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-   For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts (https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/)
-   -   Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell (https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/vintage-sewing-machine-shop-come-sit-spell-t43881.html)

miriam 05-18-2012 03:27 PM


Originally Posted by nurseknitsLaura (Post 5226655)
I just looked at my emails from craigs list. I happen to have five things listed this week. it looks like I exchange about 10 emails per sale. More than I thought. I also looked at the relationship between no shows and phone numbers and found no relationship.(For example, today I had one sale, where we never exchanged phone numbers, and three no shows with phone numbers that didn't come, didn't call, and didn't answer their phone!) Which surprised me. Just to add info, I just hit reply to the ad, never change anything. I don't call unless it says please call no emails, or something like that. Most people seem to let the phone go to message, and I am really not interested in phone tag!

Packing a machine to ship is too much work. It would have to be a very high dollar machine for me to be willing to deal with ebay. I do ebay collectible stuff that needs a wider audience to sell. For example, I am down sizing my collection of Fisher Price vintage toys. That has to be on ebay, it's too weird of a collection. But not the tiny sewing machine! I'm keeping the tiny Fisher Price sewing machine!

I know what you mean about no shows. I have a couple pull toys I need to sell on Ebay.... CL doesn't cut it for stuff like that does it?

path49 05-18-2012 05:12 PM


Originally Posted by Havplenty (Post 5226617)
it looks like they have been rescued by someone. there is a vintage machine enthusiast/collector/restorer/seller in the area (belleville, il). i am wondering if she got them. she restores the vintage machines and then posts them on CL for $300+. she currently has a 15-91 listed for $350.00. that's a bit pricey to me but what do i know.:) i paid far less for my two 15-91's.:thumbup:

i will keep watching her ads to see if she got them what she lists them for.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ard/3013126895.html

I know the lady from Belleville....I bought my 403A from her. Her prices were much more reasonable then...her machines are a little high now. When I bought it, she was collecting & restoring Singers. Since then she bought out a Singer shop that closed. There was a back room there FULL of trade-ins & parts machines. But she usually gets her asking price because anything she sells is functionally perfect...worn/missing parts replaced, everything adjusted & cleaned. She even guarantees the machines she sells. Her prices are higher but you won't have to spend any more replacing parts etc. I really doubt that she's buying more machines to sell...but I could be wrong! Her house looking like a sewing machine museum BEFORE she bought out the Singer store. Now she has to have HUNDREDS of machines to restore/sell!

I really miss that old Singer shop though. It had been in business for many years. Any part that I needed for any brand of machine was there...& they were SO cheap. They had huge boxes of feet, cams, etc (new & used)...& would sell the used ones for $1 each. Once I needed a bobbin winder for an old Kenmore...she just gave me a screwdriver & led me to their parts machines. I think I gave a whopping $1.50 for it! No matter what you needed, they had it. Gosh, I miss that place....

Havplenty 05-18-2012 05:21 PM


Originally Posted by path49 (Post 5226877)
I know the lady from Belleville....I bought my 403A from her. When I bought it, she was collecting & restoring Singers. Since then she bought out a Singer shop that went out of business. There was a back room there FULL of trade-ins & parts machines. She usually gets her asking price because anything she sells is functionally perfect...worn/missing parts replaced, everything adjusted & cleaned. She even guarantees the machines she sells. Her prices are a bit higher but you won't have to spend any more replacing parts etc.

I really miss that old Singer shop though. It had been in business for many years. Any part that I needed for any brand of machine was there...& they were SO cheap. They had huge boxes of feet, cams, etc (new & used)...& would sell the used ones for $1 each. Once I needed a bobbin winder for an old Kenmore...she just gave me a screwdriver & led me to their parts machines. I think I gave a whopping $1.50 for it! No matter what you needed, they had it. Gosh, I miss that place....

she is a very pleasant person to talk with. i will take her my 15-91 that needs rewiring. i am thinking about taking her my 301a (for cleaning/tuning) also as her prices seem reasonable. i am not sure if i had to pay $350 for a singer 15-91 that i would own one. but that is just me.

Charlee 05-18-2012 08:17 PM

There's no way I'd pay $350 for a 15-91, or any other common machine...serviced or not, guaranteed or not! $150 is over priced!
People think they're buying an antique that they can't get anywhere else, and people like her are taking advantage of that. Pleasant to visit with or not, she's scamming folks.

BoJangles 05-18-2012 08:44 PM


Originally Posted by Charlee (Post 5227206)
There's no way I'd pay $350 for a 15-91, or any other common machine...serviced or not, guaranteed or not! $150 is over priced!
People think they're buying an antique that they can't get anywhere else, and people like her are taking advantage of that. Pleasant to visit with or not, she's scamming folks.

I have to agree with Charlee, those 15-91's go for $50 or less unless they are in a really nice cabinet - then I might pay $75!

Nancy

path49 05-18-2012 09:10 PM

She isn't scamming anyone. She never claims any of her machines are rare/hard to find...unless they are. I was kinda disappointed in my 403A 'cause there was NOTHING that needed adjusted, cleaned, or fixed...I repair/restore machines myself & really enjoy it! The machines she sells run like new. In many cases, she replaces plastic gears with metal before she'll sell a machine so it'll last a lifetime. She also offers lifetime support & repairs...because she also guarantees her work. Most people are more than willing to pay for that because the vast majority of sewers not only don't do their own repairs...a lot of them are scared to change the tension. This wasn't important to me as in 50+ years of sewing, I've NEVER run across a problem with a mechanical machine that I couldn't repair myself. But, it is important to a lot of buyers. In my opinion, you're only scamming someone if you're misrepresenting what you're selling. I've bought a LOT of vintage machines in my life...& other than accepting a return (within a week or so), she's the 1st seller I've ever run across that actually will guarantee her work for as long as you own the machine. She'll replace or repair it for free.

This lady isn't a friend of mine...I just bought a machine from her & can vouch for her honesty.

miriam 05-19-2012 01:44 AM


Originally Posted by path49 (Post 5227261)
She isn't scamming anyone. She never claims any of her machines are rare/hard to find...unless they are. I was kinda disappointed in my 403A 'cause there was NOTHING that needed adjusted, cleaned, or fixed...I repair/restore machines myself & really enjoy it! The machines she sells run like new. In many cases, she replaces plastic gears with metal before she'll sell a machine so it'll last a lifetime. She also offers lifetime support & repairs...because she also guarantees her work. Most people are more than willing to pay for that because the vast majority of sewers not only don't do their own repairs...a lot of them are scared to change the tension. This wasn't important to me as in 50+ years of sewing, I've NEVER run across a problem with a mechanical machine that I couldn't repair myself. But, it is important to a lot of buyers. In my opinion, you're only scamming someone if you're misrepresenting what you're selling. I've bought a LOT of vintage machines in my life...& other than accepting a return (within a week or so), she's the 1st seller I've ever run across that actually will guarantee her work for as long as you own the machine. She'll replace or repair it for free.

This lady isn't a friend of mine...I just bought a machine from her & can vouch for her honesty.

Those Singer 15s with a potted motor could be a B*&%h to redo. Check the motor redo on Rain's blog: http://vssmb.blogspot.com/2011/12/ho...rt-1-wire.html I don't blame her for charging that much if she has redone the potted motor. That kind of guarantee is worth it too. I think if you focus on what you can buy 'in the raw' it is different than what you buy that has been 'professionally' rebuilt. If you consider what a machine built like that would cost if it were new it is a steal! I have one or two that may be worth that much because they have NEVER been used... but to be totally safe, the wiring may need to be replaced from age and setting in a barn for all those years.

BTW the 403 may never need much fixing - those are a great machine!!!

Candace 05-19-2012 07:46 AM

These vintage machines are a good bet to put a lifetime guarantee on. I doubt she'd offer the same with any of the newer, plastic machines.

nurseknitsLaura 05-19-2012 12:29 PM


Originally Posted by Candace (Post 5227825)
These vintage machines are a good bet to put a lifetime guarantee on. I doubt she'd offer the same with any of the newer, plastic machines.

I'd love to be that kind of seller. Someday, when I'm good enough, I will be able to offer guarantees. I do have people try the machine out, and tell them they can call me if they have troubles, but that's not a guarantees. That's sort of a friendly suggestion. I also live in the kind of town that forbids most home businesses, so I don't want to raise any red flags or leave any paper trail. It's just me, having a Craigs List garage sale.

Working away on getting some machines out so i can get my 31-20 treadle in! It is driving me nuts, looking at it! Want to play!

One of my craigs list no call no show just showed up, paid asking price, and left. So, I guess you just never know!

spacebull1 05-19-2012 03:41 PM

What an awesome thread. :thumbup: http://smilyes4u.com/img/2/f1.png


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