ruskin

Hi I have a question for all the collectors out there. Regarding Singers models, which do you find more desirable and which would you run from?

I only have a few models which are 27/28, 127 and 99k's but I'd like to start a more serious collection and have been admiring the Featherweights and also the Red Eye decals (model 66 I believe - I may be wrong)

Just wondered what the consensus was about it, thanks.

Judy

KalamaQuilts

Probably isn't a consensus here, because what we do with them is so wide ranging.

I've had cancer twice in the last four years, so I don't collect anything

I've had a featherweight for many years that I never did cotton to and should shift.
I have a 1948-9 era blackside White Rotary, love it, thumpa thumpa as I go. Gift from a client.
I have a 1960 Singer 404, love it and it is very light so a good class machine. Craigslist
I have a 1950 japan made BelAire which the folks here helped me to turn into a hand crank to take when Rob is fishing. En plein aire stitching is lovely Goodwill auctions

I have a Janome 8900, a gem of a machine but I wish I'd thought it through before I bought it, I only do patchwork now, so all the extra stuff was wasted money.

I can see the lure of vintage machines, they are so cheap and beautiful.

edited to add: (maybe I'm a collector in spite of myself...)
I have a White treadle in a twiggy cabinet as an entry tabl, $75.00 bought specifically for the entry.
and I have a Blackside Singer 66 in a treadle that I use. Gift from Dick Wrightman/Treadleon
Everything but the Featherweight and the entry machine is out, and set up for use.

Macybaby

I collect those between 1890 (high arm type) and about 1955.

The only ones I run from - highly worn machines that the seller thinks have gold inside.

Tom W

It all depends on what you like to sew and how you like to get it done. Particular singers I love: the 201, 66, 99, 15 and anything earlier. Sweetest straight stitchers from singer. But for carrying around the 221/222 or 301. Love the Japanese 15 and 99 clones for the same reason, they do one thing and extremely well. Also enjoy the later 'dashboard' Japanese machines, some are amazingly complex and yet still sew amazing stitches, either by an internal cam stack or via individual cams. Same goes for most of the Singers until the 'touch n sew' machines after the introduction of non-metal gears.... all metal is all good. Consensus is not going to happen. We all have different needs and interests and some machines fit better than others .... and I'll take anything on a treadle, even if I do have to stand on my head and spin circles to make a currently manufactured needle work in a machine that takes an obsolete one... or a weird bobbin or bobbin case, and I love a shuttle on a treadle and the mellow 'swoosh swoosh' it makes.... And of course the German, Swiss, Italian and Swedish made machines of the last century are some amazing engineering marvels.

Okay, I'm easy, I like most of them made before about 1960... but even new 'modern' computerized machines have their place but they don't make my heart go pitter-patter like the stately ladies of days gone by do...

Mickey2

It's a bit silly, but I grow roses, read about roses, root cuttings of roses; and I have found a few old Singers with roses! I want one lol. I think they are VS2, maybe model 28 has them, possibly model 12 too. I could easily start a decals collection, though I would be forced to document it in photography.

I find some of the Touch & Sew models interesting too, and I think some in the 500 and 600 numbers have all metal internals. That's always a pluss, but I'm not very strict about it. I can't say I have any plans for a serious collection, and I find other brans interesting too. There are some very nice early zigzagger, the best ones are (arguably) not Singer.

It's interesting to compare developments, like the 99, it came about as a popular demand for a 3/4 size version of the 66, over the years it came in various versions, it was given a stitch length lever with backtak, a few alterations to the race and hook (I think) and the last one, 185 had an updated exterior too. They came in various casings, at least two suit case types, dome lid case, and the last one in a plastic as well as a wooden case.

Exterior can be traced too; like the 201K23, the aluminium version of the 201, a matching new look was given to other models too: model 15, 185, and even 319, probably others too.

You could trace rotary bobbin models; 101, 115, 201.

A collection is sort of guided in what you find interesting. I'm sure there are lots of literature on this, and much better sources than the web.

Cari-in-Oly

I'm not a Singer gal(I collect vintage Brothers) but I do have a few Singers. I'll never part with my 201-2 and I also have a featherweight, a 99, a 404, two 301s and a 630. I've given away a 66, a 99 and a 301. I've bought and sold several 401s and a 500.

Cari

ruskin

Very interesting views, thanks all

miriam

There are only so many Singer models and lots of them. Why not other makes?

nwm50

Not sure what to run from but what I love to collect and use are:
singer Featherweight in 221 or 222
Singer 301
Singer 404a
Brothers limited edition of an 221

deedum

I love the old Singers! My favorites are the Singer 15. I have two of them. They do great free motion also.I also have a 403 which is a favorite of mine, thinking I might buy another one of those. I also have two 301's. I have others but these are my favorites if I had to choose.