Cogito

Today I was in contact with someone who answered my ad looking for a Singer 401. He sent me this picture along with a couple others. Well it isnt a 401, lol! But it does look like a crinkle or Godzilla finish on a 127/128 Singer. But! I was not aware that other finishes were ever covered up. Doesn't it look like it could be the Sphynx/Egyptian Decals under that crumbling decay? Would Singer have done this or did an owner do this way back when to hide worn out decals? I would love to get a closer look but he wants $50 for it and it looks pretty trashed so not willing to drive the 100 mile round trip just to look. What do ya'll think?

tessagin

I would move on and just bypass this one even for $50.

Cogito

Tessagin,
yes I have no intention of buying....but I am just sooo curious about that finish under the finish, lol! So if it was in my neighborhood i would have to go lookey see. But not willing to travel 100 miles just to satisfy my curiosity. That's why I brought here for my good friends to tell me what I don't know. Actually I have purchased some lovely 127 and 128's and have never paid more than $25. This one is just NOT worth even $10 in MHO. There are just too many around if one needed a beat up one for parts....don't need to spend $50. Unless of course you all tell me it is some rare freak of nature and I should run, not walk to go snatch it.

Cogito

One piece this does have that is often missing is the front slide plate. Still even that isn't worth $10 to me, lol as I have been lucky enough to have front slide plates on all of my shuttle machines.

Rodney

My understanding is back in the 1940s or around there dealers would refurbish old treadle machines to be electric. Since the machines were no longer as they left the factory, Singer would make the dealers repaint them so it was obvious they were refurbished. Dealers were allowed to use the metal Singer tag you see on that machine.
The paint job didn't hold up on yours.
Rodney

Candace

Very interesting. I've never seen something like that in person.

miriam

I have not seen it in a crinkle finish but I have one that was re-habbed then not used:
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The badge is missing and the bobbin winder seems to be a different attachment. When I put on a spoked wheel, it will not work to wind the bobbin and the bobbin winder holder that was original was likely ground off. The wheel was probably replaced when it was electrified.

Rodney

I think I saw somewhere on here that dealers could buy conversion kits at the time. I'm sorry I don't remember which thread though.
Rodney

Macybaby

It's just a sphinx decal 127 that was refurbished. I've got a sphinx 27 that is refurbished. Paint ins not flaking off, however they did not take off the singer plate when they did it, and you can see the part of the decal that was underneath with it removed. There are a few other places the old decal is peaking through too.

Dealers could do this - Singer's only catch was they were suppose to remove the badge. They could keep the Singer name on them. I don't know if painting over the batch counted, but that is what mine had. What I've read was that during the war when production of sewing machines stopped, dealers converted older treadle machines to electric and gave them on updated paint job so they'd have something to sell.

Did you know that Singer actually had a try at making hand guns? they didn't make many, guess they ddin't get the contract. They are very nondescript, and are worth way more than one would think looking at them.

J Miller

I have one Singer 66-18 that is a crinkle repaint. It's a decent job so I have no idea what's under it.
I also have one refurbed 66-1 with a conversion low shank pressure foot rod a darning pressure foot tension control, and a Revco Reverser stitch control which doesn't work worth a hoot. What's under that one I do not know either.

The handgun that Singer made in WW II was the 1911a1. They didn't loose or not get the contract, they got another contract that was far more important to the war and the pistol went to another manufacturer. Singers ability to make lots of identical small parts gained them the contract to manufacturer the Nordon Bomb sight that was used in our B-17s and many other bombers during the war. The bomb sight was an extremely precise mechanical computer and Singers ability for high quality manufacturing made it possible.

Joe