Grover and Baker treadle
 

yes actually. I have a #9 lockstitch version (not as rare) and it was around 600.

I'd offer them 6-800 because of condition, but cleaned properly it's worth over $2k

Wowwww!!!!!!!!

From my understanding 1861 is really early for sewing machines. By the above posts it looks like the asking price is kind of in the ballpark. Cool machine but it almost looks incomplete?
Rodney

it actually does look complete. Here is the Head of an immaculate machine.

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I went ahead and sent them a message to see if they are willing to be reasonable on the price.

We'll see.

wow! that's purty!!! good luck with your negotiation!

Awesome machine, good luck!

I am driving up there next Friday/Saturday to pick it up.

Thanks for the good wishes!!!!

here are the pics. Made in 1861 (I was made in 1961)
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Congrats on your new machine! If you do a restoration please take some pics as you go.
Rodney

I will be. Photos for sure. 13 hour drive each way....... yikes..

I am SO looking forward to seeing this machine make a stitch. It does the "Grover & Baker Stitch" which is a double chainstitch.
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Steve; Very cool machine & congrats on acquiring this machine.

That would be something to raise the "Grover & Baker Stitch" from the dead. Can't wait to see an actual picture.

Jon

yeah, I couln't wait, I asked them if I could get a pic of two of the under slide area.....

That is so cool! I just saw that machine in a book I have of old machines. Good luck! You do awesome work!

wow....just wow!

They made me promise... "No cleaning supplies in the car". I can ogle and fondle all I want, but NO cleaning!"

I had casually mentioned that if I drove ALL the way up there and THEY were willing to drive ALL the way back, I could probably have it cleaned up and ready by the time I got home...... Seriously... 12-13 hours with no distractions or other activities... No Problem.... ;) hehe

Hoping it is complete....

hitting the road....

Blessings on the journey and traveling mercies.

Steve,

You make me feel really old -- I met my husband in 1961, our son was born in 1965! Remarkable machine! We'll look forward to pictures!

Jeanette Frantz

That's cool, My mom was a young mom too!!

I made it back!!!

well, 30 hours on the road + 30 minutes in the shop where i got it and the G&B is ours!!!


Sf bay to Walla Walla Washington and back. 14+ hours each way at 70mph.


It is filthy but in surprisingly good condition.
The deck though stained is actually silky smooth to the touch in places.
Every moving part moves


No apparent breaks, but i am now beginning the photo essay and cleanup.


I took a few quick pics .

Sad but BEAUTIFUL!!
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Top view. Surprising amount of design left, the Silver arms move!
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Ever seen the underside of a machine like this?
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Underside of the treadle (transverse wheel)
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Accessories in the drawer!!!!!!
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The Wonderful couple at YeeHawAloha Thrift store in Walla Walla Washington.
(The store raises money for group home projects)
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and the cleanup begins....

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Let me guess, Steve barely got any sleep last night, for he was up all night tinkering?

Steve, even your preliminary cleaning is night and day. Just amazing.

I admit to having giggled at the No-Cleaning-Supplies-In-The-Car.

Lovely adventure; sounds like much fun for you and your road trip free-spirits. Just love friends like that. My friends think I am weird for having sewing machines; I am not sure any of them would even walk five minutes with me to get one, much less drive 13 hours! ;-)

hehe Thanks. Scott and I have been friends since just after the earth cooled. Heather and my best friend Geoff are the only people that I have known longer....

I got to bed at about 10pm last night. The siren call of the filthy machine was too great to allow sleep earlier.

Looking at this machine before I began was like finding an old faded movie starlet wasting away in a bar, and then bringing her into the light for a make-over and a revival of her once glorious self. Silly but really the best analogy I can come up with at this time.

So here is the quandary...

The serial number on the top of the back slide translates to 1867
The serial number on the bottom of the front slide that matched the serial number stamped on the bed shows 1862
The cabinet has a brass latch plate which has an 1864 patent.

So, the quest to understand it's history is on....

ever seen a mechanism like this?

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Hopefully you don't need the "Helmet of Knowlege" that Bones used to reattach Spocks brain on Star Trek to figure out the knotting mechanism.

that machine is really something! I'm amazed at the decals too - a lot still there.

I have not taken any since I began the underside cleanup, so here are a couple of the underside before cleaning.

This is the first machine that I have seen with painting details on the underside... Wow...

NOTE: I especially love the twisted piece of metal that the up and down action works against to create the back and forth rotation of the hook

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OK, so I am now looking for skinny thread spools.

This is a TWO SPOOL sewing machine. Is uses TWO threads to make a double chainstitch.

here is the threading instructions (info culled from a couple sites, I made the document)

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Very cool! So far the difference in how the machine looks is incredible. I'm glad so much of the artwork is intact on it and that you made the effort to go get it. It's in good hands.
Rodney

Ok, so for some reason that thought never occurred to my dumb butt.... Thanks! (I have a lathe)

I made a temporary pitman blank last night. It is not NEARLY as cool as the original was but I am working on that later, this will let it be connected and look nice for now.

1st mine...
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Bottom of original
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Amazing top of original
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