these are 201s right?
 

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/bar/3576046040.html

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/fuo/3602881426.html

Lara,

The first one is a 15. A 15-90 I think.

The second one is a 201-2.

Joe

ok Joe -- wanna give me a lesson? I can see that the light is in a different position. The bed decal looks different. It looks like their handwheels and motors are close -- too fuzzy for me to tell.

the face on the first one has stuff outside of it . . .

seems like they look similar enough to have model numbers that would be closer . .

how can you tell? (besides your wisdom and general genius! I know you got *that* going ON!!) ;0))

The 15s have the top tension on the face plate facing the left. Only the model 15s were made that way so if you see the tension there, it's a 15. There are many variations of the 15s exist since they were a pre-1900 machine, but any time you see the tension on the face plate it's a 15.
This particular 15 has a belt driving motor in a portable case, so that's why I said I thought it would be a 15-90.

The other machine is a 201-2 because it's got the potted motor with the light in the front. There are many versions of the 201 as well. Treadles, external hang on motor, hand cranks and those have the lights on the back if they have them. So the 201s are not as easy to tell apart.
The hang on motor versions are really hard to tell from the 66s unless you can really get a good close look at them.

Joe

goodness. so much to learn. I am *always* learning new stuff! thank you jedi Master! ;0))

<off to compare those pictures, again!>

Rain has a good tutorial on his blog about what machine you are looking at:
http://vssmb.blogspot.com/search/label/201-2
browse the rest of his blog, too.

oh, that site is full of goodies!

thank you Miriam!! It is loading now!! ooo -- i am going to learn stuff!! yay!!

And there is this which will take you step by step through identifying a Singer machine .....

http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/...r-machines.htm

That one will identify it for you and it is a lot of fun. Rain teaches you how to do it for yourself.

Oh Mirian, I have orange Bs all over my browser! I love it . .. so interesting! Thank you so much for sharing that blog, and Sue, your link is loading now! I am so excited to know more about these machines! Gonna work on my friend's Stylists today so I can move 'em out! =)) (and replace them!!)

;0)