15K origins??
 

I saw a lovely Singer treadle at my local county fair on entry day yesterday. The owner had nicely refinished the cabinet but knew nothing about the machine. I thought it was a 15 & said I'd look up the serial #. Also gave her the Singer & ISMACS websites. I thought I read somewhere that the K models were made in Clydesbank, Scotland or somewhere other than the US. Am I totally off base? (Not unusual) How do you find out where a machine was manufactured and not just when? Thanks, my favorite resource smarties!

Good question.
Rodney

I found the source http://www.sewalot.com/dating_singer...ial_number.htm but I'm not sure if a 15K would by Kilbowie, Clydesbank, Scotland or Elizabethport, NJ. I'm thinking that since it's here in MN it's probably a Jersey Girl. Elizabethport was Singer's largest US factory. If anyone has any better information on where machines were made, I'd love to learn about it.

Yes K is Kilbowie, which is in Clydebank (on the bank of the river Clyde) which is in Scotland. The factory was demolished about 30 years ago.

and if you want to see a video of it, there is a 74 minute silent movie made in 1934 giving a full tour of the factory and surroundings. It is AMAZING. Singer outsourced NOTHING. Every single component, accessory, part, screw, paper, decal, etc, etc, etc was made ON SITE....

If only companies operated that way today . . .

yea, then new machines would only be about $2,500 - $3,000 each... hehe

It really is cool to see it literally start with piles of "pig iron" and stacks of hardwood, and shows the casting, japanning, decal application, etc... and boy howdy, those folks worked QUICK!

It's pretty amazing. Here's a tidbit I never knew. Because of the need for sewing machine bases Singer was one of the largest furniture makers in the US at the turn of the last century. I believe they're also credited with inventing plywood.
Rodney

the good old days, the good old days. all are Made in USA - cabinets, machines, accessories and they all lasted for over 100 years. and we're all using, fixing, looking at them with amazement. 50 years or so from now, can you do that to your $100 plastic sewing machine that is made somewhere in Asia ? wishful thinking...... how i wish they're still manufacturing singer's here in good USA.....

Keep in mind that a sewing machine was a major investment in those days, comparable to buying a car. They were also considered essential enough that most households had one.
Rodney