Help Identifying Old Dressmaker
 

I inherited my great-grandmother's Dressmaker sewing machine and would like to restore it. I have no idea what model it is. It is close to some Kenmore models.

Welcome to the QuiltingBoard!

It is probably a machine made in Japan in the late 50s or sometime in the 60s. Likely on the underside of the base you will find a JA or JC number stamped or stenciled. If you find that you might take a look over here

http://www.doubleveil.net/zssmp/resources.htm

Where there is a collection of JA/JC numbers and details related to them (scroll down to the 2nd 1/2 of the page). This might help pin down some information.

Otherwise you should consider it to be a Class 15 related Japanese machine, meaning it is a straight low shank (or it looks to be from the picture) and likely takes Singer Class 15 bobbins, uses a "1 o'clock" (likely) Class 15 bobbin case, and uses 15x1 needles. The bobbin slide plate is missing in the picture, if you have it that's good. If not, it could be one which has a spring clamp on each side of it to grab the base, or it hinged to the needle plate and was broken off. There can be some variation in these, but if you need one I would look for one with the spring clamps.

Please come back with questions as you start to work on it, people here are great about helping if they can, I've learned tons reading posts here, and asking questions.

Awesome!
 

Thank you! I do have the plate, found it underneath but I am having trouble getting it on properly. It appears that my great grandfather repaired it at one time, as one of the prongs was rewelded.

I found 2 numbers, one looks like JA 12 and is on a sticker and the other is JN 84195, engraved onto a plate. I checked out that website and it says it would be a Brother, but doesn't list Dressmaker as one of its other names.

*Just looked again and there is a stamped number on the underside: JC 30 and is listed as Dressmaker. Cool!

I really appreciate your help!

Where the arrow is in the picture, the spring clamp on the underside of the plate is hooked to the base, the other one is not yet hooked. Once you have it like this, rotate it to a straight position while you apply some downward pressure to make the other spring clamp catch on the base. It should slide into place. If this works, reverse the procedure to remove it.