Originally Posted by kwendt
VM! What a GREAT story/find! How wonderful! Congrats on your 201 find!
I also just thought of something to tell all my good friends here at VMS: a short time ago, I answered a craigslist ad about 3 vintage/antique Singer machines a lady was selling. On one, the decals looked... odd. Very garish/colorful. The S/N was also very odd. Looked like an old machine. With help of some on this site, I was able to find out that it was NOT a vintage/old machine, it was of new manufacture. The lady was also billing her FW as antique.... but I wasn't buying it. I emailed her back and without accusing her of anything, informed her that her one machine at least was a copy or new manufacture and was not a vintage Singer at all. I didn't hear back from her. Last week, she posted the same ad again, the same pictures of the machines, again as antique/vintage. So be careful, be wise and educated! That's why I LOVE this site!
Maybe, she really doesn't understand that repro treadles are still being made. The repro treadles and repro vintage machines are fine if that is what you want and realize that is what you are buying. If this lady is really trying to pull a fast one, you know you can flag her ad as a misrepresentation (or something to the equivalent) so Craigslist is aware she is trying to pull a fast one. If you post the listing, we could send her the same little question about whether or not these are really vintage machines. It would be sad for someone who really wants a vintage to end up with a repro because they didn't realize. The fact that you brought it to her attention, was ignored, then she reposted, tells me she is aware that these are not the real thing. The antique in the ad is what says 'redflag' this gal. If I posted an ad and someone questioned the machines, I'd sure reply back for more information or at least reply back that I know they are the real thing!
Nancy