frudemoo

So as y'all know, I got a special birthday present this year (a little early) - a freearm 222K which I now have at the LSMG to give a looking over.

A couple of days after my birthday, we were going out to dinner with friends and one of them arrived with his granmother's Singer 28 Handcrank machine c. 1917 - amazing history behind it as her husband was the Commissioner to Bombay around this time and possibly bought the machine in India as it has the star of India decal on the flatbed. It has a beautiful bentwood case pics here

He also promised ANOTHER machine, which he said was a Phoenix (belonging to his other grandmother) and I was wide eyed with astonishment. I was thinking "please let it be a 283F" .........and BEHOLD!
It's a 1957 283F - - the ONLY machine I could have been tempted to expand my herd with.

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I made a contact some time ago (through a completed listing on eBay) - a woman who was selling this exact machine, but I had some questions she was unable to answer. She moved house and had packed the machine away - but promised if she ever unearthed it again to sell that she would contact me. I had been looking forward to that happening some time in the future....... but now I guess I don't have to! Except that the machine is supposed to come with a laminated white oak tray that completes the bed and they seem to be rarer than the machine. The eBay lady's machine actually came with that, so we'll see.....

I love that it's the antithesis to the Featherweight free-arm. It's like the King Kong version - twice the size! I also have a Phoenix 250 treadle that's not exactly functional. That one is called River *canned laughter* - this one I think I'll call Fawkes, after Dumbledore's Phoenix from Harry Potter.

JudyTheSewer

Oh! Lucky you. A Phoenix is a machine that I want. Congratulations! Does she sew beautifully?

Mizkaki

WOW! A real beauty. Congratulations.

Cathy

BarbaraSue

That is one beautiful machine. I like the Fawkes name for it. I think it fits.

redmadder

...took my breath away!

frudemoo

Thanks Judy - I haven't got him sewing yet. There's a bit that's stuck, but I've got high hopes!

Thanks Cathy

It is really growing on me too! Glad you like it.

Here's hoping he sews just as beautifully!

Mizkaki

Hopes he flies like Fawkes.

Candace

Very cool. I don't think I've ever seen this model.

DanofNJ

That is...ah...one handsome machine.

frudemoo

Thanks for all the compliments everyone. I think it's a pretty magnificent looking machine as well! I am being "good" and making sure everything is in order before I try and start sewing. Unfortunately(?) my thoroughness uncovered wiring where the insulation was gone. My dad was just going to re-insulate the dodgy sections until he realised that the manufacturers deemed it appropriate to run 240V to the light... blew his mind a little bit, but they probably do that with all older machines. So he very diligently took the whole thing apart and replaced the wiring, but I've got a bit of a shopping list: new light globe, new light switch (we realised it was broken off) and new power cords to the outlet as well as foot pedal. All the connectors are in good order and the brushes in the motor aren't showing much wear. Fingers crossed!

Also, I got a VERY exciting text message this morning from the friend who gave it to me. He had put his detective had on and asked his parents about the bentwood tray that's missing and they think they might actually still have it somewhere. I will absolutely swoon if I end up with a complete machine - and with all new wiring and a good polish, I think Fawkes will be very regal indeed