Posted 13 years ago
valerielove
(3 items)
I purchased this at an antique shop and have been unsuccessful in finding any substantial information about it. The only information I found was this article from Collector's Weekly - the link is http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/an-interview-with-antique-sewing-machine-collector-harry-berzack/
Can anyone provide me further information and a value of this rare and unique sewing machine?
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
These old machines are gorgeous !!
Pretty machine, it's a National Rotary. Not particularly rare or unique, and I can't work out how it would be operated in the current state? Does it have a motor added? Or maybe a treadle head that's been put into a portable base?
I have a friend that has one just like it in a treadle base . I could have bought it from her a while back , but I do not have room for it . This machine started out as a treadle also . I do not know why anyone would put it into a case as it has no motor boss to attach a motor or handcrank . I guess they just wanted to display it .
It's hard to tell from that one photo - it may have had one of the friction drive motors - like this one?
http://www.sewnuts.com/non-sing/horne.htm
This Manhattan machine never had a friction drive motor !
I'm amazed that you can be so certain, DobbinDee70. It's really hard to tell from the photo above. Here is an example of how the friction motor attaches.
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2362972280054936530nUTMxh
Bernadette : I am certain because I have seen this model machine in PERSON !!! There is no place to attach a motor on this model machine . I also own several friction drive sewing machines and I know how they work . The Manhattan machine pictured above was made as a TREADLE and nothing else .
In person, well that does make a difference - thank you for sharing that, and it certainly clears up any mystery about the machine. I wonder if Valerie saw my first comment 9 months ago?