Originally Posted by
ArchaicArcane
I read "somewhere" that machines were badged when they left the factories. If the machine left in 1951, it would get the badge. If the machine's serial number was allocated in 1951, but didn't leave the factory until 1952, it wouldn't get the badge. That's why the 1951 serial numbered and badged machines are a little more "special" than the ones where the serial number is from a different year.
Yeah, that sounds right...I kinda meant to echo what you said before about leaving the factory. I also read that Singer didn't want to sell centennial-badged machines in 1952 because people might think they were buying an older model. Not sure if that's true. When machines went to the dealers it must have been hard to know exactly when they would sell. So I wonder if the dealers were swapping out badges in 51 and 52.