Just ridiculously beautiful!

Tammi, I would have hauled that one home, too.

very very nice!!! I'd buy it even if it was out of my time frame!

Tammi, the post is normal sized. I laid out the parts for the tension piece and it appears to all be there from what I can find out about it BUT the presser foot is NOT releasing the tension pin. I removed the entire tension unit from the machine and have it set in as per the instructions in the service manual but it is still not working. The only thing I can figure is either someone replaced the inside pin and it is too short ~or~ somehow this little part goes in the pin or the flipper behind it to make a better connection. That really wouldn't make sense though since the "pin" is not threaded. I'm just frustrated with this piece and not knowing where it goes!

I agree. :) I can't wait to see her all cleaned up! I really snagged her because she was a deal too good to pass up. I was positive that the price in the ad was a typo but she confirmed it on the phone without me asking. The pic was blurry and I actually thought she was German but the second guess was Jones (English). I was pleasantly surprised when I got there at the shape she was in. This is the ad and pic: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-furnitu...ationFlag=true - I'm also coveting that radio but I don't have room. Don't have room. Must keep repeating that to myself.

The gal I got her from said she'd bought it used from a friend in the very early 70s to hem a pair of jeans then put it in the basement until this week when she decided the basement needed to be purged. No oil or anything in about 44 years but she still turns well. That's the one benefit I can think of with our very arid climate and relatively low water table. :)

I'm narrowing the date down, but it might fall in the pre-1901 threshold for you. :) This page: http://www.sewingdownmemorylane.com/...erorJones.aspx says the dates of manufacture - based on the serial # are 1883 - 1890 but the slide plate patent date is 1893. So, either the chart is right and it's a replacement slide plate or it's newer than that.

This page thinks between 1895 and 1914 - http://www.sewmuse.co.uk/jones5.htm - and probably leaning closer to the 1895 than the 1914 based on the serial numbers they have listed on their machines. It does predate the Princess/Queen Alexandra badging. That's as close as I've gotten so far. :)

I think it likely isn't part of the assembly then. Periodically I find weird things in sewing machine cabinet drawers. Could this be something that managed to fall on the floor before and you just now noticed it?

As for the pin - make a new one. I think it might be mysewingmachineobsession or one of the similar blogs where she (pretty sure is was a gal, that's why I'm thinking Elizabeth's site) shows making one out of a nail or something.

It’s not common to have parts left over after working on sewing machines????

CD in Oklahoma

Well,.. isn't that how we get the collection of screws and stuff for helping out future machines?

I was going to suggest Collecting a second machine of the same type and taking that one apart to compare... we used to jokingly refer to that as a "Chinese Blueprint"

Tammi OMG that was a steal! What a beauty. I couldn't have passed that up on a bet.

I am thinking I will make a new pin for the tension but need to figure out how long to make it first. Anyone know how long the tension pin is in a Necchi Supernova?

Gah! CD, It does seem to be normal. I have a little dish with funky odd bits left over. Most of them are things I replaced or handled differently but they are still a little haunting!

I actually felt a little like I was taking advantage of the lady but she kept telling me she only wanted what she'd paid for it in the 70s. She was really concerned about it finding a good home and asked me twice to take care of it. I will. :)

I'd start by making a pin maybe 1/16" bigger than the one you have. If you can't assemble or properly actuate the presser lever with that, you need to make one maybe 1/32" bigger.

I have a drawer in one of those parts organizers that does the same. With the electronic machines when I service them at the shop I subcontract to, I usually take the screws or whatever and place them in the part that they secure. So one machine can cover an entire 8ft banquet table! Usually there's no more than a half dozen "other" screws that I corral in a magnetic dish. So far I've been lucky. I've always been able to find a place to stick all of those screws. Whether it was the right spots on the other hand.... :P