1929 Electric White Rotary
 

I just picked up an electric White Rotary machine with embossing on the machine and the machine bed. It's in kind of rough condition and is in a cabinet. When I lift it up, it won't stay up. I can't see anything that would hold it in place. It's truly beautiful, or would be if cleaned up. I've googled and googled and can't find any information on what I need to do to get it to stay up in place. Something in the lifting mechanism must be missing.

Welcome, that is a nice machine. I don't have a cabinet like that, but from my understanding there is a cable or rope that is attached that will left the machine when you open the top. While it is a different cabinet, I think it would work the same. If you look at about the 36 second mark at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heoioK7FXL4 you can kind of see it at the back of the cabinet. I'm thinking that there is probably some type of stop at the end of where the cable goes and another that is attached to the bottom of the board that the machine is sitting in.

Sorry, I can't be more help

Thank you so much. That is very helpful. I'm limited as what I can do with this heavy beauty but that points me in the right direction.

I didn't realize the machine lifted up when the top was opened. Dumb me, should have remembered that from a machine my mom had in the 1940's.
I found a guy here in Northwestern Washington who services these vintage machines. He seems to be very knowledgeable and was helpful. I'm going to have to take it to him for repairs so it will lift up. May also have him service it so it can actually be used.

I went through this with a New Home a while back. Information about that lift system is very sketchy, indeed.

Here's a post with a couple of pics of the New Home setup. Being tight in like they are it's going to be hard to understand them exactly but it may give you some insight. I've fixed 2 now, one with leather and one with paracord.

https://www.quiltingboard.com/7171543-post19.html

Thank you, the pictures really help me understand the lift assembly. I am going to take it to a vintage repair person as there are some pieces missing and I'm not equipped to deal with it. I will do the clean up and polish of the machine itself but may have him service it if he thinks it's a workable machine.

Thank you, Al for the link for some better pictures. I knew there have been some questions about this type of lift, but not definitive answers.