what am I?
 

I just got an email from my dad, who said he'd be bringing this down with him when he comes next month. (I'm slowly sucking everyone I know into my hobby! *insert demented cackle here*) First he said it's "Standard Model A", then he corrected himself and said it's "Rotary Model A". Neither of those is getting me anywhere with Google, but I know I recognize the decals from somewhere, I just can't think where. Any info would be helpful! I know nothing about this one, including things like does it run, is the bobbin case there, etc. Dad just saw it, liked the decals and thought I would too.

This will join my herd of old rotaries, which seems to be growing. (I swear, the first friction-drive rotary sat in my sewing room and put out The Call-they just started turning up!) Everything but the Imperial Kenmore should be home from the shop this weekend (that one is still waiting for me to rewire it, although I may get to that today, if there's no painting to do), so I hope to get some pictures taken.

I am not sure. You sure have a great dad.

Yup. I inherited my love of all things mechanical and fiddly from him-he was a machinist and had his own shop. I started sweeping the floor for ice cream when I was six or so; by the time I was in my mid-teens, I was running the machinery. That's been a while ago, but I still have grease under my nails, and my own toolbox. :) He's mostly retired now, so he kinda enjoys my hobby vicariously. He's happy, I'm happy. It's all good! :D

Looks to be a National Rotary.

Monica, that's what I was going to guess....National made so many of those with a thousand different names!!!

MrsBoats - haven't you got a great dad! He'd have a great time in this country.... I hope you have a lovely time tinkering together when he visits.

I've said it before, and I'm not being rude, but to my eyes American machines look really strange. Why that big bump under the spool pin on the left? It looks like the funnel on a steam engine.

Muv, I thought it strange too, and wondered if the machine isn't an adaptation of a machine with a leaf spring tension?

Charlee- you mean those really weird looking American machines with the fancy set-up on top for the tension? I always wondered what they were called.

Yes Muv...I think maybe this one has the mechanics for the dial type tension, but they hadn't yet adapted the body of the machine to adjust for it...so they stuck a spool pin in it and called it good! :D

(Pure speculation on my part, but it made sense to me!)

I'd wondered about the bump too. This being a transitional model makes sense!
And yes, I agree that it's a National. I don't know where he got the "A" from, but I found this: http://www.ismacs.net/national/rotary_b.html , which looks just the same.