TomE_Iowa

At age 6 my grandmother taught me how to sew on this machine (after I asked). She sat me down to it and gave me step by step instructions and gave me a rag to sew with. I now own it and once moved, it’ll be no display and used in the new home. I’m 70 today and still sewing and love when people look at me and say, “YOU SEW???!!!” Boy, do I LOL

FIRST: I’m currently moving and this machine is packed up (can’t get to it) But, have this one image and please note the MOST UNIQUE identifier….The UNICORN in the base gold scrollwork. Grandma always held it as she lowered it into the table so she rubbed off the front gold name and part of the back (barely visible) - the back says, “GOLD….<something>” I’ve been ‘spoonfed’ suggestions from other groups and I think I’m getting close, A.G. MASON has very similar machines but haven’t found the UNICORN anywhere.

Macybaby

A.G.Mason was a reseller, a lot of the machines they sold were made by White, but not all. I'd say it's not going to be a unicorn, but a badged machine made by one of the major players, most likely White, National or Standard, and also Davis if it's an earlier machine. I've found the easiest way to see what it is, is by the attachments that fit, as those were rather unique to the manufacturer. Top tension machines are also easier to identify because of the tension. The other part that can help identify is the needle plate, which isn't visible in your picture.

That the name is worn off is also a bit clue it's a badged machine. The companies would make them with no name, and that would get added based on what the reseller wanted to call them. Since it was added after the paint process, it wore off easily.

Upon looking closer, it sort of looks like the end of the name might be 'QUEEN' and in looking at the table, that also looks like a White cabinet. I had a New England Queen that was sold by AG White, but right now all my vintage sewing stuff is in a storage container near Atlanta - and I'm still up in South Dakota!

Macybaby

I dug around in my photos, and I don't think it is a White after all, because of the style of the tension. Maybe Davis, as I know they had that type of tension very early on. Is much easier to compare machines when I could just go upstairs and look.

TomE_Iowa

THANK YOU. I do believe this is from the UK as Coat of Arms from there have the Unicorn so many times.

I feel I’m getting closer and mine too is packed and ready to move so I can’t get to it.

Someone told me to use sewing machine oil to bring out the lettering more (front and back).
I’ll update here when I do that with my findings.

OurWorkbench

Welcome. It warms my heart when a sewing machine stays in the family and is used.

I have heard of 'cleaning' the machine with sewing machine oil to prevent messing up what is left of the decals. I have also heard of using a black light to better be able to read the lettering that was there. Maybe at different angles. I also thought that someone took a picture with a flash that helped to bring out the name or the decals. To me it almost looks like the name on the arm ends with a C but it could have a small latter after so some sort of Company???? It also looks like it is a rather long name.

Heresolong

I've used a black light. Picked it up at the local hardware store for about $20, just a flashlight really, but with a different kind of bulb. Works wonders for seeing those decal "shadows".

Macybaby, good to see you posting here. Haven't heard from you in a while and was worried.😊

TomE_Iowa

EUREAKA! FOUND THE MAKE OF THIS MACHINE (Another Online Sewing Machine Group).
Posting the UNICORN image produced an exact match. It’s a version of a NEW PROCESS (Mfg FREE) of Rockford, Illinois. She also referred to it as New Rockford L-Head.

She showed images of an exact match to my grandmother’s machine right down to the UNICORN on the machine base! They found it in someone’s yard, rusting as Yard Art. They are currently restoring it and using it eventually.

OurWorkbench

Thank you for posting what you found out. I hope to see some more pictures of your machines when you get settled in.