More vintage Singer feet, accessories questions!
 

I have more questions!

I see attachments/feet marked "blackside." The parts are black. What machines were these made for, and are the interchangeable with other, non-blackside, low-shank feet that would fit a Singer 15-91 or my imaginary 201?

Case in point. I've been searching for one of the adjustable hemmers. I found them in all-stainless (?), stainless mixed with blackened parts, and all blackside ones. Are there any differences besides the colors?

How would I be able to tell the ages? My 15-91 dates from 1954. I would like to find the feet and accessories that would have been available for it at that time. Or, would newer feet with the same parts numbers work just as well as the late 40s to mid-50s ones?


Here's examples of black or steel hemmers.

There is not any difference between the blackside and the chrome as far as fit and function. I have a Singer 201 blackside that didn't have any attachments but I was able to find black side attachments and even a blackside buttonhole maker. That old lady is truly elegant and who knows if she would have had blackside attachments originally.

Could you share a picture of your blackside 201? What are the different versions the 201 comes as? I hope to find a wonderful one to give to my niece.

The do offer zigzag, straight, an reverse stitch, correct? I want her to have an electric model in a cabinet of the same vintage.

I have tried to shoot pics of the black side but the black chrome is chrome and it comes up in a pic as chrome......... You can't really see black it in the pic. But it is amazing.

201's only straight and reverse stitch. There's a zigzag attachment (or 40) but the machine itself doesn't zigzag.

There is debate as to why Singer made some machines blackside - most think it has something to do with availability during the war years. They are no different except the finish, and less common for the most part.

I have a 66 and a 128 that are blackside - and I've put together one set of as many blackside attachments as I've found so far. Around the mid 1940's, you'll find a lot of sets of attachments that have a mix of blackside and nickel finish attachments, and often it's specific parts of attachments, and not the whole. Speculation is that Singer made the parts in bulk, so what got made in bulk at that time was blackside, and some parts never got made that way.

Here are some pictures to show what you may find out there.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps8e14f74b.jpg

This picture shows the adjustable hemmer, part blackside and part nickel. It's also not uncommon to find a machine that has a mix, like the plates will be blackside, but the needlescrew and bobbin winder guide will be nickel. Most often they were on "godzilla" finish machines. BTW - for what ever reason, Singer apparently didn't make belt guards in godzilla finish, so the godzilla finish machines will have a japanned finish belt guard - and they came that way from the factory.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pse82a5a53.jpg

What a wonderful collection. I have been seeing some sets of "blackside" attachments lately on Ebay and they seem to start at $127 for a small set. You have done a great job of compiling a fine collection, more than seen anywhere else. I hope they continue to gain value for you. My DD has a gray-green Godzilla, but we will never be able to amass enough blackside attachments for it. So far I have found a couple of pieces, but they aren't common in middle TN. They are fun to look at, if not to own.

Seriously??? I wonder what my 201 is worth on Ebay not that I would part with that beauty. It is in a neat desk with the ink jar still there, too.

Donna, I've bought a lot of different sets that included some blackside to put together what I've got. I'd never consider paying $127 for a set - and it's likely no one else will too. There are always some dreamers on eBay hoping for someone with more money than brains to come along- or someone with a lot of money who does not want to bother waiting around for a cheaper item to show up.

I don't think Singer ever sold a full blackside set. To them it was just the updated finish, nothing special. They just did not stick with it.

I watch attachments on eBay constantly, and there are some "buy it now" that have been relisted over and over and over again.