shhhh, estate sale tomorrow
07-04-2009, 11:14 AM
#21
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Salem Iowa
Posts: 15,666
Originally Posted by Barbm
going to pick up 2 machines. 1 looks like a recent posting here for a featherweight. the belt is dry rotted and i don't like the looks of the electrical wire. can i replace the wire without affecting the value of the machine? I offered her $25. I figure if I have to put $100 into repair and cleaning, it's still worth it. It is in cabinet, which i think I would like to have refinished. Will that be OK for value?
Second machine- an industrial Singer in this metal table. lady was a seamstress in a factory. she used it to sew on all the time. i don't really need another machine, but i bought my juki to go on a frame, which i have yet to do. i can put the juki on the frame and use this to piece on. Sound good? she wants $100.
so don't tell anyone- especially her daughter- she has no clue and just wants to get rid of them. new SIL is sworn to secrecy, he's going to go help pick them up and i'll take them to my office until i can get them to the shop.
she also has an old Necchi, but I don't know anything about them. it's in a cabinet too. maybe i can get her to throw it in for free.
also getting 2 nice chairs for me to recover for my office. and- hand loomed rag rugs- holy cow- they are like 8 foot long, for your hall. i'm getting 2 brand new ones, $25 each.
i'll post pics tomorrow.
Second machine- an industrial Singer in this metal table. lady was a seamstress in a factory. she used it to sew on all the time. i don't really need another machine, but i bought my juki to go on a frame, which i have yet to do. i can put the juki on the frame and use this to piece on. Sound good? she wants $100.
so don't tell anyone- especially her daughter- she has no clue and just wants to get rid of them. new SIL is sworn to secrecy, he's going to go help pick them up and i'll take them to my office until i can get them to the shop.
she also has an old Necchi, but I don't know anything about them. it's in a cabinet too. maybe i can get her to throw it in for free.
also getting 2 nice chairs for me to recover for my office. and- hand loomed rag rugs- holy cow- they are like 8 foot long, for your hall. i'm getting 2 brand new ones, $25 each.
i'll post pics tomorrow.
You could look for repro parts so the value will be better than if you just used any new cord. Do keep in mind tho if you recycle a used part to check the cord for breaks. My DH just used an extension cord and rewired it. I didn't care at the time whether it retained any value or not. It is still going 25 years later.
I would definately replace it unless it is only a show piece.
My mom was an antique dealer and I grew up around antique shops. If you do necessary repairs it won't devalue it too much. If you can keep the look in the replacement part you will retain more of the value.
07-07-2009, 03:19 PM
#22
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: blink and you've missed it
Posts: 2,562
here are some pics. Based on the serial number- the Singer is from March 1940. It is a 66. the belt is dry rotted, but the wire looks fine. should I refinish the cabinet? It has paint overspray on the top. I would like it spiffy.
The other one appears to be a Singer- it has a model #AF on the front but nowhere else does it have any identifiers. Of course, it could, but I haven't cleaned it up yet. there is a drawer in the table- I found old thread and tons of heavy duty needles. And, a real find. A black heart with tiny diamond chips in it. It's almost the size of a quarter. I will put it on a chain and wear it. Reminds me of art deco period- probably worth $5 but it's my "find" in the midst of the dirty clean up job I have ahead of me.
Let me know what you think of my bargains. The industrial was $100 and the Singer was $25.
The other one appears to be a Singer- it has a model #AF on the front but nowhere else does it have any identifiers. Of course, it could, but I haven't cleaned it up yet. there is a drawer in the table- I found old thread and tons of heavy duty needles. And, a real find. A black heart with tiny diamond chips in it. It's almost the size of a quarter. I will put it on a chain and wear it. Reminds me of art deco period- probably worth $5 but it's my "find" in the midst of the dirty clean up job I have ahead of me.
Let me know what you think of my bargains. The industrial was $100 and the Singer was $25.
07-07-2009, 03:41 PM
#23
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Salem Iowa
Posts: 15,666
Your Singer is very nearly the same as my 50's Singer. I have a knee pedal but I don't have the door just a tip out drawer. The cabinet is very similar too.
Yes I would have the belt replaced. As to refinishing it that is a call you will have to make. The value is affected if it is not in good shape but if you want to preserve value don't do anymore than you have to. But how far you go only you can decide what you want it to look like.
I don't know how many of this era are available and that also affects the value. Look on line at sites that deal with renovating old Singers they can give you better advice than I can. And they will have access to any parts you might need.
There is another thread on the board about rebuillding an old Singer and someone put a link on there for Old Singer repairs. If and when I find it I will post it here.
I don't know much about the other machine.
Yes I would have the belt replaced. As to refinishing it that is a call you will have to make. The value is affected if it is not in good shape but if you want to preserve value don't do anymore than you have to. But how far you go only you can decide what you want it to look like.
I don't know how many of this era are available and that also affects the value. Look on line at sites that deal with renovating old Singers they can give you better advice than I can. And they will have access to any parts you might need.
There is another thread on the board about rebuillding an old Singer and someone put a link on there for Old Singer repairs. If and when I find it I will post it here.
I don't know much about the other machine.
07-08-2009, 03:25 PM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
Originally Posted by quiltingbee12
GET THE NECCHI!!!!
my first machine was a surprise necchi when i was 14. used it until i was ....uhmmmm... recently! the brushes were finally worn down too much to do anything with them. ran like a greased pig forever. get it get .
it will be your new old favorite machine.
07-08-2009, 03:41 PM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
i have a very old machine with lots of gold decorations on it and on the cabinet. it was originally a treadle. nobody ever wired it. i have it because it's beautiful (to me). it's on the original stand. i don't know what it is. it has no id. the gold leaf bits are dragons. there are three drawers on each side and a center drawer. here's what i did:
i use the table/machine as an end table at the side of my sofa. i had a sheet of table glass cut the size of the flip-down part. when i have company, i flip down the cover, leaving the machine in the hole, and cover the hole with the glass. now i have an interesting exhibit as well as a good-sized table to serve off of. the table glass is strong enough to hold a stack of small dishes, napkins and silverware for or for use as a small bar. i've used it both ways.
i use the drawers for permanent storage of my good silverware. large spoons, small spoons, large forks, etc. great looking serving piece and no complaints about another machine. :mrgreen:
you could definitely do that with the flip-down singer if you like it. just clean up the cabinet. interesting old pieces are the best, aren't they? :wink:
i use the table/machine as an end table at the side of my sofa. i had a sheet of table glass cut the size of the flip-down part. when i have company, i flip down the cover, leaving the machine in the hole, and cover the hole with the glass. now i have an interesting exhibit as well as a good-sized table to serve off of. the table glass is strong enough to hold a stack of small dishes, napkins and silverware for or for use as a small bar. i've used it both ways.
i use the drawers for permanent storage of my good silverware. large spoons, small spoons, large forks, etc. great looking serving piece and no complaints about another machine. :mrgreen:
you could definitely do that with the flip-down singer if you like it. just clean up the cabinet. interesting old pieces are the best, aren't they? :wink:
07-09-2009, 05:40 AM
#28
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7
If you can get that with the table for 25.00 I would say it is a shopping miracle. I love those shopping miracles. The table alone would be worth over 100.00. The picture doesn't look like an orignal featherweight table but the machine would be well worth the 25.00
07-09-2009, 09:14 AM
#29
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 125
I love estate sales. Last year my husband and I decided to stop at one when we were on the way out of town for our anniversary weekend. There wasn't much there, but in a bedroom at the top of the stairs was a wonderful oak sewing machine cabinet. No machine, just the cabinet; I'd been asking him for a cabinet for mine and had been looking at those at Hancock and Joann's. I got it for $50.00 and had to delay my trip a few hours so I could get it out. After I got it home I found that it had an insert for a free arm with it that perfectly fit my Viking and that the shelf the machine sits on is operated by an electric switch that raises and lowers it. :lol: :lol: The cheapest cabinet I'd seen that I would have considered bringing home was $350.00 on sale and wasn't even half as nice as this old one I got. Sometimes you get a great deal at estate sales.
Linda
Linda
07-09-2009, 11:35 AM
#30
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Posts: 43
Sounds like you found some great deals. There is no such thing as too many sewing machines. I have 6, am looking for a 7th and would like to add a treadle to the collection. It's like having too much fabric or chocolate...NOT!
Chris
aka busiacam
Chris
aka busiacam
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
quiltstodo
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
3
08-12-2011 10:12 AM
