Yes - without a doubt - yours is a New Royal - and no, the patent date is not the date it was made. It's very common to find patent dates that are way, way older than the machine. All a patent date means is it was not made BEFORE that date.
Wilcox & Gibbs put the same patent date on all their chainstich machines - I think the most recent is 1894 - and I believe they continuned doing that until they stopped making the particualr machine- some time in the 1940's or 50's.
I believe yours was made after Free took over the Illinois Sewing Machine Company. Needlebar indicates New Home took over, but I know I read it differently somewhere else. Free took over New Home, but at a later date than these machines were made. That is why it uses the same narrow foot that Free has (when no other company used it).
The only drawback, this machine takes a unique shuttle and needle that no other Mfg used (not even Free). That is why I bought one, I have been collection machines so I have one for each of the 12 different aftermarket shuttles that Boye sold. It takes shuttle #19 and needle #24, if you look for vintage Boye stock.
Last edited by Macybaby; 04-03-2015 at 04:36 PM.