Originally Posted by montanajan
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
I think the rule is still 100 years old for an antique and 30 to 50 years old for collectibles and 50 to 100 years old for vintage.
I've noticed a whole lot of ebay sellers don't really have a clue what they're talking about.
Re: ebay sellers calling something antique or vintage.
Another mistake they often make is calling old Singers, etc, "industrial" machines. Most are simply the old all metal ones designed for home use many years ago. They are not the same thing as truly industrial sewing machines; they just are workhorses from the day when (my Mom anyway) it was customary to sew one's own clothing, coats, upholstery, draperies, quilts, costumes for kids, wedding gowns, mend jeans, & so on.
These old machines still beat most of the newer models for durability, but technically are not industrial machines that were made for mass production of clothing, etc for retail markets.
So true about the industrial machines. I worked as an operator for several years. I would not expect an antique machine to function as an industrial type, nor vice versa. HUGE difference. As well constructed as many antiques are, they are not built for speed. The average home machine stitches up to 800 per minute wide open and floored, while an industrial can power out a minimum of 2500. How many people can handle their fabric that quickly and maintain control? ;)