I think we've gone crazy! Vintage machines left and right!
 

Since the acquisition of Maggie, our 1956 Singer 99, DH and I have gone off the deep end. We have purchased seven other machines in three weeks time. We have been bitten hard by the vintage sewing machine bug! So here are some of our new sew beasties. (Three of them we got on ebay and we are waiting for their arrival.)

Over Labor day weekend our first purchase was this Frister & Rossman hand crank that was most likely made in 1901 or 1902. Her name is Adeline. Her case has some problems like the lid is no longer permanently attached and it's fairly scruffy looking. DH is considering fixing up the case.

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Next came Colette, the Singer 66 Red Eye born in 1910. This one we found on Craigslist. DH really wanted a treadle the operates by turning the wheel towards you as opposed to our 9W where you push the wheel away from you. Anyway, we were lucky because the couple we bought it from were moving to another state the very next day and were going to take it with them if they hadn't sold it. The cabinet top had some delamination from some water damage, but the rest of it looks good.

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Then we purchased a 1918 electric Singer 128 with La Vencedora decals which looks pretty nice. Well, that was good for Labor Day weekend.

A couple of days later DH snapped up a treadle cabinet that looks exactly like the one that came with Colette but in nicer shape. That was off of Craigslist too. DH will be swapping tops.

Also on Craigslist we found a lovely Singer 115 with Tiffany decals born in 1916. This one came in a treadle cabinet that is pretty much toast. We're considering changing this one to a hand crank. I think she is absolutely beautiful. DH posted a thread asking questions about this one. We named her Josephine.

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After we loaded Josephine, we went just a few blocks away to an antique mall. We weren't there for very long before we found Maddie. She is a 1949 Singer 99K with a scroll faceplate. She's seemed in good shape and came with a fairly nice bentwood case. She was also 10% off - we'll take every little bit off we can get! Now Maggie has an older sister.
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Then that night we were perusing ebay and luckily happened to catch a new listing for a 1947 Featherweight 221 that was a buy-it-now. It seemed to be just what we were looking for - nice condition at a reasonable price, so we bought it. This is one sew beastie we were actually looking for.

And the story doesn't end there. Last night DH was checking out ebay again (yes, again!) and fell in love with a 1922 White Rotary. It was a buy-it-now with a best offer. So, he made an offer and the seller accepted this morning. That was a nice surprise.

When our ebay purchases arrive I'll post pictures in a follow-up thread. Now, perhaps the hunt for sew beasties will slow down. It should or the bank account will have a conniption fit! Happy hunting!

Wow....Wow...Wow!!!! If I lived nearby I'd come over for a visit and help you celebrate your expanding family of machines. They are all gorgeous!!!! I'm now hoping to find a vintage cabinet to set my ONE machine in. If I were to come across another vintage I would buy it I'm sure!!

I've renamed mine "Grace".

Wish i had one
my green eyes are envious.

Ah heck, you guys are just beginners. Last September or October we had maybe 5 machines we'd had for years. Then suddenly it went nuts here are now we have over ........ oh geeze I'm guessing (see Joe wincing ) over 50 now.

I ah quit counting at 30. I've run out of sewing machine record sheets so I can't buy any more. LOL

Joe

Joe, please don't give her any more ideas ;)

Apparently these things are like popcorn...one just will NOT do! I have 17 machines, thought I was doing great and now, well now, I feel like a rank amateur! That's okay....one of these days....

Beautiful machines! Believe Joe---though. I started out with a 319w from a friend's mother's estate sale......and now have over 50 working machines.....and a few I am working on I call them my choir because they are mostly Singers I am really happy for you!

I have two in cabinets. debating on getting rid of one...I love them but they take up a lot of space.

It is indeed an addiction, but a fun one! They are works of art.

Ha Ha, you "think" you will slow down but you will hear your doorbell ring one day soon and open it to find them lined up waiting to get in!! That's the way I explain mine anyway!!

The Professional Organizer came last week to help me get some things done, especially in my sewing room so I could actually set up many of the machines. We counted and there were 14 in my sewing room...no way I can set them all up. Later, as we moved boxed things to the garage for donations, I "showed" her 4 more machines in cabinets. I think she was "impressed" but not sure if it was in a "good way"! LOL She told me that she had never sewn before and was definitely impressed that I could. Mmmmmm, think maybe she would "barter" for more organization time if I gave her a machine and sewing lessons? She is a very creative person and would probably take to it quickly!

Think when she comes back to help hang pictures/decorate stuff, I will casually mention it to her!

Nanamoms, I've been wondering how to set some of them up so that they are available for use. The 66 Red Eye (Colette) has already found a spot in the guest bedroom. Maggie, my first 99, also has a cabinet in my sewing room. The others may be displayed on shelves in the attic, which is finished space so they will be seen and enjoyed. Still knocking some ideas around in my head. But I have to believe things will slow down. Where will we put them all? I'll need your professional organizer!

Nice! Good husband too, don't trade him for a sewing machine by mistake tho! LOL

Pinkcastle - you and your DH are kindred spirits to me and my DH! It is so much fun to look for machines together! My DH always says "you don't need any more sewing machines" but he is the first to spot them at flea markets and antique stores and insist that I buy it! Each one is just so unique!

I don't think there's a chance of that happening! He is definitely a keeper!

lovely, we have been having the best time hunting for vintage sewing machines that need homes. Sometimes I wonder why are we doing this? It just seems crazy and a month ago it wouldn't have occurred to us to even buy one. I don't have a solid reason for it, but there it is. (Actually this board may have put the tiniest bug in my ear!) And you are right, my DH seems to spot them before I do - although not always!

My husband brought home a 1923 White Rotary from an auction for 7 bucks. Since then (a few months later) I have two more, there would be more if money wasn't tight ;) Hubby is the one to blame for my obsession. I have cut myself off until I can fix up the ones I have. For me it's the beauty and craftsmen ship that went into these machines (and cabinets). Even the ones in a sad state draw my eyes, works of art that demand adoration :) no matter how badly neglected.

That's the key for me as well, both with the sewing machines and my antique woodworking tools. There's something just plain 'right' about the looks of some of the machines - the 99, 128 and some of the hand crank models in particular. Along side that there's the ornamentation - some of the Singers and the Frister & Rossmann are just peacock perfect in their ostentation.

Lovely machines!! They all look great to me.

I think we're going to have to scale it back some...after the Free that we're going to take a look at tomorrow, and the later model 66 in a nice looking cabinet that I found on Craigslist, and the 201 that SWMBO seems desperate for and, maybe, the rough 27 that I'm bidding on....

The 128 arrived today. The machine is in nice shape but the bentwood case is the worse for shipping :(. The dome's fine but some of the base is split (probably because the cardboard was flexible enough to let the machine's weight tear it out) and I need to figure out how to repair it.

Check out J Miller's tute on how to fix cases. He is amazing and has quite a few machines. I have a case that I should try to get fixed. My Singer Sphinx is in it. I believe I now have 8 or 9 vintage with the 201 I bought tonight.

What a shame the case is split. If you purchased from Ebay, make sure you contact the seller or put in a claim with Ebay. That is one thing you need to ask about on Ebay before purchase - ask how it will be packed for shipping. Good luck and send pics when you can!

I am also a old sewing machine collector. One thing I would like to know how can I display all my sewing machine so others that come to my house can enjoy them to. I have a small sewing room which is 8x10 feet with a full size closet so having extra space is hard to do for just displaying sewing machines. Anyone have any good ideas. I now have 13 sewing machines and they are all different and some of them are very pretty.

grandmahoney, I'm thinking about going vertical with shelves to display my lighter weight machines. My sewing room is small also 10x9 but I have 10' ceilings. I think I'm going to get those wood shelves with the pretty brackets that they have at Lowes. Will consult my PO (prof org not parole officer...LOL) I have a 4' folding table with 2 machines on it, as well as the sewing cabinet with my embroidery machine on it plus an L shaped computer desk in the room. Still have floor space so it works!!

I love those old Singers. You really have some treasures there. They are beautiful.

Wow! You have some great machines.

What a nice collections of the oldies and goodies.

those are simply beautiful machines! i'm laughing at your story, though, because i'm living the same one! we've bought 3 vintage machines in the past month - and i thought i was bad. i was thinking i needed to join a 12 step program for machine addicts, but after reading everyone's stories . . . :shock::D now i think i need to buy MORE!

The members of another group I'm a member of (dealing with antique woodworking tools) humorously refer to themselves as "The support group from hell". Sort of like going to an AA meeting and being handed a single-malt to help you relax before speaking in front of a group :)

You have the start of a beautiful collection. You and DH have great taste and a good eye for machines. Sewing machines in cabnets make wonderful endtables. After 22 machines you have to get creative on where to put them.

Well, the Free didn't work out - something about it just didn't talk to us. In fact we did an antiquing run yesterday and didn't bring home a single machine! Didn't win the 27, either. It won't last through the weekend, I'm sure.

I think we can officially dispense with the 'think' part of the subject. Three more machines followed us home today - all in cabinets. A 66 (that we bought mainly for the cabinet), a 201-2 (that we bought inspite of the art deco cabinet - though it's growing on us some) and a 15-91 (once again, for the cabinet but the machine looks like it will clean up beautifully.)

It's just plain a fact now - we've gone crazy.

It is a good crazy, though!

I think I am becoming a machine collector. Only I collect any electric , hand readle and children's my best friend thinks I'm mad.

Well, for obvious reasons, we don't think you're mad. This vintage sewing machine thing is quite addictive, but oh, so much fun! :o

What lovely machines! I really like the 15 with the Tiffany decals. I started really going crazy with machines last year...now that I'm looking at houses, I find that I'm trying to envision them filled with my...um...collection. :) Enjoy them!

I'm so jealous!! I grew up in a household with a treadle machine in a beautiful cabinet...not that my mother ever used it. It may have belonged to her mother or grandmother. How I wish I had it now!

Have you checked this out on Ebay? I remember playing with one of these boxes as a kid. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-VINT...item20cb38d5a5

I don't think we're going to go there quite yet. We seem to be bent on acquiring as many machines as possible in a short time. I don't quite understand it, but there it is. At some point we're going to run out of money. Actually this is our 25th wedding anniversary splurge. It will quiet down soon or is that tempting fate?

I think my winter projects are lining up:
66 - Grungy and the decals aren't in great shape so it will be the one I start and learn on, also rewiring
99 (Maggie) - SWMBO wants this one working so it's next on the agenda
66 (Colette) - My treadle machine and I want it working so it's next. Mostly just clean and lube the mechanicals
221 - Looks very, very clean but I need to repair the latches on the case
201 - Probably minimal work to be done as it was being used until recently
99K (Maddie) - Doesn't look to need too much work, just general cleaning
115 (Victoria?) - Dirty and dusty, needs all of the metal cleaned/polished and general going over
128 - Rewire and light clean up. Fix the case
15-91 - Heavy duty clean up
Frister & Rossmann - fix the case and see if I can get the machine working
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It's hard to belive we just started this

And then there were more. Today we checked out a Craigslist ad for an 1889 (I haven't double checked the date yet) 28 hand crank. Pretty machine with the coffin case, original owners manual and full suite of attachments.* He also had a 48K that was in a little rougher shape but the decals are sure pretty. Oh, and a New National by New Home with a fun base and whose decals actually look to be in very nice shape under the grunge. And then on the way home we stopped at an antique store, from which an interesting looking New Home with very colorful decals followed us to the car.

At least the Red Eye in the parlor cabinet didn't come along - though after seeing it Herself agreed with Charlee that the parlor cabinet isn't all that large so I'm on the look out for one in a lighter wood than the one we looked at today (and hopefully without a machine as the 115 would work perfectly there.)

[Edit] Looks like the attachment manager mangled the order of the pictures so I'll leave it up to the reader to associate the verbage with the correct pics.