What do I have?
05-09-2012, 05:49 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Frederick, OK
Posts: 2,031
Originally Posted by Muv
I'm not sure I agree. I think it started out as a hand machine and someone has put on the motor, solid wheel and light later on. If it made its way from this country and arrived in the States as a hand machine then I can imagine it being converted to electric in a trice using parts that were in a sewing machine repair workshop....
That's my theory, anyway.
That's my theory, anyway.
Whatever the story is on it, it’s an unusual machine, at least to me.
CD in Oklahoma
05-09-2012, 07:04 AM
#42
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Bay City, TX
Posts: 95
OK I asked a few questions... the owners husband was in the Air Force stationed in England for 3 years 1949-1951 and the machine was purchased there. His wife and daughter were in England with him and their son was born in Liverpool....if they remember right they sailed home on the Queen Mary......
Last edited by sew.annie; 05-09-2012 at 07:09 AM.
05-09-2012, 08:21 AM
#43
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New York City
Posts: 138
Aha, well that explains some things! If the machine was purchased in the UK, i.e. designed for the UK market, then the U.S. voltage motor that's on it now was certainly added once the machine was back here in the 'States. And I'm betting the 1930s-era Singerlight was also added Stateside as well, probably in, as Muv pointed out, a shop with those parts in stock. It still doesn't explain the outdated tension and faceplate, but perhaps those were replaced due to damage? I guess we'll never know, but it's fun to guess.
And Thayer, thanks for taking the time to put up those photos of the different bobbin areas, I found it illuminating and I know it's not a trivial thing to just slap those images together.
And Thayer, thanks for taking the time to put up those photos of the different bobbin areas, I found it illuminating and I know it's not a trivial thing to just slap those images together.
05-09-2012, 03:45 PM
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: England
Posts: 822
Originally Posted by sew.annie
OK I asked a few questions... the owners husband was in the Air Force stationed in England for 3 years 1949-1951 and the machine was purchased there. His wife and daughter were in England with him and their son was born in Liverpool....if they remember right they sailed home on the Queen Mary......
Hate to feel smug here, but was I right or was I right?! And the RAF decals are all the more appropriate for the wife of an airman. I slipped up slightly in suggesting she was a GI bride, but I had a feeling that it had ended up in the States with the family of a serviceman.
Sew Annie, it's great you now have the story behind your machine!
05-09-2012, 04:16 PM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: England
Posts: 822
Rain -
Outdated tension and faceplate? No, it's the same as my machine, which is only five years older, and the faceplate and tension discs are totally in keeping with the stitch length knob. The alien parts on the machine are the motor, light and solid hand wheel. It is not at all antiquated for 1950. To put it into context, the 128K was manufactured until 1961...
American built Singers would have been geared to the American market, where electric machines caught on first. There are far fewer vintage electric machines here. Also, Kilbowie was manufacturing not only for this country but also for export. Many went to countries where electricity could not be relied upon. The was still plenty of demand for hand machines.
So, all told, this machine doesn't look at all antiquated to me. It's a hand machine that was revamped to American requirements. The history behind the machine makes me all the more sure in my theory.
Outdated tension and faceplate? No, it's the same as my machine, which is only five years older, and the faceplate and tension discs are totally in keeping with the stitch length knob. The alien parts on the machine are the motor, light and solid hand wheel. It is not at all antiquated for 1950. To put it into context, the 128K was manufactured until 1961...
American built Singers would have been geared to the American market, where electric machines caught on first. There are far fewer vintage electric machines here. Also, Kilbowie was manufacturing not only for this country but also for export. Many went to countries where electricity could not be relied upon. The was still plenty of demand for hand machines.
So, all told, this machine doesn't look at all antiquated to me. It's a hand machine that was revamped to American requirements. The history behind the machine makes me all the more sure in my theory.
Last edited by Muv; 05-09-2012 at 04:23 PM.
05-09-2012, 09:10 PM
#46
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 1,571
I'll need to look at mine more carefully for comparison. Serial # AE 852940 gives a date of 1938 and Model 15 according to ISMAACS. Then I have the same 15-80 bobbin assembly as SewAnnie's. Is there a site showing the more subtle differences by year and factory that gives the rest of the model number designation as 15- whatever? Were the RAF decals only made in England and Scotland? Wish I could find my camera. I love seeing another RAF and the collaborative sleuthing that is going on here.
05-10-2012, 12:14 AM
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: England
Posts: 822
Monroe - if you are a member of Needlebar they give details about the different model 15s there, but I didn't find anything about what years the different variations were manufactured. Singer used to have a list on their own website showing records of production, but they have taken it down now. I think that list may still be around on another website. Can anyone else tell us?
05-13-2013, 02:48 AM
#49
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 17
Hi folks, First time on here and not a blogger by habit so apologies if my "blogging etiquette" is not up to standard. I'm new to the whole sewing machine subject but have so far found it very interesting. I have a Singer 15K80 single letter prefix "Y" which if I'm not mistaken is 1934. I'm currently doing a restoration and things so far are progressing well. My machine is also decorated with "RAF" decals which all appear to be in good condition. Very grateful for some of the photos posted on here particularly those showing the underneath oscillating bobbin assembly.
Regards.
stitch1967
Regards.
stitch1967
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