Caroline S

Awesome 66, nigh on perfect. I wonder if she ever was used much? Please do tell us about your adventure re-wiring the 101.

pinkCastleDH

I will, though I imagine that's way, way down the list since Herself will have the 201s, 15-91s, 66s and 99s for her vintage sewing needs. Oh, and the 221 of course - can't forget that one. Did I mention that this is getting out of hand? Personally I'm looking forward to getting the Red Eye and 115 up and running in treadle cabinets and learning how to use the hand crank machines. Maybe set one of the Whites up as a treadle as well if I can find the space for Yet Another Treadle Cabinet.

JudyTheSewer

That is so cute!

JudyTheSewer

You have acquired a beautiful collection of machines that are in great condition. I enjoyed looking at them. Thanks for the pictures.

pinkCastleDH

Thanks, Judy. Of course other than the New National we've only taken pictures of the ones that are in the best condition I need to spend some time taking shots of the others so I have before pics to compare with after pics once they're all cleaned up. When I take the pictures I'll post them.

pinkCastleDH

Oops. I forgot a couple that are actually in pretty good condition but hadn't gotten their mugshots yet. We almost didn't buy the 201 - we certainly didn't need it. It seemed like a really good deal, though, on a beautiful machine. Almost as nice a condition as the 66 but it's not shined to the same degree and the decal style isn't as ornate. The featherweight is also in pretty nice shape and I'm not sure why it hasn't been featured here before - Herself was certainly happy enough when it arrived! Last in this group is a Damascus. We know next to nothing about them but it was cheap and the decals looked cool

pinkCastleDH

These two are somewhat sad in a fashion. The first one came with the base but no top. Easier to ship that way! Then I got a note from the seller - after he'd shipped it- that he'd found the top. AAARRRGGHH! Yep, the machine was flopping around inside the case and turned the base into kindling while punching an ugly hole in the top. The second came with a case but the base broke apart during shipping and the machine caused some damage to the case itself. I think the base will be fixable but I'm less sure of the top. After these (and the 128 that wasn't quite so bad) we've decided that we're going to be very, very picky about who we buy machines w/cases from in the future. Both of the sellers made good on the damages (as did the seller of the New Home zigzag machine) but still.

oregongirl

oh how fun! you've gathered a wonderful collection and it looks like they go perfectly in your home. I love those elaborate decals - why aren't things made beautifully now? don't you wonder about that sometimes?

pinkCastleDH

Well, there are different types of beauty (Braun and Apple get lots of kudos for a certain clean design and I tend to agree) but I wish there were more ornate, beautiful designs that didn't necessarily go for gaudy. Herself and I were talking about it the other day when we were trying to decide what machines to focus on for our collection. Some of the machines of the late 19th to mid 20th centuries seem to capture both the clean lines of the minimalist school and the fun and/or pretty ornamentation and those are our first priority. Some of the purely minimalist looks (e.g. the 201) are just plain graceful, thoough - in fact I suggested the name Grace for that 201 when I first saw it.

Once I get it cleaned up the New National is going straight to display in the dining room. It was made just a few years after the house was built and it looks like it belongs. I think a parlor cabinet with Collete, the Red Eye, would also go well

pinkCastleDH

A pair of 15-91s, one a centennial, the other in much nicer shape. The 66 is the machine that I intend to work on first as its decals are in the worst shape of any of the machines we've bought and if I screw something up I'd rather it wasn't something too unusual or something in really nice shape.