New please help
 

This is my first time posting here and I would love to ask for some help. A little background my mother-in-law was an avid antique sewing machine collector and she recently passed away. My father-in-law has asked me to sell her machines and cabinets for him and I know nothing about sewing machine let alone antique ones I was wondering if you all could help me start to undertake this project. I have 16 machines to learn about and try to sell and I do not even know where to start. I don't know any models I have some half way decent photos, manufactures and serial numbers. I have found a little about some of the Singers but am coming up empty on these: White Rotary (believed to be from 1915) Davis, Minnesota, Wheeler and Wilson, and National Sewing Machine Company. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. I think it would not fell like quite the undertaking if I had a solid place to start.

Would it be possible to post a picture or two here on the board. Any Ideas would come easier if we could see them.
You might find interest here or we might know someone who would want them.

First, welcome to the board.
Second, I am sorry for the reason you found us, but I'm sure we can help.

As to how much, that is really really hard to do remotely. So many things effect it.

What we CAN do is to help you identify what they are, and with that you can do research about the price they would be expected to fetch in your area.

We LOVE pictures because they remove any ambiguity that descriptions cause.

You should see an icon in the quick reply window, 3rd from the right, that if you hover over it should say "Image Upload", you can start there. If you can make the images around the 640x480 size it would help the folks here who use dialup connections

[ATTACH=CONFIG]483603[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]483602[/ATTACH]
This first one is a white Rotary either FR or PA 3132725 some major wear or serial so had to guess at first two characters
[ATTACH=CONFIG]483604[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]483605[/ATTACH]
This is a Singer I was able to date it by the serial at 1873
[ATTACH=CONFIG]483606[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]483607[/ATTACH]
This is a Stay Electric have not been able to find any information at all

I do not want to overload any one message with too many pictures(do not know forum rules on this should probably find the FAQ) but I would love to start with these three. Even though I am here because of a tragedy I am actually excited to learn more about these machines. I remember my great granny sewing my cloths on an old treadle machine when I was a kid (She actually made upholstery for a living). Also I just realized I have no clue how to adjust picture size might have to play with that a little.

Well, I would say that the Singer date you have is wrong. That 28 handcrank is beautiful but they were not made that early. it's serial number looks like 10263672 that is 10,263,672 which is actually 1891

Because I would personally have an interest in that, i'll refrain from discussing value here. feel free to PM me and I will give you my email so it could be discussed off-board

The White serial number would be FR (Family Rotary) if you call the Husquvana folks, they can tell you the White's age (they own white and the records)

You must have mis-read the serial number. That is a Singer 28 with Victorian decals and they were not made until 1886 (as VS3). You've probably missed a digit in the serial number there. That decal is not popular but having an original hand crank on it makes up for that.
EDIT: Steve beat me by one minute!

I don't know anything about the old machines except I have my mom's 1949 Singer treadle on which I learned to sew. However, I did want to welcome you to the board from the beautiful mountains of western NC.

I think the Stag Electric is a National made machine. If a reseller bought enough machines, National would put what ever name they wanted on the machine. There really weren't all that many US Mfg of sewing machines in the 1900- 1945 time frame.

Do you also have any attachments that go with the machines? Some of the rare Singer attachments are worth more than most Singer machines - with the exception of the Featherweights (especially the 222).

The only machine I've heard if as being "Rare" is the National Two Spool Machine. Just the cannister for the spool of bobbin thread, that cannister, had a beginning price of $350.00 pm E-Bay a while back! I told my son, let's make real sure our cannister and any other parts are in a secure container and will not leave this house! I am sorry that you are facing such a project when you're really not "into" quilting and sewing machines! I am still looking for an inexpensive (HA!) Featherweight for my cousin in Oklahoma. I have a very limited budget, but I would surely like to find one for her.

Jeanette