Posted 2 years ago
Barbm85
(1 item)
I was given this and are not sure if it's worth anything or how much it would be worth. It even works. Can anyone help me out any information about this?
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Hi, Barbm85. :-)
Valuation isn't done here in the Collectors Weekly Show & Tell forum.
You could get an appraisal from this outfit underneath the same corporate umbrella (Barnabys), but it isn't free:
https://www.valuemystuff.com/us/appraisal
I can at least tell you the basics of what you have, and give you some online resources to explore for more information.
What you have is a Singer model 221, commonly known as a Featherweight because of its relatively slight weight compared with other contemporary vintage sewing machines of its day. It was in production 1933 - 1968.
Pretty much everything you always wanted to know about Singer Featherweights but were afraid to ask is at this website:
https://singer-featherweight.com/
A quick visual assessment based on the medallion badge suggests that yours is of mid-1953 or later vintage:
*snip*
About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge.
*snip*
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/timeline-history-of-the-singer-featherweight
Where to look for the serial number so that you can determine its age more precisely:
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/dating-your-featherweight-machine
Here's a soft copy of a 1951 manual for a 221K (the "K" suffix means it was made at Singer's Kilbowie factory, and the only real differences from the USA-made ones would be the electrical components):
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer_221k_manual_1951.pdf
Here's an undated manual for a USA-made 221:
https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-sewing-machine-221-1-featherwight-manual.pdf
You also have a buttonhole maker, and some other attachments. Here is a gallery:
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/vintage-singer-attachments-accessories
Featherweights are considered quite desirable by vintage sewing machine enthusiasts, although yours seems to have been somewhat abused, judging from the state of the finish.