Chele

Wow! Why were they so pricey? That was a lot of money back in the day.

Essiescott

I don't know about Featherweights---but I do have the original receipt from my 1899 Singer model 27 treadle. It was my husband's aunt's mothers. The receipt was for $50.00 paid cash on December 19, 1899. What I can figure out by looking at cost of living info, it would cost close to $1100.00 on todays dollar, but this was also dated 2005 info--and I am sure because of the recession and such---it could even be higher.

Sibyl

MTS

cost $50 in 1899 would cost $1292.70 in 2010.

Handy little tool:
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi

tellabella

I read that featherweights were $34.95..i don't know if that was the earlier ones or later on...

quiltingcandy

There was a TV show which showed the history of the sewing machine and it stated the before 1950 the purchase of the sewing machine was as important and the family car and in some places where they didn't need a family car it was the most important purchase.
No wonder my grandmother lived so close to her mother, she didn't sew unless she had to. My mother learned to sew from my great grandmother, but her sister learned just enough to sew on buttons and to fix hems.

irishrose

Interesting that 99s, 128s and FWs were in the same price range. Now you can buy the first two for much less than a FW. I paid $35 for my 128 in a bentwood case.

Maia B

AlphaSew makes a replica for $500. You can get a sweet ORIGINAL featherweight for much less.

jean1941

I saw one at a quilt shop the other day and they wanted $475.00 for it

ewecansew

I have a receipt from 1956. $169.50. included stool. Zig-zagger was $16.95 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Prices pencilled in on a brochure--127-3--$124. Cabinet 404--$149. 15-88 treadle --$149. 99K-13--$140( could be $114--too many notations to figure out the right price). 128-13--$89.50. 221--$145 (called Featherweight in the brochure. I am not sure of any difference in Canadian/US dollars back then.

Shelbie

My MIL paid $129 for her Featherweight (in Ontario) and $20 for the card table (discounted $10 because it was scratched) in 1950 and she still has the machine, table and receipt. She bought it to hem diapers for the new baby whe was expecting (DH). Her comment, "It was an awful lot of egg money".