John, considering that an appraiser will tell you that a pristine sewing machine in a good condition "standard" cabinet is worth $150 - $200....I'd have given MAYBE $15 for that one. (If I'd have bothered with it at all)
Rust and dings may be a way of life, Lord knows I have my share, but I also know I'm not worth as much as I used to be!
Too many of us don't have the time or space to store/repair/refinish these old machines. I have a two bedroom apartment, and the refinishing I do gets done on my dining room table.
We've seen some beauties come from under the rust and grime, not all of us want to deal with that...and it certainly devalues the machine, as they're never as pretty as those that have been cared for.