BoJangles

Ok Trish, I have been researching some more and I was in the ball park. I found out that in Davis's heyday they made 75 to 150 sewing machines per day. That would still put your machine somewhere in the late 1800's.

What is more fun to learn is that Davis was voted the "excellence award" above Bradbury, Wheeler & Wilson, & Jones in 1879-- Davis got 1st place, in treadle, and 1st place in Hand machines. This is after the results were protested and re-done by the first set of judges, protested again then re-done by a new set of judges in Melbourne, Australia with judges not familiar with the Davis at all!

This is what ISMACS says, "What made the Davis machine so revolutionary? The secret was the "Feed." The feeds used previously were wheel-feed which consisted of a revolving wheel, which automatically moved forward at each stitch. The Davis Machine had a "vertical feed." This was a major improvement over the old method and allowed for smooth and flexible seams with stitches alike on both sides. It also allowed the sewing of any number of thicknesses without basting, and operated equally well on the heaviest as well as the lightest fabrics."

I think this stuff is so fasinating!

Nancy

BoJangles

Well, Randa, that makes perfect sense! Your machine serial number is in the 2 millions, which means it had to be made after 1910 - so your certificate of 1914 makes perfect sense. That is the date of your machine!

Nancy

BoJangles

Yes Billy that is true, but because of the shape of our machines, the fact that they both take a Davis long, Boye #10, we know our machines have to be made between 1885 and 1910. I am pretty sure both Trish and I have the original needle plates on our machines. All the numbers, combined with the model point to that.

Nancy

sew wishful

Mine matches the number on the sales certificate. And guess what...I took this machine out of the cabinet and brought it into bright light. Some kind of cleaner(?) or heat was used on the machine....the "glaze" has run and it's all bumpy, and looks like the shine is off the top and partially off the "body" of the machine (the right hand part that holds the bobbin winder) and the flat part of the machine is loaded with the shiny bumpy blistery looking glaze. Looks like it got overheated.

Thank you for the info, BoJangles!!

cabbagepatchkid

purplefiend: Your machine is gorgeous! Did Bill handpaint those flowers on or are they decals?

hoppyfrog

Billy, I posted pictures of my monkey wards machine back on page 495. Would you please let me know if you know who made it and if you have the parts I need that way I can start looking else where if you don't.
Thanks.

Lostn51

I have everything you need for it but I need the length on the belt so I can get you the right one. Take a string and wrap around the pulleys and mark where the end is. Measure it and that is the length of the belt. PM me and I can get you the prices.

Billy

purplefiend

Cathy,
Bill said they were waterslide decals.
Sharon W.

cabbagepatchkid

So pretty! They look like someone Tole painted them on.

BoJangles

Billy I like your new Avator, although I wish it was the whole treadle not just the emblem!

Nancy