Model?
 

Can someone help to identify the model of this machine? The serial is before they matched models to serial numbers. It indicates that it was made in 1888. It has a fiddle base which seems to indicate a 127, vs2. However, I can't find any indication that they were produced with a crinkle finish. It looks a lot like a 128 as well, but I can't find any information that 128s were produced with a fiddle base. One of you experts will be able to tell me, I feel sure. TIA Cindy

Is it possible this is a "refit"? That is, it was a worn-out VS2 that was given a new crinkle paint job and a motor at some point in the mid-20th century? Are the motor and handwheel original Simanco parts? Cool machine, in any case, looks like it's in great shape.

I don't know anything about it, but it's a really pretty little machine

Yes, it is a VS2. I suppose that it could be a VS3, but it doesn't look like a 3/4 machine to me. The 27s and 28s started about 1890 and the 127s and 128s about 1912. The VS2 and VS3 wouldn't have originally been electrified. From my understanding many of the machines to which the motor was added were also "updated" with a new coat of paint, some with flat paint and some with crinkle.

You can read about the Singer vibrating shuttle machines here. I take issue with the fact that they say the 27-4 machines are the hand crank models. They may have been for machines made in Kilbowie, but the ones made in USA were treadles.

For some information about machines which were 'electrified' can be found here and here.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Closer to 1930 it became very common to convert machines, the price of motor and light dropped and made it more affordable. The practice continued most of the 1950s. The motor was introduced early on with the introduction of electricity, I'm guessing the last decade of the 1800s. According to some info a mains powered Singer could be ordered in 1903. The motor was first fitted to the bed of the machine, but quite early on it was