I have an older one - 1938. It most certainly is not in pristine condition but it works like a champ. It's fabulous. My go to machine. Why are you concerned about a couple of chips in the paint? Does it work well? Does it produce those awesome stitches that you were looking for? We all have a couple of chips in our paint and do the best we can. I think you should just love what you have and leave the thought of museum quality behind. Congratulations on being a member of the 221 lovers group!