I remember reading somewhere that Eldredge made the first Two Spool before the company name changed to National. And I was sure I saw a picture of it and it's a bit different and a lot harder to find. But I can't find hide nor hair of it now! I only meant it'd be fun to own a really old one, not that the machine is funner to operate.

I know my "The Eldredge" is a later model made by National, and is the same as the "National" Two Spool. Mine has a Certificate of Warrenty from 1935. DH and I are the second family to own this machine.

In all my researching, I never came across an earlier model of a Two Spools that looked different. A Two Spools is a very unique machine. No other company made a machine like it. Mr. Eldredge consolidated two companies together in 1890 to form the National sewing machine company. The Eldredge manual for the Two Spools has the same machine and decals as the National. National continued to make the Two Spools, and most likely did so until they ran out of parts for that model. By then, Singer sewing company had a monopoly on the industry.

Eldredge did make some other machines but those machines didn't have the canister to hold the "bobbin" spool.
And National did make a machine called "The Eldredge", which is a different beast from the Eldredge/National Two Spools. National sewing machine company made many machines that were badged. So the same machine could have numerous names.

It could be that you saw a photo of someone's machine that they mistakenly labeled as a Two Spools.

There is so much (mis) information on the web - and I figure I was on someone's blog somewhere, but I was sure they had a picture of the older machine . . . Oh well, guess after 50 the memory starts to slide LOL

I had to run upstairs and look at the one we have - just to see what the name looked like. Does that mean I've got too many machines -when I can't remember what they look like anymore?

HA HA, I can't remember what all mine look like either, and I am over 60. I can remember some stuff better than others, but seem a little confused on remembering all the photos. I guess I quialify in the tooooo many machines category too. I have one that is for looks only unless I find parts for it. Got fromSteve here on the board and my is she pretty. She will be front stage and center whenever my new room is up.

Adam,

That size of thread spool is hard to find -- no regular thread spools I know of are that small. What I have discovered is that the small size spools which are found in "sewing repair kits" are exactly the same size as the wooden spool I found inside my machine. Now, the spools today are PLASTIC. My machine and its cabinet are still in the process of being cleaned and the cabinet refinished, so I haven't tested the spools for actual sewing performance. I do know that my machine works! I have a manual I purchased off the internet (my son found it), and it was $10.00.

Enjoy your machine! It's beautiful! Many, many years ago, I worked in the Technical Library at Kennedy Space Center. I stood on the steps of the KSC Headquarters Building and watched the first launch of the Apollo Space Craft which took place after the horrible launch pad accident in January of 1967! Talk about being haunted, if those old launch pads could talk, the history they could tell! I guess I need to stop waxing nostalgic! LOL

Jeanette Frantz

Macybaby,

There is a history of the National Two Spool machine, and the National Sewing Machine Company on ismacs.com. I printed it out and have it here somewhere on my desk, but there's so much other "stuff" that really doesn't belong on this desk. If I can locate it, I'll send you the website info!

Jeanette

Vintage wooden spools can be found at antique stores, estate sales, or some elderly seamstress who hasn't thrown out her old spools of thread (that be my mom :) ).

Antique stores are always fun. Good luck hunting and enjoy the machine!

Adam & Macybaby,

Here's the site! http://www.ismacs.net/national/from_...to_janome.html

Jeanette

Macybaby,

You may have been looking at my machine -- I posted pictures in the Antique/Vintage Photo area! I'll attach one here if I can remember how! After looking at Adam's machine, I checked the top of the head on my machine. It doesn't have any writing there! WOW there are some differences!

Jeanette[ATTACH=CONFIG]446441[/ATTACH]

But that is the same machine....What year is the patent on that one? Even the paint pattern is the same. Yours is in much better shape for sure.

Does anyone know how many of these machines were produced total, or somewhere we could find that info?