1941 Singer 15 special variation (15sv10) - looking for more info
Just kidding, enjoy, it's wonderful.
04-05-2013, 08:32 PM
#16
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New York City
Posts: 138
Hi Jodie, what a find! That is certainly an unusual model 15, and absurdly well-preserved for a machine that age. As you've deduced, it's from the early 1940s; I only own one machine older than that that is as well preserved, and it was a one-owner machine owned by a Singer sewing instructor.
The "SV" designation means the machine was specially made-to-order. There's no telling what the customization was, but I'm sure you'll eventually deduce it by using the machine.
Because it is so old, chances are the wiring for the light and/or motor will be brittle and need replacing.
The machine you have, and particularly in that condition, is really very unusual--I'm talking Smithsonian quality. That doesn't mean it's worth big bucks, as there's no governing body or official documents determining value, like there is with old cars; but if I were you, I'd certainly never let that machine go--you're not likely to find another one like that in your lifetime.
To preserve the machine, please do keep it in a climate-controlled environment--please don't store it in an attic or basement, or anywhere where it will undergo seasonal changes in temperature or humidity, or you will see the machine's finish deteriorate rapidly.
And above all, don't be afraid to use it! Singers are extraordinarily well-made machines and will last for generations (save for the wiring insulation, which will naturally deteriorate over time). You may have to do a little motor maintenance to keep it running well, i.e. swapping out the grease wicks and ensuring the machine is properly oiled and greased, and you'll need to periodically clean the lint out from under the feed dogs.
Also, don't be afraid to touch the take-up lever, as a previous poster wrote; they are impossible to break with your finger, and can only be broken in shipping or if the machine suffers a fall. I'll often manually stop the take-up lever if I'm oiling the handwheel shaft in bobbin-winding mode.
Again, congratulations on finding such a fantastic machine!
The "SV" designation means the machine was specially made-to-order. There's no telling what the customization was, but I'm sure you'll eventually deduce it by using the machine.
Because it is so old, chances are the wiring for the light and/or motor will be brittle and need replacing.
The machine you have, and particularly in that condition, is really very unusual--I'm talking Smithsonian quality. That doesn't mean it's worth big bucks, as there's no governing body or official documents determining value, like there is with old cars; but if I were you, I'd certainly never let that machine go--you're not likely to find another one like that in your lifetime.
To preserve the machine, please do keep it in a climate-controlled environment--please don't store it in an attic or basement, or anywhere where it will undergo seasonal changes in temperature or humidity, or you will see the machine's finish deteriorate rapidly.
And above all, don't be afraid to use it! Singers are extraordinarily well-made machines and will last for generations (save for the wiring insulation, which will naturally deteriorate over time). You may have to do a little motor maintenance to keep it running well, i.e. swapping out the grease wicks and ensuring the machine is properly oiled and greased, and you'll need to periodically clean the lint out from under the feed dogs.
Also, don't be afraid to touch the take-up lever, as a previous poster wrote; they are impossible to break with your finger, and can only be broken in shipping or if the machine suffers a fall. I'll often manually stop the take-up lever if I'm oiling the handwheel shaft in bobbin-winding mode.
Again, congratulations on finding such a fantastic machine!
04-06-2013, 09:57 AM
#17
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 28
Thanks for the info Rain! I do plan to use the machine - otherwise, what's the point of owning it? - and hubby noticed the wiring when we took the motor and light off. It doesn't look so great, so I may order a new light and motor to use and preserve the original light and motor for historical purposes. (Unless I could talk hubby or youngest son into rewiring it.)
I would like to download a service manual for it but I'm unsure which one would be best. I've looked at the manuals for the 15-90 and the 15-91 but neither are exact matches. Would you have a recommendation as to which manual would work best?
Is it unusual that this machine has no reverse? I'm wondering if that is what's "special" about it. It's no biggie to me, but I do wonder why someone would prefer a machine with no reverse.
Thanks again for the help. I truly appreciate it.
Jodie
I would like to download a service manual for it but I'm unsure which one would be best. I've looked at the manuals for the 15-90 and the 15-91 but neither are exact matches. Would you have a recommendation as to which manual would work best?
Is it unusual that this machine has no reverse? I'm wondering if that is what's "special" about it. It's no biggie to me, but I do wonder why someone would prefer a machine with no reverse.
Thanks again for the help. I truly appreciate it.
Jodie
04-06-2013, 12:51 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: England
Posts: 822
Hello Jodie,
What a lovely machine! I particularly love the Indian Star decal and have a really pretty 1934 128K with the star - it's at post no 160 on the photos thread.
It is not at all unusual for a machine of that age not to have reverse - in fact, the opposite would apply. Singer never put reverse on their long bobbin machines (whereas some German manufacturers did). My newest machine (ie the one most recently manufactured) is a 15K hand machine from 1949 and hasn't got reverse - neither has my 1945 15K treadle. The only Singer I have with reverse is a 1934 201K treadle, but the 201 was the deluxe model.
I am intrigued by the fact that the machine has the Indian star and was manufactured in the USA. The machines for the Indian market were generally manufactured in Scotland and exported to India by ship. If I read your serial number correctly it starts with AG0... giving a manufacture date of 1941. Singer would have had difficulty in shipping machines from Scotland to India during the war and I imagine they had to suspend exports - however they continued to manufacture machines in Scotland throughout the war. My wild guess is that this machine was manufactured for export from the USA to India via the Pacific but didn't get there because of problems there, not least Pearl Harbor.
It would be interesting to find out the real story rather than having to guess.
Many of the downloads on Singer's site are free, so you may as well download whichever ones you think apply to your machine http://www.singerco.com/accessories/instruction-manuals just put 15 in the box.
What a lovely machine! I particularly love the Indian Star decal and have a really pretty 1934 128K with the star - it's at post no 160 on the photos thread.
It is not at all unusual for a machine of that age not to have reverse - in fact, the opposite would apply. Singer never put reverse on their long bobbin machines (whereas some German manufacturers did). My newest machine (ie the one most recently manufactured) is a 15K hand machine from 1949 and hasn't got reverse - neither has my 1945 15K treadle. The only Singer I have with reverse is a 1934 201K treadle, but the 201 was the deluxe model.
I am intrigued by the fact that the machine has the Indian star and was manufactured in the USA. The machines for the Indian market were generally manufactured in Scotland and exported to India by ship. If I read your serial number correctly it starts with AG0... giving a manufacture date of 1941. Singer would have had difficulty in shipping machines from Scotland to India during the war and I imagine they had to suspend exports - however they continued to manufacture machines in Scotland throughout the war. My wild guess is that this machine was manufactured for export from the USA to India via the Pacific but didn't get there because of problems there, not least Pearl Harbor.
It would be interesting to find out the real story rather than having to guess.
Many of the downloads on Singer's site are free, so you may as well download whichever ones you think apply to your machine http://www.singerco.com/accessories/instruction-manuals just put 15 in the box.
Last edited by Muv; 04-06-2013 at 01:07 PM.
04-06-2013, 01:23 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: England
Posts: 822
Hello again Jodie,
I have noticed that you say yours isn't an Indian star because it hasn't got the red on it.
The star was put on the bed of the machine and combined with a decal that was used for that model. My 128K has the Vencedora with the star. The sphinx decal was commonly used on the 15. If you look at the photo of the star on my machine on the photos thread you will see that yours is the same, with the different Indian scripts in each point of the star.
If you look at post 109 on the photos thread you will see another sphinx with the star manufactured in USA.
I have noticed that you say yours isn't an Indian star because it hasn't got the red on it.
The star was put on the bed of the machine and combined with a decal that was used for that model. My 128K has the Vencedora with the star. The sphinx decal was commonly used on the 15. If you look at the photo of the star on my machine on the photos thread you will see that yours is the same, with the different Indian scripts in each point of the star.
If you look at post 109 on the photos thread you will see another sphinx with the star manufactured in USA.
Last edited by Muv; 04-06-2013 at 01:31 PM.
04-06-2013, 06:43 PM
#20
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New York City
Posts: 138
Hi Jodie, there's no way the original customer would order the machine without reverse; it is just that that particular variant of the model 15 did not have reverse, unlike the 15-91.
After watching this video...
http://youtu.be/MrjFNWsajfQ
...it seems clear that the "special order" feature of your machine was in fact the decal combination. As Muv has pointed out, the Indian Star decal on the bed was not intended for the domestic market--your machine was definitely manufactured in Singer's Elizabethport, New Jersey factory, as indicated by the "A-" serial number--so the customer must have specially requested it. After seeing the video linked above, it seems at least one other customer of the era also requested it (unless the guy who made the video is the one who sold you the machine!).
As for which service manual to download, we'll need a little more information to nail down the sub-model. Does the machine have a rotary hook, or an oscillating?
After watching this video...
http://youtu.be/MrjFNWsajfQ
...it seems clear that the "special order" feature of your machine was in fact the decal combination. As Muv has pointed out, the Indian Star decal on the bed was not intended for the domestic market--your machine was definitely manufactured in Singer's Elizabethport, New Jersey factory, as indicated by the "A-" serial number--so the customer must have specially requested it. After seeing the video linked above, it seems at least one other customer of the era also requested it (unless the guy who made the video is the one who sold you the machine!).
As for which service manual to download, we'll need a little more information to nail down the sub-model. Does the machine have a rotary hook, or an oscillating?
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