Here is something for you viewing pleasure.....

I have been knee deep in research for a series of articles I am going to be doing for a magazine on vintage sewing machines and ran across these trade articles. These are from the 1860's and I have one that I am using for the article that quotes that the sewing machine is at the peak of its advanced state and they could not see how it could be possible for it to be improved upon. That was in 1871, could you see the look on the writers face if you sat him in front of a Singer 500A or better yet a Bernina 820? :P

Billy

Billy, the old article is too precious! If only, right? Value established! How quaint.

Love seeing all the old machines and cabinets.

Happy hunting all!

Watched the colorized "Little Women" movie yesterday. What is the sewing machine that Jo is using with pink material? It was a treadle but with with an older/antiquey machine in it. Didn't look like anything I've seen. I know I'm strange, was more fascinated with the machine than the movie for quite awhile. I've seen both versions several times so the machine caught my eye this time around.

I will have to look I never seen the movie :oops: .

Billy

Maybe this is the wrong area to ask this, but several years ago there was a show on either the History Channel or Discovery or maybe another, but they did a show on the history of the sewing machine. And as usual I only caught it in the middle of the show, not from the beginning. And since I thought it would be shown over later, I didn't think to order it. But I don't know what the program it was on and I have not been able to locate it. Does anyone know? I thought it was Modern Marvels but they were unable to locate any such program. So thought I would ask here to see if anyone else remembers it. What I did see was very interesting.

I think it was "Wild West Tech" I saw that one and it was telling about how the sewing machine changed the west as we know it.

Billy

I went to look at a 201 yesterday that looked like it was in pretty good cosmetic condition... When moving the hand wheel everything moved very well, so it didn't appear to have mechanical problems or be gunked up too bad inside. The problem, however, came when plugging it in and stepping on the pedal. The machine sewed slowly at first (nowhere near the speed a 201 should get up to) and then bogged down and even stopped! Obviously an electrical problem, not a mechanical one. Before I decide if I want to get involved with this machine, I wanted to run it past the experts here! Do you think changing the cords will solve this, or does this sound like a motor problem? Worn out motor? Brushes just need changing?

I wasn't in love with the cabinet... It's a heavy wood cabinet that somehow eliminates the foot pedal, and has it's own little foot lever attached to the cabinet. That could also be the source of the problem-- the wiring to that.

I definitely need to get some ideas and opinions before I decide if I want to attempt to refurbish this machine. Thanks!

I already looked it up there, but since the prefix starts with JB, all it would tell me is that it was made in 1936. I can't find what the model number is anywhere. Can anyone help me find that out?

The serial numbers starting with J seem to be the ones made in Canada. The records on the Singer site are not complete, by any means. They have the more detailed info on machines made in N.J. and Kilbowie, Scotland. So...you need visual identification, since there is no website info (and even that is sometimes wrong.)

I looked at your photo and can tell you it's one of the shuttle bobbin machines, most likely a 27, 28, or a 127 or 128 (the 3/4 size versions of the 27 and 28?) It is definitely not a 99... You might want to get online and search for those models, or even look at what's on Ebay, to get an idea of what you have. It looks like a really nice machine! Congrats!

It's not a 99 since the plates covering the shuttle are different. It came with the shuttle and a few extra bobbins as well. I did a little more research, and I'm leaning towards a 127 or 128 since the bed is only 12" wide. What's the difference between a 127 and a 128? I don't know what visual clues to look for.