I have noticed that there is a lot of interest in Vintage sewing machines and people wanting information on them. I am far from an expert and what I have learned is from hands on experience and from lots of friends that have the same interest. The NeedleBar is hands down the best place to find out the correct history behind the machines and the men who made them. Also there is the Smithsonian, it has quite a bit of information, manuals, and just about anything to do with the sewing machine.
There were more than just a handful of manufacturers back when the "Machine Wars" were happening and when you see this list you will understand why it was a war. Everyone in the world was trying to up the next guy and say that their idea was the "original one" when it came to new innovations of the sewing machine.
Like the Automobile the sewing machine has not been around all that long. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1840's was when the idea flopped here in the states and Elias Howe went to England to try and to sell the idea of a mechanical sewing device.
When it caught on boy did it ever catch on. If you had a Garage and some mechanical ingenuity you were in the sewing machine business. Hundreds of companies popped up manufacturing the sewing machine thats just in the USA. There were more over seas that would take several decades before hitting our shores.
I am going to post a link to the Smithsonian site for Sewing Machine Makers list. This is mind boggling withing itself but when you find a company name you want to look at you can click on it and it will take you to the catalog of information they have on the particular maker. There will be user manuals, sales literature, pricing, correspondence from within the company, Trade Cards, you name it they have it.
Not everything has been scanned but if you get the location number and the piece your looking for you can call or email them and they will send it to you. This may take a while but it is worth every minute you have to wait.
I live on this site doing research on the Japanese machines and the makers of badged machines. I also use this to find out information on the treadles that I have collected and in the process of refurbishing.
But the purpose of this post is to give you and outlet to do your own research and just to see what is out there in the Vintage and Antique sewing machine world.
Here is the link enjoy........ :thumbup:
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...-drilldown.cfm
Billy