The face plate on the electric is plain. You can see the embossing on the treadle model. The rear plate is a pear shape cast iron piece on the electric and just a regular cover for the treadle. I have been wanting to put the two on the same table and compare closer. These are not identical machines. There is maybe something wrong with the bobbin winder on the treadle model - I don't know enough about the machines to know how to fix it yet.