Originally Posted by
Shelbie
Black Featherweights are basically the same but there were small changes through the years. Light switches can be in different places (right side, base of machine or up on the end of the light itself), the face plates (Egyptian scroll in earlier models, striated after 1952 or so). Later models also had a different style of decals on the base and the accessory trays and cases have several variations. The white and tan ones are different again, shorter fold up base, no decals, painted metal face plate and a wired in cord that directly attaches to the foot controller. It really depends on what you want, overall condition and whether any of these small differences matter to you.
Egyptian scroll silver color face plate from Oct 1933 until 1946 or 1947. 1948 and later are all striated silver color face plate until you get into the pale turquoise (white) and tan machines that have a molded face plate the same color as the machine and as you said no decals. The pale turquoise are run with a belt inside while the black and the tan machines have gears inside. The pale turquoise has a shorter fold up bed extension, but the tan machine is the same size as the black machines.
Some of the older machines 33-say 1940s may need to be rewired, but I have not seen any in the late 1940s or later that needed rewiring unless not stored well.