Fropvd

Hi everyone.

I am new to the forum and am looking forward to getting to know folks.

Today I was gifted a lovely vibrating shuttle treadle machine and I am trying to identify the manufacturer. It is badged Modeste according to the decals, but I can't find a manufacturer on it. I don't believe it is a Sears and the details on it aren't matching other machines I've found online. The Minnesota A is the closest match thus far but the throat plates aren't a match, nor the shape of the pillar. It has a patent date of June 29th, 1898.

I'm looking for an option here to upload photos as I will gladly post a few for identification. Thank you all in advance.

OurWorkbench

Welcome Fropvd
As for posting pictures, there are good instructions with images and arrows at post #5 of Which would you choose?

You will probably need to resize your image. I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager on my Windows 8.1 laptop. One of the options to "Edit Pictures" is Resize. I had been resizing by percentage and then found that there is a "predefined size" drop down list that gives a variety of options. I found that "Web Large" is a good size to post here. Then "Save As" with a different name. Then do not save "original changes" (option when close program) so still have original size.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Macybaby

Modesto does not sound like a Badge Sears sold, and "Minnesota" is a badge that was made by several companies for Sears, so not always a good way to try to match it up. I don't have "Modesto" listed on my Boye Case list, but even going by that is not 100% as many companies made machines with the same Badge (especially if the seller owned the name and contracted with different companys to make machines for them - like Sears did).

With a picture, we should be able to match it up rather easily for you.

if you don't have a picture, then the shape of the needle plate, the flywheel and which side the belt goes on (inside or outside) and what the tension looks like (especially if it's a leaf tension) are good clues to look at. Other things like the pillar or arm shape are clues, but there are a lot of similarities between companies, and a lot of difference between models for the same company.

BTW - most MN A are made by Davis, and Davis has a rectangular needle plate and the belt goes to the outside of the flywheel. If you needle plate is round or oval, that pretty much rules out Davis and earlier Whites. If it's oval, then it's possible to be an early Domestic or Household. Round plates - National, New Home, Singer, Free and a few more less common Manufactures. And then there are a few with odd shaped needle plates, Standard, Demorest .

New Royal also has a rectangular needle plate, they were made by Free but it's a very different machine and takes different needles, shuttle and attachments.

If the machine is pre-1900, there are several more possibilities.

one interesting note I discovered with buying do many different US made machines, for the most part, the attachments for each Manufacturer stayed rather constant - in the way they fit. So looking at the attachment mounting holes in the bed/throat plates and the type of foot and how it mounts onto the presser bar are also good clues to figure out who made it.

Fropvd

My throat plate is rectangular and the pillar is somewhat square with curved corners. There is a round access hole about 3/4 of the way up with a circular plate over it in the pillar. The belt goes on the inside of the handwheel. From illustrations its looking like it might be a New Home 914 or 915 but I haven't found photos of those machines to compare. The single thread post is near the top of the pillar and not midway across the horizontal section.

I may see if I can link photos posted elsewhere as I have no upload icons at all, only a post or reply the thread icon. (Possibly because I'm new? I'm wondering if you have to post x number of times before that privilege is granted?)

Fropvd

The rectangular throat plate extends to the edge of the fabric table /working surface. The tension is round in shape and toward the bottom of the headset the end of the arm. The rectangular head has a plain endplate, flat with no engraving that I can see. I need to remove the surface rust to get a good look for any engraving but it appears plain at first glance.

leonf

Fropvd,
On my screen in the box right above where I am typing there are smaller boxes with icons on them, text stuff, etc. The third one from the right is a light green box. This is the pic load icon. At least on a PC. Your access shouldn't be blocked.

Welcome to the board. I haven't heard of Modeste, but one thing that Cathy didn't mention is that lots of folks got their badges on machines if they bought enough. Like hardware stores, etc.

Eager to see your pics.

Fropvd

I'm on my phone so possibly that's the issue.

A friend on Facebook just posted photos of the New Royal models A and B. Its spot on one of them. Now to figure out the difference betwixt the two.

Fropvd

Nope. A different browser still doesn't have the ability to add photos.

Macybaby

Here is a two New Royal machines,





It won't be a New Home VS machine if the needle plate is something other than round.

Macybaby

Here are more pictures of Free - New Royal Class machines - you can use the arrows to look at additional pictures. This section includes other machines made by Free - but they look nothing like the New Royal Class (and take different needles and shuttles)

http://needlebar.org/cm/displayimage..._display_media