What is your Holy Grail?
 

Joe just mentioned he would like to find a Singer 201 in a bentwood case with the knee bar for his wife.
That's what prompted this thread. It does seem like we had a similar thread for quest items a while ago but things change. We fill holes in our collections or learn about something new that we now must have.

Here's a few of mine:
1) This I've been wanting for a while. It's not even a machine. The Singer #42 Art Deco sewing desk. Preferably the walnut version. That's my biggest want. I've had to let a few slide by due to finances but eventually the right one will show up.
2) An early New Home, especially with the flat tension on top. I just think they're beautiful. They have great lines to me.
3) An early electric machine, preferably original with a swing away Hamilton Beach motor.
4) This one isn't a machine either. There was an early Hamilton Beach motor on a separate cast iron stand that you could sit next to a machine to run it. One of those would be great. I want my collection to show some of the evolution of the modern electric machine.
5) An early foot-shaped foot controller.
6) An early Franklin with the Scarab pattern. I just think it's a neat decal design and it's a good representation of our nation's fascination with all things Egyptian back then. I like it far better than Singer's Sphinx pattern.
7) An early Free with the Peacock pattern decals. I love Art Nouveau designs too.

I have other machines and items I want but those are some of the bigger holes in my collection. None of them are particularly rare, it's more a matter of having the money to buy them when they do show up.

MacyBaby helped me fill one quest item earlier this year. She gave me a Montgomery Wards (National) Streamliner a while back. I'm a bit nuts when it comes to anything Art Deco. This machine is a great example of Art Deco style, it's also one of the first (maybe the first?) machines to have a hinged nose cover with a light inside. The machine also filled my want for a turtle back motor machine. MacyBaby also just confirmed some attachments I was looking at on Ebay would fit it. They should be in the mail soon.
Thank You Macybaby!

So, what are your latest sewing machine related quest items?
Rodney

I have two Holy Grail wants.

The first is the white version of my blue Brother FZ2 Pacesetter. I've only ever seen one, but since I saw it and know who bought it, I know they're out there.
My second want is a Brother convertible electric/treadle cabinet for a domestic machine. Again, I've seen pics, know a couple people who have one, but I've never seen one in person.

Cari

Singer 201k or 201p I especially love that thicker body style. Even though I haven't been working on my machines much, I still look. That is one I would have a hard time not going after if I found one close enough and at the right price.

I also would be drawn to the bronze embossed White.

I still might be swayed to a Singer 319 or an Adler 189A, but I am holding pretty tight to the number of machines I have now.

Rodney,

Make that a 201-2 in a knee bar bentwood case. :D



I have one of those #42 Singer cabinets. I don't know if it's blond or brunette cos some dufas painted it white.

I have a New Home Model AB with the flat tension. Sews great, looks like .... umm I can't say it here.

I want a machine with the rotateable Hamilton Beech motor too. I have one of those motors that would fit my New Home but I need a screw with a special thread pitch on it. Without that .... not a chance.

I have a Franklin 1911 with the Scarab decals. Great machine.

And what I want the most ..... I bigger home that we own to have my machines in.


Joe

I have always wanted a featherweight for it's portability. Had a chance at a White one but didn't realize that they would become so valuable. But all the ones I see are way outside my price range.

I had read this earlier and thought of you when I found this http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...es/image18.htm I don't think that is the one you want. I would like to find the "Universal" Hand Power Attachment.

I'm not really looking for anything right now. I've got my "Tiffany" 15 and a couple of pre-1900 machines. I missed out on a $25 embossed White - so would like to find one close to that. Even a black one would do, but bronze would be nice.

I've gotten most of the attachments/accessories I've wanted. A couple things that I don't have but would like to find would be a complete single thread embroidery attachment at a very moderate price and a pair of treadle belt pliers.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

It's not the one I was thinking about but that's only because I didn't know about it. That one looks earlier than the HB version. Now I want one of those too.
Rodney

I would like to find a really ornate fiddle base hand crank, but what I REALLY REALLY want is to stumble across a fantastic affordable 222K. Yes, I know, good luck with that one! :sew:

A vintage zig zag that will do stretch stitch and has a needle that is center homing or LMR.

I've got that one, pennycandy. Kenmore 1400, a pretty pale green. Low shank feet, too, since it was not a 1400-0. It has many sisters with the 'two dials on the right and white/red toggle above' look to the front of it.

Some White 77s are finally starting to pop up again on the local Craigslist. Very, very far away from here...

Here most 201s are motor or treadle, and I so want to try the potted motor first hand. My hope is that a 201K2 will turn up, very dirty is all right, as long as it shines up and decals and paint are nice I'm happy. There are two prewar Bernina models, heavy cast irion zigzaggers, I am looking for one to turn up closer to me, but shipping from US is not totally out of the question.

Singer 320 (the free-arm version of the 319). I don't think they were made in (or imported to) the U.S., so I guess I'm including a color-coordinated 110V motor with that request.

Pfaff 138 industrial. I'm 6'3" so most domestic machines (and cabinets) feel slightly out of scale to me. This Pfaff has a good reputation and a roomy throat space.

Are attachments allowed? If so, Singer Walking Foot attachment #160741 at a sensible price. I don't know if I want it to keep; I just would like to see what all the fuss is about.

I think I already have the holy grail somewhere in my shop....

Is it the one who takes 5 years of your age for every hour you sew on it?

No but trying to find it in ther might do that.

Would love to have the machines back that were set on the curb. That's not going to happen. Oh well. Not to dwell. I keep checking the thrift stores around here and still way over-priced for machines I wouldn't even use for doorstop in a barn.

I lust after a Rocketeer but really don't have room for anymore ... and I don't really have that many. I also would like to have a handcrank but at some point I think I will buy just the wheel and crank for my 128 or 99K both in Bento Boxes. Mostly what I need/could use is more room but then I guess a lot of us could say that!

It's nice that we can all have these dreams and that some of them do come true.

Let's see . . .

I'm really wanting the early Boye needle display case - the one that has Singer as #11 and White as #15. That will make #4, and I really only want to have two of them, one of each numbering system.

For machines, I don't know if I have any "holy grail" right now. I'm thinking of getting a later Singer 12 hand crank. It would replace my 1868 model.

I'm still looking for "Supre Macy" found one, but the name decal was in poor shape, and that is the important part for getting one! Though I'm thinking I'll name my long arm "Macy" and that will help with my user name (original MacyBaby was the nickname for a horse I bought as a weanling and sold several years ago).

And I'd love to find a Style #1 puzzle box!

Ok - so maybe my one true "holy grail" item at this time is a Singer Penguin Foot that won't cost more than a mortgage payment to obtain!

I think we still have our Supre-Macy (left homing ZZ machine. And it need a new home!)

My Holy Grail of sewing machine wants is ANY machine with a verifiable date in the 1850's

That would be a true holy grail. Any 1850s machine would be extremely rare by now.
Thanks for posting those ads Steve. Have you seen any of the optional accessories for the home motor in person?
Rodney

seller accepted my offer, so if it survives shipping, I'll be able to cross the early Boye case off my list. I was hemming and hawing about it, but after typing on this thread I decided to go put in an offer.

Woo Hoo! Congrats

I had an opportunity about a year ago to buy an 1858 machine and still regret not buying it....

I have seen the fan set up at an antique shop once, same base as mine

Good Luck. The Boye cases are super slick, I'm a big fan. I also like the old wood cabinets with machine needles, sort of like the old thread spool cabinets. I passed up on an old Excelsior cabinet with all the different compartments marked by maker and size. Should have nabbed it but hindsight is 20/20 :)

Can't wait to see some photos. I've been looking into how Boye supported the old style numbered cabinets once the new style came out and your case and contents might help out.

Jon

I want KenmoreGal2's avatar! The rose/beige Kenmore!! I've let two slip through my hands, (one because I was too lazy to drive 3 hours, one because of price) and seen several that were super expensive. What can I say, I just love that color! (I'll get a purple one some day, as well - already have blue, turquoise, 3 greens, black, beige, brown, white...).

Same here, FEATHERWEIGHT, is my Holy Grail!!!!!!

I have been searching for a Willcox Gibbs. I know they are out there and I see them on ebay, but the PRICE! What makes them so high? Is it because I only want things that cost too much?

Mine would be an early Wilson machine, or as Steve said, anything from the 1850's. But the Wilson is much more likely. .

Suzanne

Congrats on the Boye case Cathy!
I passed on one like in Kenmoregirl's avatar. I kind of kick myself for letting it go.
OTOH I have plenty of machines to keep me busy for a while. A sensible person would work on getting them in working order before he goes out and gets more. I'm not that person. I love the hunt too much.
Rodney

I still want a W&G Chainstitch machine and a Queen Anne table with matching chair. I suppose I have to add that featherweight table that slipped through my fingers last month too. That one still feels like a kick in the gut but in reality, I had no business leaving here with a pet that needs fluids and pills daily anyway. Karma was just reminding me of that.

222Ks and 221s in general are reasonably easy to get here in Canada and usually the prices are more reasonable than in the US for the 222Ks - they're out there.

Joe-I also have the #42 cabinet with the 201, which someone also painted white. One of these days I'll strip it and see how it comes out. I got it at an auction several years ago, for $2.50. I also have a 319, 401, etc., so I would have to say, that my holy grail, would be a long arm, yes, I know they're not antiques. LOL

I have only two items on my "Holy Grail" list right now. I got a Singer 15 with La Vincedora decals just last week. That was on my list. It was advertised as a Singer 27 with red eye decals. Don't know where they got their info. I still want a Free #5 with peacock decals and a wrap around hand crank. The machines I have with no cabinet are all pre 1906 and have no motor mount. Only saw one and it was already sold.. and the Free #5s are always out of my price range.. Maybe someday....Sigh! Linda

I have always wanted a nice pink machine, vintage of course and in really good shape, a raspberry Morse would be nice. I have been lucky here lately and have found a lot of the machines that I have wanted so have to start another list.lol Oops, I would really like to find a two spool nice condition machine. I have always wanted one of those.