Qatie

I just rescued this machine and its cabinet from the curb. Still works (once I replaced the scarily-disintegrating power cord). Trouble is that I can't find any similar models online. I'd like to maybe find a manual or additional cams at some point. I'd also love to know what that little thumb lever on the right side of the base does (it seems to engage/disengage some sort of drive shaft that runs to the bobbin housing area, but I haven't figured out the functional effect yet).

Identifying marks include

• A "Made in Germany" label on the pillar
• "Domestic Imperial Automatic" on the case
• "Domestic Sewing Machine Company, Inc" with an Ohio address on the motor housing
• "Model No. 691" inked lopsidedly on the underside
• "911548" stamped on a metal label next to the model number

And it's got a sort of knee-lever to run it instead of a foot pedal, which I hadn't known was even a thing.

I'm guessing from the style that it was made in the 50s. I'm not an expert at all, but it kind of has a Brooks Stevens-esque feel to the design. Can anyone help?

jbj137

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*** Cant' help, but she is a nice looking machine. Good Rescue.
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Qatie

And so very timely, too. I'd been using a newer Singer, and been really frustrated with its chronic tension problems, and last week I got the news that the servicing fees to get it even usable again were more than I wanted to pay for something I'd never been very happy with. I'd been all set to pay up to $100 for a vintage used machine when this curb alert popped up.

Cari-in-Oly

I think that may be a Gritzner Keiser machine, it sure looks like the GK built Kenmores. That little lever is probably the feed drop. Great find!

Cari

Mickey2

Is that the one CatD agonized something terrible about? Superb machine, you have to let us know how it runs and stitches :- )

Qatie

I'm SO confused - why does it say "Domestic Imperial" etc on it then? Though I agree; it looks remarkably like the Kenmores, Pfaffs and Whites that GK apparently built (so sayeth historian Google). Do you know how I'd go about recognizing the proper cam set?

I suspected the lever was the feed dog control, and that's what a different site said too. I'd tried, and it didn't seem to work. I'll have to revisit that with more experimenting.

Also, I was mistaken in the original post. It doesn't say "Made in Germany;" it says "Made in Western-Germany." Which my husband the history teacher says dates it to between post-WWII (duh!) and the early 50's. Because apparently it was the early 50s when the Germans gave up hope of eventually reuniting the country and started using the formal country name of West Germany.

Mickey2

Well, yes it was then they officially started using West Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland) from 1949 to 1990. Eastern Germany became communist, aslo know as DDR, Deutsche Demokratische Republik.

KenmoreGal2

It's a twin to my Kenmore 117.740 also made in Western Germany. I use it's "kissing cousin" my avatar daily so I can help you figure out your machine if you want. Just send me a PM. The knob you are curious about is definitely to drop the feed dogs. When I got my machine, it was also stuck. I oiled the heck out of it and ended up giving it a tap with a hammer - very very lightly!!

I've also attached pics of the cams. I have knee controls on both of my machines and really like them.[ATTACH=CONFIG]557591[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]557590[/ATTACH]

19cats

By the time your machine was built, White had taken over the Domestic Sewing Machine Company of Cleveland, Ohio.
Some of White's machines were made in Western Germany and could be labelled "White", "Domestic", "Kenmore", etc.

Qatie

Nifty! Thanks! Next big question: what products should I use to clean (inside AND out), grease and oil it? Anybody have any helpful links?

Also, have confirmed through testing that the lever is definitely the feed dog control. Which is awesome, because my previous machine did not do that and I've wanted to start trying some FMQ. I had a feed dog cover for my former machine, but things got bulky and between that and the tension problems my first attempt was kind of a mess.