Wow - smart way to do the bobbin winder - I have never seen one with the gears. Some times when I am working on the old machines I marvel at the engineering. The newer stamped out machines just don't hold a candle to those old ladies. I have two German machines, a 401G and a 411G - you would like them - they are made to treadle or run on electric.
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This Singer 401G machine shreds belts - that machine was rescued from the garbage across the street

Hell Miriam - Thanks for posting the pictures. I always think those machines look hilarious with the giant sized Mickey Mouse button on the front. Interesting that they kept the treadle option, and there's nothing flimsy about them, is there?

nope nothing flimsy - I think that giant button looks like a pig nose - this machine should be named Miss Piggy but Miss Piggy never looks this beat up and dirty. She shreds belts - the opening for the belt is rather small. Someone told me to get a spinning wheel belt for her but I haven't done it yet. She is a bit hard to pump.

Here is an old Pfaff - 1950s vintage - the zz lever allows you to adjust the width as you sew - I bet it would do some cool monograms once you get the hang of it
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The motor is in the middle of the bottom - kind of direct drive and two belts
The bobbin & case go in the shuttle in an awkward position - I'm sure they had a reason and very small hands
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also had a needle threader - I don't know if it works though
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The Pfaff is one I got last week - it was covered in goo - I still see more to come off

is the red outlining the oil ports original or did someone do that with fingernail polish

what is strange to me - my MIL was german and she said the vesta was Italian

I've seen other machines outline the oil ports in red - must come that way.

The Italian's were pretty inventive too! I like a good old Necchi.

Hello Miriam (see, I remembered to add the O this time) - plenty of work ahead getting that muck off the Pfaff! The needle threader is handy if it works...

SunlitenSmiles - it is definitely not nail varnish. I have a manual for this machine (a treasure in itself) which I bought separately. It refers to the oil holes being marked in red, so in four words they dispense with the need for a diagram. Also, it's surprising how many people assume that a machine with a name ending in A was made in Italy.

Today's photo shows the shuttle. It is a transverse shuttle machine. To remove the bobbin you have to turn the wheel to make sure that the bobbin is in position on the left of the needle, then pull the slide plate back and the shuttle automatically ejects. The Germans continued to make transverse shuttle machines right up until the Second World War, even though the design pre-dates the vibrating shuttle. Transverse shuttles make an excellent stitch - I love them.