Originally Posted by BoJangles
Probably made in the 1890's. I am still compiling information. Any one, have more information?
Nancy
Ok Trish, I have been researching some more and I was in the ball park. I found out that in Davis's heyday they made 75 to 150 sewing machines per day. That would still put your machine somewhere in the late 1800's.
What is more fun to learn is that Davis was voted the "excellence award" above Bradbury, Wheeler & Wilson, & Jones in 1879-- Davis got 1st place, in treadle, and 1st place in Hand machines. This is after the results were protested and re-done by the first set of judges, protested again then re-done by a new set of judges in Melbourne, Australia with judges not familiar with the Davis at all!
This is what ISMACS says, "What made the Davis machine so revolutionary? The secret was the "Feed." The feeds used previously were wheel-feed which consisted of a revolving wheel, which automatically moved forward at each stitch. The Davis Machine had a "vertical feed." This was a major improvement over the old method and allowed for smooth and flexible seams with stitches alike on both sides. It also allowed the sewing of any number of thicknesses without basting, and operated equally well on the heaviest as well as the lightest fabrics."
I think this stuff is so fasinating!
Nancy