Help with Alliance Treadle Machine
 

Hello! I'm so glad to have found this group. I just bought my first ever treadle sewing machine but can't seem to find any information about it as to its age and manufacturer. The name on it is "Alliance". I've been told it's probably a "branded" machine and am trying to find out who it was made by, what model it is, and when it was made so I can buy the correct needles and bobbins. I'd also like to pick up a couple spare shuttles and see if there are any other accessories for it. I haven't any luck finding info Alliance machines online. I've tried checking the serial number but have found anything conclusive. ISMACS doesn't show it in their database, serial-number-decoder.com, singeroutlet.com.uk, and sewalot.com says it was made in 1874 but I was told that my machine is too modern to be that old. Any information or help you could toss my way would be greatly appreciated. Thank You!!

Welcome to QB.

It appears you have what is considered a Davis underfeed badged machine. It is listed as a badge name on the list found a t http://www.needlebar.org/main/makers...vis/index.html Alliance was also used on National machines, but since your belt pulley is on the outside of the hand wheel, it is a Davis. I'm going to guess that it could have been made between 1903 and 1907.

There is some good info on this page about Davis machines http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php/Davis Hopefully, Jon will be along as he knows these machines. He will also be able to tell you which needles it would use. I know many of these early Davis machines took what is called a 20x1 which is longer than the needles used on modern domestic machines.

It looks like it will clean up nicely. Most recommend just wiping the machine with sewing machine oil. If you are comfortable removing the metal pieces, they can removed to clean and polish.

Have fun with your 'new' treadle.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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If you're new to vintage machines you may not be familiar with a Boye dispenser, an "aftermarket" supplier of needles, shuttles, and bobbins. Here's what one looks like

https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...y-t316124.html

My Boye needle/shuttle dispenser shows a #9 shuttle and #10 needle for both an Alliance and a Davis-New, which would match what Janey is telling you about it being the same as a Davis. The Boye numbers can be helpful when searching for needles, etc on ebay or etsy or similar.

But, as Janey said, hopefully Jon will come along and confirm.

Also, there are different versions of the Boye dispensers, meaning the numbers may refer to different items depending on the version, I believe mine is the newer version.

I didn't do my research very well. It looks like it may take an even longer needle than the 20x1. The Boye 10 is probably a 1x2, also known as FF or Davis long.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.