Originally Posted by
KathyJB
There isn't the usual serial number on the flat base. He didn't see a serial number anywhere. He'll have to go look when it's not so busy.
I think that it is probably under the front on the lip. If you raise the front I think it should be there. (I gathered that from
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...r-t247808.html ) I was thinking singerco had a page about where serial number was, but I couldn't find it. This page
http://www.singerco.com/support/machine-model-numbers shows where the model numbers are, but by the dates there it doesn't seem to apply to these machines.
I think the easiest way to tell that this is a reproduction is the the drop feed, as Cari pointed out. There are several differences between the original model 15s and the reproduction models. The site Leon referred to also shows original decals at
http://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/decals/decal12/ and comparing them you can see that the original had finer details and different colors. I also noticed the lever on bobbin winder is different. Most of the originals have a fancy nose plate, where the reproductions have the striated nose plate. As Mickey2 noted the round stitch length isn't seen until after they stopped using the original Sphinx decals.
A couple of other threads that talk about this machine -
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...a-t192988.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...l-t146352.html
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.