Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts (https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/)
-   -   Should I Buy This? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/should-i-buy-t225955.html)

Sheluma 07-18-2013 05:49 PM

Oh my! That 15 has an unusual shape, let alone color. I want one!

brunswickgirl 07-19-2013 02:21 AM


Originally Posted by Sheluma (Post 6184555)
Oh my! That 15 has an unusual shape, let alone color. I want one!

I am pretty sure it is a 15, when I look the serial # up it shows it is a 15 and the label says 15, being new to this collecting I have no way of knowing if it is a clone or the real thing. What are your thought on it?

It was advertised as a 185-15, bought it off craigslist. I asked the guy about it, he said that he knew nothing about it had picked it up at a garage sale and found a green one on ebay so he thought it was a 185 then saw the 15 on the machine and came up with a 185-15!!! See how that works? LOL I bought it because of the color mostly, I will get it cleaned up and use it soon.

ArchaicArcane 07-19-2013 03:24 AM

LOL! I like his reasoning.... but it's not a 185-15. ;)
It's a very uncommon model 15. http://sewing-machines.blogspot.ca/2...en-singer.html
A Singer 15-125. Care and feeding should be the same as the 15-91, if you don't have an original manual.
It's a beautiful specimen!

A clone is by definition -not- a Singer.

How the clones came about (I can't remember where I read this, if someone can point me there again I'd be darn grateful!)

After the second world war, Singer "gave" the design and rights to build the model 15 to the Japanese to help them rebuild their economy. Before long, a flood of Japanese machines (with typical Japanese precision build) were hitting the market, some looking identical to the Singers, some evolving to take on their own shapes and looks.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...p-t164361.html

brunswickgirl 07-19-2013 03:54 AM

Thank you for that info and the link. As I mentioned I am new to this and love learning as much as I can.

ArchaicArcane 07-19-2013 03:57 AM

My pleasure! I'm always happy to spout otherwise useless arcane knowledge that makes most of my friends glaze over. ;)

Sheluma 07-19-2013 04:48 AM

That's funny. If I had seen 185-15 in the title on CL I might have assumed it was an industrial and not even looked at the ad. (I'm not up on the industrial model numbers.)

Before the war Japanese goods were considered inferior, and I wonder if Singer thought there wouldn't be much competition with those machines.

ArchaicArcane 07-19-2013 08:02 AM

I wouldn't be surprised if that was their thinking. After all, at some point prior to the war, they had something like 80+% market share, why would the Japanese offer them competition?

I would probably have clicked on it to be snoopy, that's it... depending on price.

Machines after somewhere in the mid-50s usually have something on them that will say their model number. In the case of this machine it's a 15-. They won't usually say the submodel if there is one, like 15-90, 15-91, 15-125 etc, that part comes with research and experience. But, the badge is always to be trusted as far as the model, unless someone changed it, but I can't see a reason to. At some point (late 50 early 60s) they moved the label to the stitch selector on some machines, like the 401A, 503J, etc.

tenngal 07-19-2013 07:22 PM

I think the price is way out of lline.

blueheavenfla 07-21-2013 12:08 AM

I just purchased a 6 or 7 decorated drawer cabinet and 27 pheasant machine with reasonably good decals and a full puzzle box for $25. It will need Glen's restoration and cleaning techniques but seems otherwise sound. I will get a new belt for it but it has the shuttle, a bobbin or 2 and original manual. I think that if you haven't already purchased the machine that you may want to wait until a less expensive one comes along.

Originally Posted by brunswickgirl (Post 6180954)
Attached are pics of a Model 27-4 dated 1905.

it has been in the same family all this time and in a climate controlled environment. She is asking $300 for the machine and cabinet. I think that that is a little high was thinking of offering $150.00, it is a local pick up do no shipping charges.

I am asking for your advise because I am fairly new to collecting, have only bought 7 since March!!! Everytime my hubby leaves town, now that I am mostly retired, I go out to estate sales, have been having a Blast.

Anyway what do you think? I am really struggling with this because I have been looking for this machine for about a year and this is the best looking one I have found for the age. It is one that I plan to keep and use and it is the same model I learned to sew on, so I have some emotion involved that may be clouding my reality.

Thank you in advance for any input.


brunswickgirl 07-21-2013 04:02 AM


Originally Posted by blueheavenfla (Post 6187890)
I just purchased a 6 or 7 decorated drawer cabinet and 27 pheasant machine with reasonably good decals and a full puzzle box for $25. It will need Glen's restoration and cleaning techniques but seems otherwise sound. I will get a new belt for it but it has the shuttle, a bobbin or 2 and original manual. I think that if you haven't already purchased the machine that you may want to wait until a less expensive one comes along.

She did not take my $150.00 offer which I thought was generous. She has my contact info and I am hoping after she advertises it for a few months at $300.00 and finds that she cannot sell it at that she will come back and take my offer. In the meantime I will continue looking.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:09 AM.