The last patent on the plate is 1887 so it's at least that old.
OK - SHE SEWS! Ever feel like a ton of bricks (or, in my case a ton of doggie doo-doo) has fallen from your shoulders? I have no real clue as to what the magic combination of trials and errors was but it involved moving the stitch length knob back to the highest number and the tension screwed down (upper thread was, and is, sooo tight I was afraid to try - even though I know the worst that can happen is a broken thread). PLEASE check your tension and let me know if yours is equally as tight! If (as you told me) the tension is too light she won't sew at all. Hubby went about really cleaning out the discs. NOW - the stitch length adjuster doesn't really do a whole lot since no matter where I set the thing the stitches pretty much remain the same ...... teeny-tiny.
You have no idea how much I appreciate your input ........... THANK YOU!