My Singer Sewing Machines

I present for you herewith my collection of Singer sewing machines.

Serial: 715429
Model: 12 / Family
Manufacture year: 1871
Decals: none
History: I bought this at a flea market for $70. I knew looking at the serial number that it was from the 1870s or 80s. There was no lid for it and it was missing the shuttle, bobbins, a screw, the drive belt, and the ring around the bobbin winder was super hard. The overall action was pretty stiff, but I knew that I could get it working.
5 years later (project was pushed to a back burner), I discovered that this Singer machine required a special type of shuttle – a ‘boat’ shuttle.
I’d not heard of those before – the only bullet-like shuttles that I’d seen before was from an early 1900 model I had, and the bobbin on that went into the end of the shuttle.
On a boat shuttle, the bobbin drops directly down (length-wise) into the shuttle.
Fortunately, I found someone on eBay in the UK who sold these, which was GREAT! The downside was that they cost the same as what I paid for the machine itself!
Oh well. It’s oiled, greased, and works beautifully. 🙂

Serial: G4645590
Model: 66
Manufacture year: 1916
Decals: Red Eye
History: I bought this in a back-road junk shop for $10. It had been motorized, but cleaned up nicely and eventually settled into an beautiful cabinet.

Serial: 8003261
Model: VS2
Manufacture year: 1887
Decals: Daisies and Roses
History: I think I was prepared to pay close to $100 for this, but when I offered to give the seller a cast iron frame that I had for a different machine (he wanted one for a table stand), he dropped the price to $70 or so.
Owing to its fiddle base AND decal set, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to own this.

Serial: Y9363695
Model: 15k-81
Manufacture year: 1934
Decals: RAF (Royal Air Force)
History: I bought this in South London during my late teens. It is a wonderful machine and has always been. It moved to the US with us in 2005, and continues to be my day-to-day go-to machine.

Serial: 13098056
Model: 27
Manufacture year: 1895
Decals: Pheasant
History: It was the first time I’d seen a Pheasant decal available locally. Despite its shabby condition, I snapped it up.
It came on a stand that in possibly the best condition of most of my machines. Three drawers on either size (one was missing its pull hardware), and the “coffin lid” was missing. But aside from one chip in the veneer, it really was in excellent condition.
The cast iron frame still had a glossiness to it, and all four casters rolled.

Serial: 31490250
Model: 27
Manufacture year: 1905
Decals: Sphinx
History: This was given to me via my husband, by a man at the local hardware store who knew that I sewed. It had belonged to his mother.
It came with a motor attached (which I promptly removed!) so that it could be used as a treadle.

Serial: AH286830
Model: 31-15
Manufacture year: 1945
Decals: none
History: When I saw this machine advertised on Craigslist, it was an INSTANT purchase.
Firstly, I had never seen a Class 31 “Tailor” model machine before, so knew that they weren’t common (either that, or suddenly a bunch would all turn up at once!). Secondly, it was a treadle – never electrified.

Serial: F4556522
Model: 128k
Manufacture year: 1913
Decals: Acanthus
History: This hand-powered unit was given to me by my parents when I was very young.
At that time, I didn’t care much for it. Not only was it awkward sewing with one hand on the fabric and one hand on the wheel, but every now and then, the hand crank would drop out of the operating position, and smack my knuckles into the machine. Ouch.
I hope to be reunited with this some day.

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