miriam

black chrome needle clamp
black under the pin scratches
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miriam

There are pin scratches on the light shade - black peaking through. I don't understand HOW pin scratches got THERE. Somebody must have had awful habits.

quiltsRfun

I don't think she's ugly. Just well used.

miriam

Well used is good - it is just not something I've seen with the black under everything.

chris_quilts

Sure is interesting. Wonder why she was repainted??

manicmike

Could just be changing trends. Black may not have been the, ahem, 'new black'. The '50s was when Singers other than black started appearing. Guess (really a guess) it's also when they moved from Japan to enamel paint, so having different colours would have been possible and easy. The tan ones would have been more popular initially, since they're different which would make them more unusual and thus desireable. Black ones would have started to seem a bit yesterday, but again, a complete guess.
I love the black ones, and the reason I didn't use my awesome aluminium 201p was that it was tan (looks a bit plastic and cheap). Its macho "get on with it" attitude has won me over, of course. Also have not one but two green 319k machines. Love them but would have loved them more had they been black. Perhaps I'm a sewing machine racist as well as a sewing machine youth hater - those young machines can get a real job, and a haircut while they're at it. Plastic whippersnappers!

Sheluma

Miriam, What's the serial number?

Sideways

Nice detective work Miriam. Loved this, thanks for sharing.

miriam

I was shooting the pics right as I was leaving. I shot the serial number but it was so blurred I couldn't read it when I got home. I'll have to look with pen and paper when I go back to the shop. I should have shot a BEFORE pic - there was no way to know that machine was black under - it all looked like dirt and grime. You can still see a lot of traces of grime. The black well is going to be there. My guess is you are right it was prepped for a black and the mocha was selling well so they changed it over. I just found that interesting.

I also find interesting the black chrome on the little thread thingy for the bobbin winder and the needle bar and pressure foot screw. I have a black line Singer 201 with chrome parts there. You can also see the black paint easier here, too.
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nanna-up-north

You win the prize, Miriam..... very interesting. Don't you just wish walls could talk? I bet there would be a good story on this one.