I just got off the phone with my sister (the one who gave me the FW) and we got to talking sm (go figure) and she needs help with dating a couple of hers. I looked up the ones with the serial numbers, but one has the plate missing but does have patent dates on the plate: oct 8, 1870, Nov 1872, Jul 6 1880, Oct 28, 1880, Mar 20, 1883. It is a Singer treadle with "scallops" for decals. She says there is wheat and flowers in the center.
Next one is a coffin top and the serial number for this one is hard to make out...10181 081...she said it could be IO 181081, but I couldn't find any serial numbers beginningn IO, so if I go to no letter prefix and assume is it as first written I come up with an 1891 which would go with the last patent date on it of July 13, 1887. It has leaves in gold/green/dull orange on the flat of the machine (I call it the floor) and decals over the belt guard. Is there more information I can glean from this group or the internet about these machines??