Is there a concise book, chart, or App to ID sewing machines?
 

I learned through this forum that I have a Singer 15-91, and it is dated 1954. When I saw my first 66 and 99 at a thrift shop, I did not know how to tell the difference between the three. Now I know the 99 is the smaller, and the 15-91 has a "waist" and "ski sloop" profile.

I know the 66s and 99s with a turn knob to set the stitch length do not have a reverse stitch. Is this correct?

Is there an easy-to-use book that illustrates how to determine the model of machine you might find in thrift stores/garage sales, etc.? I understand the Singer 201-2 is a very useful machine, but I'm not sure I could walk up to an old, black Singer and say "Yes; this is the 201-2."

I'd like a book to carry with me when I go on my summer jaunts. I'd love it if it carried descriptions of all the old sewing machine brands.

Any ideas?

Boy, you did ask a very good question and I certainly would like to know the answer too.

http://vssmb.blogspot.com/search/label/identifying

Rain has some pretty good tips for identifying machines on his blog. The 15-91 and the 201-2 are about the easiest of the old black Singers to recognize when you see them, as least for me. Any black Singer machine that has the tension assembly on the face plate instead of the front of the machine is a 15, and if it has the potted motor it's a 15-91. The 201-2 can be spotted at a glance because it's the only full size black machine that has the light fixture directly on the front of the machine. Also the tension is on the front, it has the potted motor, and the switch for the light is white and on the front where the cords plug into the machine.
I know there's a book about the history of Singer at the library but I don't know if it has the info you're looking for. I think the old Needlebar site had a chart for identifying Singer machines. I think most of us have learned by experience just like you are.

Cari

I know of no reference books or charts for foreign brands.

That is a great website. I have a couple of older machines that I could have used help in identifying them. I have lots more to read there.

Hi,

The best information is online rather in book form for sewing machine ID. Needlebar and Ismacs are the best I've come across and use frequently, especially the Needlebar Picture Library.

Jon

I love that blog on identifying some basic Singers from crappy Craigslist photos. It's a great primer for learning the basic shapes and being able to tell what you are looking at! For pretty much anything else it's research the name and look for photos that help you match it up!

These are not books but there are a few forum threads and blog posts which helped me a lot with mid century zigzag machines.

Gloriastitches posted a magazine article from the '50s comparing the latest in European and American manufactured machines.
Compare those to the badged zigzag machines made in Japan around the same time!

Jon is right. The best ID guides are online. For Singer machines, I think the Sandman Singer ID Template is very good: http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/...r-machines.htm

For non-Singers, I just Google the brand and model and look for reviews. That's how I first found Quilting Board as threads here often pop up. I have used my phone in thrift stores to look up machines I wasn't sure about. There's another site with machine reviews which often comes up and it's very helpful but I don't think I'm supposed to name it here.

Nice article. I saw at least 3 Japanese machines in it.

Cari

I'm no great expert at much of anything, but there is a downloadable, printable on ISMACS titled The ISMACS News Guilde to Singer Ornamentation Sets. It is 51 pages, but if you print it, it could be bound in a 3-ring binder. I keep the stuff I've downloaded for reference in page protectors and in a three-ring (d-ring) binder. It protects the pages and keeps it corraled (spelling?) in a findable location! Of course, this isn't going to help identify the vintage machines which are not ornamented with decals! Just a "for what it's worth"!

Jeanette