ok, Sometime trying to help folks just get irritating....
here is the ad.
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/atq/4824189633.html
"This is a needle feed machine and pulls the material from left to right.The machine is used by sitting facing the face. i.e. not with the balance wheel on the right, but at the rear. c1860-61
Excelsior machines were marked Whight & Co...."
Except that the machine pictured is a Davis badged with the name "Excelsior"
I sent them the following:
FYI - This is a DAVIS vertical feed (needle drive) machine.
Specifically the VF2 model,.
It would date to after 1880
You can see the different models here
http://www.kelsew.info/domestic/davisVFmodels.html
And no, you do not sew on this sitting facing the face, you sit at it as normal.
Their reply was:
"It says excelsior..you can see it in the pic"
WOW, really? ok. Round two..
"I understand that, but the Davis company would put any name on the machine you wanted if you ordered at least 5 of them. During this period in sewing machine manufacturing "names" were used and reused by multiple companies (the reason we have more strict laws against that now) Just so we are clear, I am not accusing you of "lying", it is just that it is VERY common for this type of mistake to be made and I would not want to see a person end up in court for falsely selling a machine as one thing (worth a LOT) when it is truly something much more common.
Here is a link to show what an actual "excelsior" machine made by Whight and Mann looks like. It is the line drawing that looks like a fire hydrant with arms..
http://www.sewalot.com/prima%20donna...%20machine.htm
here is an actual photo of one of these amazingly rare machines
http://www.dincum.com/library/librar..._excelsior.jpg
Again, Just trying to help,
Their Reply:
"And I got it appraised "
My surrender:
"Sorry"