions, just ask them in a comment on your post.
Good luck :-)
Hi again, EEdward. :-)
I belately realized that I'd neglected to provide a link for a manual, so here are three, one operator, one adjuster, one parts:
https://manuall.co.uk/singer-206-sewing-machine/
https://archive.org/details/singer-206-k-25-adjusters-manual-en/mode/2up
https://www.universalsewing.com/images2/parts_lists/all/3nr276qe.pdf
They're for various submodels of the model 206, but hopefully they're similar enough to your wife's neighbor's machine to be helpful.
One last tidbit: while your wife's neighbor's machine doesn't have any decals, it does have one of Singer's beautiful faceplates:
https://d33wubrfki0l68.cloudfront.net/dee7efbcaf80506df7f2f5cdc77533425a70f71f/37009/images/gallery/gf306-02-240x360.jpg
206 & 306 (Simanco 188903)
https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_faceplates
Hello, maybe i'm late or too late ...
but
i can help you with some information about your Singer 206D made in Wittenberge.
The Singer 206 is a german machine - patented by Alfred Tiesler, Januar 26th in 1934
>Alfred Tiesler, Wittenberge, near Potsdam, Germany, asslgnor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1934, Serial No. 756,948 In Germany January 26, 1934 11 Claims.
the patend drawings show the Singer 206.
The C numbered German Singer 206 are capable of using the standard needle 130/705 (US term DB 15x1) - that a great adventage!
Cause i live in Germany i have collected a lot of this C Numbered Singer 206. Compared to the Singer 206K the 206D hook has 10 gramms less weight... There is never been a better Singer ZigZag machine then the Singer 206D.
Your serial is one of the last batch C 3662000 - C 3689999
i can date it to 1939
Nopi -- Zat you, UA? };-)
Anyway, thank you very much for the clarification/expansion on this VSM. :-)