DonnaQuilts

I recently read that certain machines have virtually no value, ie Singer 66, Singer 99 and older treadles. I can't believe a good representative of each catagory is a "boat anchor" as stated. It kinda hurt my feelings and I don't even own one of those machines. I know there are more 66es and thereby the rarity factor is not there.
What about older Pfaff machines? I mean old treadles.
Charlee, don't you have a Pfaff? One of the neighbors is selling one tomorrow at a yard sale. I don't know what to tell her, but it probably won't bring a lot, since treadles take up a lot of space and many probably won't appreciate it for its history. I went away from that website feeling a little depressed (lower than a snake's navel), because I love the old machines and like to save them from the landfill. We are their only hope. Boat anchors, really?

J Miller

Old Singers and other machines, treadles and otherwise do have value. Just not the over inflated value some people try to attach to them. They are far from boat anchors, just not real collectors items unless they are truly mint with all their accessories and attachments.

I've rescued a couple I would never have bothered with because I thought they'd end up in the land fill. Turned out they're both good machines.

Don't be too critical about that Pfaff tomorrow. If it's in any shape near good grab it.

Joe

Charlee

I do not have a Pfaff...Nancy has a very nice Pfaff model H, and some of the others have the older Pfaff machines. I would say that it would depend on the model, the condition, etc. Probably tho, in excellent condition, around $150. Deduct from that for blemishes and problems.

It really is true that these old girls and guys that we love so much have little relative value in today's market. Sad, but true. There are too many of them. For example, in 1910, using the "G" serial numbers alone, and providing that I didn't miss a run while I was adding them up, Singer made 218,000 model 27 machines. That's only one model.

The 115 that I'm so proud of... converting original sale price to today's price, it would have sold for the equivalent of just over $4000.00...They made 300,000 of them over the years that the 115s were produced. So...a little less common than say, a 27 or 66, but still not rare. (And yes, I paid too much for it, but I *really* wanted it! LOL)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while we love these old machines, and treasure them, there are just too many to be considered valuable. I'd love nothing more than to think I have thousands of dollars worth of machines, but I don't. I have less value in my vintage babies than some of the women on this board have into ONE modern machine. The thing is...100 years from now, my vintage babies will most likely still be stitching as long as someone takes care of them...those modern machines won't. Raises the question..."Who has the better value?"

jlm5419

Value, (like beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. I value my old ladies much more than someone who sews casually on a plastic machine. What many don't realize is that these old machines came with more attachments than today's machines do, and those attachments greatly expand the possibilities of these grand old straight-stitchers. The old buttonhole attachment rivals any modern machine's buttonholes, and the ruffler is loads of fun. In my book, these machines do NOT belong in a landfill or at the end of a rope on a boat. The real shame is that Singer has lost its reputation with its newer machines.

Charlee

Donna, did you get the Pfaff?