MY Sears Minnesota sewing machine!
 

Well, not yet but it will be one day. I started quilting 12 years ago. Last year I got the Featherweight bug. Then I found this sight and got the antique bug. I now own a 201 and 15_91 both in cabinets and found locally for $75 and $80. Then I found out I needed the 301. I got that last week on eBay. We got to my aunt's home in AZ yesterday and what do I find? Well, I have ignored this piece of furniture for years and now with MY new obsession I ask "What is it?" A Minnesota made by singer. Also a great story how my aunt acquired it. The pully system is broken to pull it up but I now remember seeing the machine years ago and what a beautiful machine it is. My aunt has never sewn. She says it is mine as soon as she downsizes. That is OK. I don't have room right now anyway! The cabinet is in perfect, beautiful condition. She likes antiques and that is why she spent $50 on it 40 years ago. I didn't mention I grew up in Minnesota!

How exciting! Does she have photos to share so you can whet our machine appetites?!

I saw a "Minnesota" model machine in a thrift shop last summer - and had to make myself keep walking. It was not in a cabinet, nor in very good condition, or it would have followed me home.

The Minnesotas were made by Davis or National I think, not by Singer. They were sold by Sears.

Photos will go a long way to identifying the machine.

Sounds like a wonderful machine to make a home for, just in case your Aunt downsizes sooner than later.

Here's a Minnesota Model B by Davis:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]511839[/ATTACH]
This one started off in life as a treadle machine. It was converted to electric and put in a home made base decades ago.

Hope you get your Minnesota, they're nice machines.

Joe

Like Joe says, "Minnesota" was made by many manufacturers for Sears---at least 4. Then you got the model A,B,C almost all the way until X. If your not familiar with Vibrating Shuttle machines your in for a real treat.

Jon

My bad! From earlier post I read that they were made be Sears. I guess I got the wrong S going. I do have a picture of the cabinet. I have never sewn on a treadle. I remember my Gma had one stored at our house. It all burnt when I was 9.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]511850[/ATTACH]Nice, isn't she nice! She's called Zita from now on!

I do believe that's a Minnesota Mdl A. Although I'm not positive who made it. Nice machine.

Joe

Zita is looking good! You have a Davis made "New Minnesota A" which Sears only sold from 1909-1913. I'd check the drawers for the front slide plate, bullet shuttle, and bobbins, which were hopefully put away for safe keeping. The bed casting on bottom of machine is marked "A9" or "A10". The A9 uses Davis Long needles and the A10 15x1 standard. You'll really enjoy this once she's up and running.

Jon


Similar Davis manual: http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...f/sil10-37.pdf

Thank you Jon. My aunt bought this machine when they lived in Eatontown, NJ! The moved to AZ in 1978. I read her your comment! At 79 she looks real good! Yes, there is a bunch of stuff in the drawers. More research for me to do.

Veinurse,

I am currently working on a Minnesota Model A (Davis Made) -- I have no idea of the age of the machine I have -- I'm working on it for my cousin in Arkansas. I bought a shuttle from a QB member in NY, and another (just to be safe) off e-bay! My son and I had plans last weekend to spiff up the shellac to protect the decals, but we just ran out of time. I had hoped to work on all three of my beautiful old machines. The shellac clear coat is suffering from age, but Glenn has provided a tutorial for improving the appearance of the machine and protecting the decals! Your Minnesota is in better condition than the one I have, but my cousin is thrilled with it, so I won't complain! Congrats on your Minnesota, now known as "Zita"!

Jeanette

Veinurse,

If you'll notice in the pic of my Minnesota B, the front slide plate is an accessory plate with the accessory removed. What happens a lot of time is the slide plates wear as they're used and eventually will get loose enough to fall out.
So then when the machine is lowered into the cabinet out it comes. We see a lot of machines with missing slide plates here.
If you find your front plate, clean it and the grove in the machine, then test it. If too loose, put the back end of the plate in a vise and carefully put a slight bow in it. Not a kink, but a gentle bow. This will keep it in place.
Do not attempt to peen down the edges of the slot on the machine body. That is brittle cast iron and the edges will break off.

Jon gave me the heads up for an eBay auction that had Minnesota B parts which included a set of slide plates. I won it and now Minerva has a real front slide plate. But I had to put a bow in it to keep it in place. Not a big thing, just a fix for old worn parts.


Joe

Thanks Joe! I love all this info. I now realize that naming her Zita this is probably my last machine. My first Featherweight is named after my oldest granddaughter, Ava. I now have them from A to Z!

Last machine ....... sure it is! We all have said that more than once. Then we find another one we just can't leave behind and start the last machine thing all over again. Sigh .... we're all hopeless sewing machine rescuers. :D

Joe

Your machine is beautiful. I would think that your aunt needs to downsize soon so you can take Zita home.

What a nice gift. Maybe if you find her a smaller table she will trade with you now!

We are on vacation in AZ. We were shopping Antique Malls. I found a Minnesota A head in almost as good shape as Zita's. $40!!! She is in the back of the van. I'm not really buying another sewing machine' am I?

l. LOL. Yes you are infected.... Sorry no cure....

Veinurse, you want to be sure you replace the "wick" in the port which is at the left edge of the slide plate. It looks so much like just another anomaly, but it's an oil port which contains the "wick" (I made my new "wick" from a couple of thicknesses of cotton batting) You can also use 2-3 layers of felt. That oil port is very important because it lubricates the shuttle carrier and shuttle! If I had a program that would let me do so, I would draw a circle around it!

Jeanette

Veinurse - what route are you heading home? I probably have a few I can sneak in your van!

Veinurse, you got a good buy on that head. I paid $65 for the one to refurb for my cousin. But, I didn't have to pay shipping -- it was about 60-70 miles away and I didn't want to risk shipping! Plus, the slide plate was there! There wasn't a shuttle, but I've bought a couple of them and some bobbins, too! If you've got all those things, you did very well indeed! Zita is a beautiful machine, in very good condition!

Jeanette

Macybaby! I just saw your post now! Where in SD are you? We took #81 to Watertown and I29 home. Maybe I am lucky we didn't stop. We did stop in Kansas and bought a 19-91 in a nice Bentwood box. It dates to June 10, 1936. I have nice 1954 15-91 in a cabinet with many attachments. My husband is the one who said we should buy this one.

I think my news is very interesting. Zita's serial number is D3657602, I think. (I took a picture of it and one number is hard to read. Yes, I found the plate in the drawer and it was not loose at all.) The head I bought in AZ it's serial number is, D363360. They are from the same production! The date is June 17, 1908. There were 50,000 made but I still feel that is some coincidence.

well, you passed about 30 miles from my house. Would have needed to take a detour west when you crossed I90.

I'll remember this Cathy!