Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
05-18-2012, 03:27 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,507
Originally Posted by nurseknitsLaura
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!
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!
05-18-2012, 05:12 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Illinois...near St. Louis
Posts: 392
Originally Posted by Havplenty
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.
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 paid far less for my two 15-91's.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 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....
Last edited by path49; 05-18-2012 at 05:23 PM.
05-18-2012, 05:21 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MO (the Show Me state)
Posts: 2,947
Originally Posted by path49
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....
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....
05-18-2012, 08:17 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 6,442
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.
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.
05-18-2012, 08:44 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Originally Posted by Charlee
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.
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.
Nancy
05-18-2012, 09:10 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Illinois...near St. Louis
Posts: 392
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.
This lady isn't a friend of mine...I just bought a machine from her & can vouch for her honesty.
Last edited by path49; 05-18-2012 at 09:16 PM.
05-19-2012, 01:44 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
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Originally Posted by path49
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.
This lady isn't a friend of mine...I just bought a machine from her & can vouch for her honesty.
BTW the 403 may never need much fixing - those are a great machine!!!
05-19-2012, 07:46 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
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.
05-19-2012, 12:29 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San francisco Bay Area
Posts: 249
Originally Posted by Candace
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.
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!
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