PaperPrincess

It's an inkwell. there were 2 types of cabinets, the ones that doubled as a desk had inkwells. I have my mom's complete with dried up ink!

tatavw01

:*lovely

mountain deb

It looks like there was a special holder built into the drawer for it. My first guess was a thread catcher and broken needles.

libber

Does anyone have the other style cabinet without the ink well?

madamekelly

Another member just happened to mention this to me today. Hers is like my very first machine. Exactly!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-66335-1.htm

maryj

I have a machine just like yours. As soon as I find the booklet that came with it I will answer. it's someplace in here. Obviously, I don't know either. The machine was my Mothers' and it has pins, needles and a razor blade in it.

Lindsey

my guess was inkwell also..

MissJMac

Looks like an ideal container for pins. This would certainly keep pins from rolling off the machine table and onto the floor. Is the top magnetized?? Office supply stores carry containers like this with the magnet tops to hold paper clips.

Shiseiji

Old thread but . . It IS an ink well, though as can be seen not always used as such. Singer marketed the cabinet to double as a writing desk. Intent was to give it another use to prevent it becoming a plant stand that was too much bother to open and use. The first cabinets, according to Singer literature, were only sold with 201s. I have seen a comment about a 1938 purchase in that combination. Some cabinets have a knee leaver mounted on the inside of the front. Some cabinets have a foot leaver that comes out of the bottom of the right side. I would like to see pictures of how it is mounted. I suspect on those cabinets the foot control was behind the bottom drawer as I have seen clips to hold wires secure on the inside back of the cabinet.

DebLuvsQuiltng

https://www.reddit.com/r/vintagesewi...table_what_is/

Ink well