Thayer -
I'm not sure I agree. I think it started out as a hand machine and someone has put on the motor, solid wheel and light later on. If it made its way from this country and arrived in the States as a hand machine then I can imagine it being converted to electric in a trice using parts that were in a sewing machine repair workshop. A repairman probably wouldn't want to leave on a spoked wheel in case he got blamed for anyone breaking their fingers in the spokes by accident when the motor was running.
That's my theory, anyway.
Sew Annie - any idea about the history of this machine. Can you uncover a sweet story about a GI bride?