I'm doing the happy dance! This is a Singer 185K that I found on on Craigslist today and just had to bring her home! She needs a good cleaning and oiling, but seems to work fine, and is in pretty darn good shape for being over 50 years old. :-) SWEET!

Wendy

She looks a beauty

Nice machine. Love that she comes with her own case.

Congrats on your great fine!

she looks in really good shape - congrats!

She looks really good for 50!!

Beautiful. I brought the same machine home yesterday from a yard sale. Mine was born Jan. 26 1959. They are great machines. Enjoy. Happy quilting. :)

happy sewing - what a bargain!

Awesome

Love your new find! It is in such great condition!!
I bought the green 185K a few weeks ago at a pawn shop for $20! Sews great. Does need a slide plate over the bobbin though. I just used one from one of my other vintages to test it out but will look for one for this machine.

Nice machine. I just got an 185J this week at a local thrift store for $4. Cute little machines, but really heavy.

Enjoy your find!

I really like the looks of this machine.

Oh she's so pretty!!!!!!!! Love the color! Have fun!!! :D:D

So cute. Is this a straight stitch machine? I've thought about adding one of these to my ever growing hoard.

Yes, it is a straight stitch machine. From what I've read, its "insides" are the same as the model 99, but has a "modern" outside. Very cute little machine!

Hello Wendy,

Nice shade of 1950s green.

It was manufactured in Scotland, not England. Hate to quibble, but I think you'd better change your posting quick before a Scot sees it.

There's a decal on it that says "Made in United Kingdom" so I guess that could be, but the Singer serial number lookup shows "England" so....

Now I'm puzzled. Did you look it up on www.singerco.com?

To my knowledge they only ever had the factory at Kilbowie in Glasgow, which is what the K stands for in the serial number. That is why all my Singers are K models.

I've looked up the serial numbers of the 185s made at Kilbowie in 1960. Does it begin with EP or ER?

I meant to say the K in the model number stands for Kilbowie, not in the serial number. Sorry for making it even more confusing.

Yes, I was on singerco.com last night. I'll have to go back and look again tonight when I get home. I certainly could be a bit confused... I was kind of excited. :lol: I am possitive though that the decal says "Made in United Kingdom". And to confuse the issue even more, there's a plate on the motor that says "Made in Canada".

Thanks for helping me sort out the info on this one. :thumbup:

Perhaps it was a replacement motor.

Also, it's interesting that you say it has the same innards as a 99. The 185s and 99s were made in the same batch of machines. Now I understand why!

Aw what a beauty.

Pretty machine! Her color reminds me of my 15-125~

I checked the serial number lookup on singerco.com again, and yes you're right, it was made in "Factory Name: Kilbowie
Clydebank Scotland" in 1960 according to the listing there. Thanks for clearing this up for me.

Hello Wendy - glad we got there!

Why don't you put a photo on the Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Photos thread? I think the fact that it has the same insides as a 99K is fascinating, and something worth explaining on that thread! You can see my 1916 99K at http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-130994-10.htm - it has the old fashioned screw for the stitch length instead of a lever - and smile at the fact that you are looking at essentially the same machine. Have you taken the face plate off yet and seen the works in motion? When the needlebar moves the mechanism it is attached to looks like a performing monkey... you'll know what I mean when you see it.