Confused About Machine
 

Howdy,
I read alot on here but I am really not a talker so I never post. I however am completely stumped by a few machines and figured I could go to no other place to find some knowledgable people who may be able to point me in the right direction.

I have a German Singer Sewing Machine with a Cooper Plate on the front. The Singer seal is actually not a medal medallian but instead stamped on and written in German. The serial number starts with a C and according to what I can find on dating was made circa 1929. Now I would call it a 201 as I already have a one of those and they look identical but the dating would suggest otherwise. I am completely stumped I can find no information on German Machines to begin with let alone with a Cooper Front Plate. I was hoping someone might know something or at least a direction in which to fly. I also have one with some sort of dial and a few others that are weird, but this is my favorite.

A photo would be helpful.

alekia

Welcome to the Quilting Board.


What's a "Cooper Front Plate"? Yes indeed a photo would help a bunch.

Joe

First and foremost - welcome to the quilt board - I see this is your first post, hope it won't be your last! If you could post pictures of the machines, I am sure someone here can help you. You mention one with a dial. Is it a sliver dial on the bed of the machine, next to the bobbin winder tension? If so, it may be a 101 - but again cannot tell without a picture or the serial #. Post the serial #'s if you can't post a pic.

I want to see it.
J J

Sorry try as I might, every time I tried to upload the photo last night. It kept telling me "upload fail". Same thing this morning. So I got a photobucket account and am trying to do it from that. Still having trouble. Any ideas

[ATTACH=CONFIG]361489[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]361490[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]361491[/ATTACH] Got it hope this helps... This is the German with the Cooper Plate, I made sure to get a picture with the serial number for help.

I am also going to post pics of the other German which is a treadle, but I know what that is because it was tagged. It was supposedly a rare 15... but the treadle iron is brown which is cool.

I am also going to post pics of the dial machine, but thanks to Linda I am sure what she described is what it is.

The only other machine I am unsure of is a New Cottage, and I just simply can't find any info about them.

Other than that I think I have figured out all the rest of the machines.... or simply got rid of them.

Your pictures are still to large to upload to QB. Go to the main QB page. At the bottom is the QB Help Center. Search for Uploading Photos. Photos have to be a certain size to upload to QB. You can also change the size of pics you have already taken. Somewhere I have the notes on how to do it on your computer.If you are using a digital camera, change the image mode to 640x480​. That will make all future pics you take Internet ready. We are here to help you. When the QB format changed last year many of us had the same problems with pictures that you are.

Thanks so much Caroline.... Persistence got it! Now to get pictures of the rest!

I am thinking that what you have is a German made Singer 15-91. If I am wrong I am sure that someone will correct me. If you need a manual you can download one here http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...g-machine.html. Are you located in Europe or the US? The machine motor may need to be converted if it not already.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]361492[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]361493[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]361494[/ATTACH]This is the dial machine. Interestingly enough it does not have a serial number on the front or anywhere on top... and it doesn't look like one has been removed either. The only number I found on it was on the bottom, as pictured. Weirdly the Italian is like this as well.

I am in Fort Worth, until January 1st and then I get to escape back to the North. I was thinking that but the German treadle is a 15... and they look a little similar but do you know why the Cooper front. I got all of these out of an old museum... these are the keepers the rest have found good homes. I am going to the man's sisters house at the end of the month and she says she has paperwork on a lot of them but well I was curious now.

I have no idea why the copper face plate. One can only assume that they used what was available, perhaps chrome was too expensive.

I haven't used any of these yet. I already had a 201 .... which is the joy of my life and a 99k[ATTACH=CONFIG]361504[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]361505[/ATTACH]. I wasn't planning on getting any of these. I found out that they were being let go and that a Treadle I have been looking for forever might be there. My sewing machine guy was suppose to get them all but when we got there he told me I could just have my treadle for free or I could have the lot for 400.00. Needless to say I took the lot and got my treadle... The picture is the treadle I went for 1886 Fiddle base vibrating shuttle. She is the love of my life now and the reason I have not tried the rest. So how does the 101 compare to the rest. Is it more like the 201 or the 66 and 99.

Apparently I just needed to find you.... Thank you so much. You have given me some information to work on. I can't thank you enough!

Oh, I'm not the only one here. I just happened to be taking a break and was at my computer. Don't you just love "package deals"? You really "did good".

My 201 was my first and so my favorite.... It was also Great Grandma's bought new, given to Grandma, Given to mom, now mine... So it will always be my first go to. I have sew everything, including a quilt for a biker who was seriously injured. I made it out of bandana's and edged it in pleather. Never dropped a stitch, she is my baby and the only one in my room.

Yea I was like a kid in a candy store going through that storage unit. Well actually a very dirty kid with spider bites but who cares. Every time I opened a cabinet, looked in a box, or unlocked a case it was like Christmas. Because there were so many I got to give away so many, still make my money back and more and keep a bunch too. I am pure German so those Germans weren't going anywhere the second I knew what they were. On top of everything, I gave the woman who was getting rid of them more money after we had sold some because she was on difficult times and she has offered me the rest. Not going to "take" them but can't wait to see them and help her sell them. May have to buy a few myself as well. She has the hank cranks... which I don't know if I can pass up....

The machine on the first pages is a 15-90, not -91. The 15-91s use the potted motor and this one has the externally mounted motor.
The copper face plate is really attractive. That is a nice looking machine.

The treadle is gorgeous. I wouldn't mind sitting at that one and making it go.

Joe

Thank you so... I love her... She was a bit tricky at first as she kept going the wrong way and snapping the thread but we worked together and finally got it figured out.... Now we make a good team.

There is a man called Alex Askaroff with a site called sewalot.com in GB. He is a wizzard with machines and has written many books about England ans has sewing publications also. He would know about your German machine. They are a little on the rare/scarce side in the US. I have read about them online. Maybe ISMACS.com site would help. They have international info. also. Congradulations on your neat find. You will love Alex's books. Our library has some of them.

Source for a manual: http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...e-manuals.html

I love the copper plate!!!

I looked up the serial number of your Singer 101. It was born on March 18, 1930!

I've never seen a copper plate like that. Very cool.

I already contacted him about two weeks ago and heard nothing back. I went through his site but he didn't have a lot of information about the German specific. I know that they are quite scarce, at least in the country, but I was looking more for the history of the copper plate. Interestingly enough in a unit where everything was scattered about this was only one of three that was wrapped and carefully protected. The other was the 101 and the last was a 201 bicentennial, which is perfect.

Thank you so much I really appreciate that!

All of the "C" serials are gone...there are no records for them. :(

Yea I know and both of the Germans are C series. I am going to call Singer tomorrow, just thought the worst they could do is laugh and tell me good luck.

Hi Alekia, congratulations. What you have is a Singer 201-3 built in Wittenberge, Prussia, prior to that country's dissolution.

The 201-3 is a sought-after machine, because it has all the smoothness of a 201-2 but can easily be converted to treadle, due to the belt-driving motor. The motor can also be replaced with a modern-day motor easier than you could do it with a 201-2 (potted motor). Additionally, the light fixture on the 201-3 is on the non-operator side, meaning less chance you will burn yourself during use.

I couldn't figure out what you meant by "Cooper," especially since you capitalized it; looking at the photo I think you might have meant "copper?" I'd never heard of Singer using copper metal for their faceplates, so it's possible you have a machine that was the result of an unusual experiment--which I admit is quite unlikely. It's also just possible that the faceplate is dirty or beginning to rust, though I must admit that's equally unlikely, given how the rest of the metal parts seem in good condition.

In any case, congratulations on your find! I'm sure you will enjoy using it.

Thanks,
Sorry I never realized I put "Cooper" instead of copper. It isn't dirty, it actually gleams. If you pull the face off it is the same color on the back as it is on the front. Since all of these came from a museum which had a number 4 singer, and a first year Wilson, not to mention 24 other pre-civil war machines; I think I actually might have some type of experiment or maybe as stated before something that came as a result of shortage of material. We are going to see the sister in 2 weeks and go through the 5 boxes of paperwork and it may solve the mystery. Thank you so much for the information though. I really appreciate it!

hope you find what you are looking for. they sure are pretty machines. Good luck on what you find in the boxes. Glad you joined us. Please post pics after you get all up and running so we can all see your beautiful machines. Amy

It's interesting to see different vintage machines. I think the copper face plate is neat. Thanks for showing us the machines, and I hope you find out more information about them.

Thank you so much.... You are such a wonderful group. So kind and helpful and just delightful to speak (type) with. Thank you so much for all the help and direction. Thank you so much for the kind words and the gift of your time. Thank you so much for the wonderful compliments.

Alekia is the person I got all of those machines from back in July :) This copper face plate singer is really pretty. She got quite a collection with this storage unit and her fiddlebase treadle sews like a dream. She is who I got my Damascus, Parisian, and all those other heads from, along with my Davis NVF treadle. Texas Jan also got her 301 trapezoid cabinet from her. I can't wait to see what info we can gather from those boxes of paperwork concerning how he came to own all of these machines. Should be fascinating!