Although I don't own an antique sewing machine, I sure would love to one day. I've looked and looked online, especially at the Red Eye models and marveled at some of them that have nearly flawless finishes and decals. But I just realized, while reading this post, just how sad a flawless finish is on one of these beauties. It's like dust on a Bible - how sad that it never got used. So if I ever do purchase one of the older Singers, I think that the signs of use will make me think of the person who owned it before me, and I will wonder what she made and who or what she thought of while she was sewing.