Tedlinko

Hi there. So I found this board while searching for information about an old sewing machine that was my wife's grandmother's. She has had it for a number of years and used it occasionally but no longer needs it. We'd like to find it a new home but have no idea what it's even worth. Anyone who can provide us any guidance, it would much appreciated. It has all the manuals and various accessories.

AlZilla

Very tough to give an estimate without at least a picture. Most old sewing machines from that era run from free to 50 or 75 bucks, Many of these machines are in serious need to lubrication and, in my experience, can take some work to get freed up and running right.

Kenmore 158's however, can be an outlier. There were bunches and bunches of variations. The 158.1941's I see go for a hundred bucks and more for reasons I haven't figured out. All the 158.xxxxxx (varying number of decimal places) series machines I've looked at or researched have a double pulley system internally that increases torque and punching power. The free arm versions seem to be the ones people look for.

One of my daily drivers is a 10-stitch, 385 series Kenmore from the same era with the pulley reduction and free arm.

quiltedsunshine

The old Kenmores are some of my favorite vintage machines. I buy them from the thrift store for up to $35 each. Then I'll get them all serviced up and sell them for $50 to $100. Your machine doesn't have any built-in stitches (it uses cams to get the different stitches), and it is a flat-bed instead of a free-arm. It does have a standard low shank presser foot, which is better than the super-high shank. But I think the most you could get for it would be $65.

The 158 series Kenmores were made by Jaguar.

bkay

Thanks, Annette. That was interesting.
bkay

Jo Anne B.

I was gifted(free) a 158.904, in a cabinet with chair, complete set of Cams and a manual all in good condition by a local lady.
Definitely can feel the extra power(torque) with this machine. I am a recent big fan of Vintage Kenmores.