Would you pay this for a Featherweight?
12-20-2010, 05:39 PM
#52
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Olive Branch, MS
Posts: 86
Off but still somewhat on the topic I have a featherweight that my Mom got for me at an estate sale 15 years ago---I won't tell what she paid for it because it will just make folks sick---Anyhow it is a black one but it came in a tan & brown case. I never thought much abt it until I joined this board. I have since discovered that the tan ones came in the tan case. I have not seen anything to indicate that this is the only time the tan case was used. In closing I will mention that the machine I have was completely in tack, including book, accesories plus extra, foot pedal and tan case. Does anyone have thoughts abt this?????
THX Much & Merry Christmas to all and a Blessed New Year
THX Much & Merry Christmas to all and a Blessed New Year
12-20-2010, 05:51 PM
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Spring Lake, NJ
Posts: 2,458
I paid $350. a few years ago for one.........and would you believe it, I have never used it.
I so wanted it and had to have it and now...I enjoy my other machine so much, I just haven't gotten around to start on the featherweight...........
one of these days.......
I so wanted it and had to have it and now...I enjoy my other machine so much, I just haven't gotten around to start on the featherweight...........
one of these days.......
12-20-2010, 06:10 PM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: porter ok
Posts: 1,310
The 221 k I have belonged to my Grandmother who gave it to me 37 yrs ago in tact w/ orginal black wooden box with tray in top felt lined orginal manual & all attchments that fit in their place in the tray. She had used the fw along with her singer treadle these are what I learned to sew on. Now what I meant by DUPES is duplicates reproductions not real things.
12-21-2010, 02:12 AM
#56
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 15,368
There are several Featherweights at auction on E-Bay. However mine is Black and not Tan. We have purchased several that were terrific deals. The one I use all the time is a 1955 Featherweight 221. It was in Pristine condition with case and accessories and a buttonholer for under $300 including shipping. I even FMQ smaller projects on it and I just love it. I would check around before I purchased that one, but that is only my opinion. I would listen to those who are the experts on here, i.e., Featherweight and LostN51. They know their stuff LOL
12-21-2010, 07:17 AM
#57
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,148
Originally Posted by featherweight
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Originally Posted by featherweight
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Originally Posted by Enchanted Quilter
Make sure you check out the serial # & get pic before you buy of the black box & sewing attachments. Go online and make sure its a real one not one of the dupes thats out now. I have a 221K love it .
The Alpha Sew is only made in black. A refurbished machine is generally a 221, not a 221-K, so a tan 221-1 would look like a tan 221-1 not a 221-K. There is a difference.
A 221 (and 221-1) is the original machine and what most people call a Featherweight. It has a black japanned finish and an extension bed that is just a hair more than 5" long.
The face plate can be one of two fancy, scrolled versions or the later striated version. These face places are unpainted aluminum. It can have one of two types of gold decals - the older fancy one or the later "paperclip" style. The tension mechanism can be unnumbered (older) or numbered. There are two types of foot pedals made of bakelite. The badge or medallion on the arm is metal and riveted on. The white or mint green version 221K) has an extension bed that is shorter (just over 3"). The faceplate is aluminum but is painted the same color of the machine...no scrolls, no fancy work. The power cord/foot pedal is hardwired into the machine and the pedal is wider than it is tall (unlike the original black machines). The badge is just a decal that is stuck on. The tan model (221J) has the longer 5" extension bed, the plain painted metal faceplate, and the foot pedal/power cord is not hardwired. It too, has a decal-type badge.
So, what I was trying to say is if you have a "tan FW" and you have doubts as to whether it is original (a real 221J) look at its other features. If it has a scrolled or striated faceplate it probably is an original 221FW that has been refurbished and painted tan to make it look like a tan FW. There are so few tan machines out there most people aren't going to take a rare tan machine and repaint it...they're going to leave it tan.
Did I confuse the issue even more?
PS I double checked some machines on ebay right now and looked up in Nancy Johnson-Srebo's book to clarify..."J" machines are the real deal tan machines and "K"s the white/green machine.
I'm confused...did I offend you somehow? Sorry to have done so if I did, it wasn't intentional.
12-21-2010, 08:17 AM
#58
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Westminster, Co
Posts: 2,675
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Originally Posted by featherweight
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Originally Posted by featherweight
Originally Posted by dixiechunk
Originally Posted by Enchanted Quilter
Make sure you check out the serial # & get pic before you buy of the black box & sewing attachments. Go online and make sure its a real one not one of the dupes thats out now. I have a 221K love it .
The Alpha Sew is only made in black. A refurbished machine is generally a 221, not a 221-K, so a tan 221-1 would look like a tan 221-1 not a 221-K. There is a difference.
A 221 (and 221-1) is the original machine and what most people call a Featherweight. It has a black japanned finish and an extension bed that is just a hair more than 5" long.
The face plate can be one of two fancy, scrolled versions or the later striated version. These face places are unpainted aluminum. It can have one of two types of gold decals - the older fancy one or the later "paperclip" style. The tension mechanism can be unnumbered (older) or numbered. There are two types of foot pedals made of bakelite. The badge or medallion on the arm is metal and riveted on. The white or mint green version 221K) has an extension bed that is shorter (just over 3"). The faceplate is aluminum but is painted the same color of the machine...no scrolls, no fancy work. The power cord/foot pedal is hardwired into the machine and the pedal is wider than it is tall (unlike the original black machines). The badge is just a decal that is stuck on. The tan model (221J) has the longer 5" extension bed, the plain painted metal faceplate, and the foot pedal/power cord is not hardwired. It too, has a decal-type badge.
So, what I was trying to say is if you have a "tan FW" and you have doubts as to whether it is original (a real 221J) look at its other features. If it has a scrolled or striated faceplate it probably is an original 221FW that has been refurbished and painted tan to make it look like a tan FW. There are so few tan machines out there most people aren't going to take a rare tan machine and repaint it...they're going to leave it tan.
Did I confuse the issue even more?
PS I double checked some machines on ebay right now and looked up in Nancy Johnson-Srebo's book to clarify..."J" machines are the real deal tan machines and "K"s the white/green machine.
I'm confused...did I offend you somehow? Sorry to have done so if I did, it wasn't intentional.
12-21-2010, 08:23 AM
#59
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pittsburg, Kansas
Posts: 1,691
kAlmost 7 yrs.,I paid $500 for mine. It had never been used, was in as near mint condition as you could get, and I have loved it.
My technician and I were talking recently, and he says the price has dropped on them now. He has several in his shop, and he thinks the average price if $300.00. Someone stopped in last Summer and showed him one they got at a garage sale for $10.00. I couldn't believe it! He thinks the seller of that machine didn't know what they were doing.
If it is in good condition, has a book with it, and sews well, that $300.00 isn't a bad price.
Good Luck!
Mariah...
My technician and I were talking recently, and he says the price has dropped on them now. He has several in his shop, and he thinks the average price if $300.00. Someone stopped in last Summer and showed him one they got at a garage sale for $10.00. I couldn't believe it! He thinks the seller of that machine didn't know what they were doing.
If it is in good condition, has a book with it, and sews well, that $300.00 isn't a bad price.
Good Luck!
Mariah...
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