What did I buy for $50?
 

I found this lovely machine at an antique store this past weekend. The cabinet isn't in great condition, but the machine is lovely! :cool: I know nothing of antique sewing machines, from what research I've done it appears to be a 15 series made in Canada in the late 40s-early50s. But what version of the 15 it is, I cannot figure out. It looks to have been a treadle converted to an electric motor. I was hoping that the collective wisdom of this board could help me out. I need to get a manual for it. It only came with a few bobbins. The guy at the store didn't know anything about it other than it was running when he got it a few weeks ago. I am trying to post pictures. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I CAN'T help you, but someone will be along to help. Looks like a pretty good machine to me.

It is definitely a Mdl 15 treadle but I don't know what the - # is. If the treadle mechanism is complete all you'd need to do to return it to treadle power is pull the motor off and put a belt on it.


Joe

It is a 15-88, to which someone has added a motor and a light.

I have a machine just like that, and I used to have that treadle table as well, and someone added the motor and light to mine as well.

I'd convert it back to a treadle, as they are pretty cool.

You can download a manual for it at singerco.com.

An oh, I forgot to add, by the blue ring on the badge I think it's a 1951 vintage Centennial model.

Nice machine. Well worth the money in my opinion.

Joe

Thank you so much! I knew someone here could help me out!:thumbup:

Singer used the 15-xx on both Industrial and Domestic machines, one of the reasons for the confusion for sellers saying the Model 15 is industrial - when they really have a domestic production machine. And sometimes Singer used the same -xx for both the domestic and industrial version - just put heavy duty insides in one of them.

The 15 Class was made from 1895-1957

Yours in is this "group" BTW- the 15-86 is in an earlier age group

Produced between 1933-1956 (though it looks like Singer stopped production on the treadle/hand style before the electric)

88 is treadle (spoked flywheel)
89 is hand crank (spoked flywheel)
90 is electric belt motor (solid flywheel)
91 is electric potted motor



More often than not, for any given time frame of production, the -XX numbers differentiation between power sources, and not any other options.

Nice machine, great find!

beautiful machine and a great buy...

It looks just like my 15-90