Hey folks,
This last week and weekend has been very busy and stressful, but in the midst of all of the chaos and drama, this arrived on Saturday morning and made the day a whole lot nicer...
This is a Wheeler & Wilson #8 head and accessories box. (I am trying to work out arrangements with the seller to get the rest of the treadle that went with it) These were purchased by the sellers MIL several years ago. We have no way of knowing if the box was original to the machine or "bundled" by previous owners.
Previous books written about he W&W#8 state that Wheeler & Wilson did not add bed ornamentation to the #8 because "they would just wear off anyway". I now have two #8 machines now that prove that false. I know of a few others owned by other collectors that show bed ornamentation as well. They are usually just the center design and mostly trashed (as W&W claimed would happen)
This is the lowest serial number I have seen on any #8. (I'd love to locate an earlier one)
The #8 was made in two formats, the early model (like this) which has a flat spring on the back that is the presser foot tension and the needle bar and presser bar are significantly larger in diameter than the later ones. It also has the stitch length controlled by a lever UNDER the bed rather than the later style where it is next to the pillar.
It is generally accepted that W&W #8's have two types of top tension springs, the early ones are flat metal coiled like a watch spring, the later design was a more typical wire spring. THIS machine has neither one. it is a simple nut , leather, and disk arrangement.
There was minor damage where it looked like someone jammed the presser foot into the needle plate bending both. I am sure it was before shipping because there was crud in the exposed area around the needle plate. I straightened both easily.
As arrived:
After cleaning
Oh, and before I forget... here is the box of accessories that it came with
here is a closeup that shows the "oops" part.
