There's always been something quite special about creating clothes with a good ole' vintage sewing machine. Perhaps it's the idea that you're partaking in a fragment of history…or maybe it's the fact that your vintage sewing machine was originally owned by your great-grandmother and has been passed down to your grandmother, your mother and now to you!
Indeed, when you sew with a vintage sewing machine, you're definitely linking up with a piece of history…and using this equipment from the past somehow nurtures the soul. You see, you’re not only connecting with people who have used the machine before but also with those who have manufactured it with honor and pride.
Vintage Sewing Machines Are a Dime A Dozen
When I say vintage, I refer to sewing machines that are at least forty years old…and if you are not one of the lucky ones who inherited a vintage sewing machine, don’t fret, because you can now buy them online at a price of $75 or less and this may already include shipping. Garage sales and your local thrift store may also sell them for an affordable price and the most popular brands are Singer, Kenmore, and Viking.
You just have to make sure that you buy one that is still fully functional, so it is best to ask the seller for a stitch sample when you make your purchase on eBay or Craigslist where plenty of vintage sewing machines are sold. When shopping, here’s a word of advice, if you buy on Craigslist you can check and test the machine first so this is quite ideal: and I promise you, that distinctive feeling of reaching out to the past will still be quite palpable.
Making A Practical and Green Choice
It is a well-known fact that vintage sewing machines are mechanically less complex than the new models; as such, they don't break down as easily and are easier to repair, making them perfect for beginner sewists. Also, because they don't have motherboards and computer circuits that can break down, vintage sewing machines are much cheaper to maintain. After having it refurbished, all you need is regular oiling, sometimes a minor tune up and you’re good to go for a long time to come.
Many vintage sewing machines are equipped with the same parts as the new models, like bobbins, presser feet, and needles. Accessories for vintage sewing machines which are manufactured by famous brands like Singer, Kenmore, and Viking aren't that difficult to find; plus if you really think about it, not much has changed when it comes to basic sewing machine equipment, making it a very practical choice.
Many sewists probably don't realize that using a vintage sewing machine means being environmentally friendly too. Faced with the stark reality that our planet’s resources are not finite, recycling a vintage sewing machine by giving it a new life is a kind of recycling that certainly benefits nature.
Easy to Use and Durable
Unlike the new sewing machine, a vintage sewing machine isn't equipped with a myriad of stitch functions and a computer board, so it's relatively easy to use. With no electronic parts to deal with, anyone, like you and me, can take a vintage sewing machine apart for cleaning and then assemble it back. With just a few hooks to deal with, threading is also a simple process. The rest of the parts, like presser feet, bobbins, and tension function like those in modern machines and don't need a lot of attention.
If you find any machine that's forty years old and beyond and it still functions, this is already tangible proof of its durability. The same can be said about vintage sewing machines. Remember that most of these machines were top of the line in design and production and that is the reason why they still function to this day. Just like vintage cars, they are made of a more durable metal material as opposed to their modern, plastic counterpart.
If you're concerned about what can and can't be done with a vintage machine, think back to the fact that housewives were using these machines to make complicated fashions for the whole family and fashions have, in fact, not become more complex over time.
Elegant and beautiful, vintage sewing machines are classically colored black, white or tan. They have simple curves, bare exteriors and enamel coatings that make them appealing to the eyes. Equipped with solid parts that fit well together, they sit on hinges that will allow you to tip them back and expose their base or underside. They make beautiful consistent stitches and are extremely reliable. Their allure is actually not only emotional and sentimental, it is also aesthetic and practical, and this makes a vintage sewing machine simply irresistible.
Please share your thoughts and experiences with vintage sewing machines in the comments below. Why not leave a pic of your vintage machine for everyone to admire?
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Vintage machines are not as “touchy” as the electronic machines. The seamstress can maintain the machine doing basic regular maintenance on them. The stitches also generally look better. We have a variety of machines from treadle- featherweight to vintages to modern, including sergers and almost all prefer to sew on the vintage machines.
Indeed!
I have developed an obsession with vintage machines over recent years. My oldest machine is a circa 1930 Singer treadle complete with its original instruction booklet and all attachments. I bought it at a charity shop in 1974 – there is a touching story behind it ending up there, so I continue to treasure this machine in respect of the elderly man who was reluctant to part with it.
My other vintage machines are a 1960’s green Husqvarna 21A which sews like a dream, two Husqvarnas from the 1970’s, two petite but sturdy 1970’s Elna Elnita ZZ, an inherited Singer 411G from early 1960’s, made in West Germany and is a true workhorse. I also have an equally sturdy watermelon pink machine – branded Ideal Super Automatik.
I own three 40 year old Pfaff 1222s. I always wondered why Pfaff tried to improve on perfection.
I’ve picked up a lot of older machines that were going to be scrapped. Make sure the timing isn’t off, a common reason people got rid of theirs.
Yes, I love my Singer hand-operated shuttle- bobbin beauty. 110 years old.
My husband took some of my artwork to sell at a craft fair 35 years ago and I stayed at home because I was expecting our first child.
When he came home having spent the takings on the old sewing machine, I was a bit taken aback.
I soon got to grips with it and it has served me well ever since. It’s made baby clothes for my children and grandchildren, bags, curtains, cushions and even leather pouches. It’s also been the star in a Victorian Day interactive event in a school and has come along with me to crafts events for children in local libraries.
And it looks wonderful.
Just wow!
The only machines I sew on are vintage Singers, the newest being a 1956 model. I do have a modern serger and embroidery machine, however. You cannot beat their reliability, their perfect straight stitch and their ease of operation. I have about 40 vintage machines altogether. Most completely operational.
I own several of Singers 500 series machnes–they are slant needle and were the top of the line in their day. The 501 is a straight stitch & the 503 is a zigzag with a library of cams for fancy stitches. I still think the Singer buttonholer is better than any of my new machines’ buttonholes, and easier to use.
I also have 4 Featherweights with all the amazing attachments.
Maybe they are not quite vintage, but I have several Elnas from the 1980’s, an Elna Carina & an Elna Lotus. The Carina is used for routine daily tasks, and the Lotus is a full function compact machine that travels with me.
I agree — these old gems are a connection to the past, and can be a part of family history. I inherited my mother’s Singer Featherweight that I learned to sew on. In the 1950s Mother bought an old horse trailer with a rotted canvas top. She purchased the heaviest Singer needle she could find, canvas, & tent-maker’s thread to make a replacement trailer top. There was a lot of testing tensions first — it fact that was the only time I remember her changing the tension on the bobbin case. Most often, she was stitching thru 3 layers of canvas to make flat felled seams. She stitched slowly, having started each seam by helping the motor with hand cranking. She also hand cranked thru the really thick places where seams met up. The machine was none the worse for the wear and went on to sew many different clothing projects.
Today, I get it out to use certain low-cost presser feet available today (I bet Mother would have enjoyed that stitch-in-the-ditch foot!) since I can’t find (cheap) feet that fit my Viking 1100 (only 47 years old.) Also, the button hole attachment makes the best key-holes of any machine I’ve had.
I also have my gt gt aunt’s New Home treadle machine, which doesn’t stitch right yet. Anyone know where I can get needles for a New Home?
Sewingpartsonline.com helps keep my 2 vintage Singers running. Very helpful, great service, good prices.
You might want to try Central sewing in San Diego California their shop has many parts for the old singer machines another one which is really good to four-part is sewing Emporium in Chula Vista California I would highly recommend them being that they only sell vintage sewing machines
Thank you, I’ll give them a try.
I inherited a Singer Golden Touch & Sew, Model 630 from my grandmother. The manual has a copyright date of 1968. Because it has the black plastic interchangeable discs for the stitch types, I’m not sure it would ever work properly, even if serviced. Is it best to stay away from those? Thank you!
My 503A has cams and works GREAT!! It is from 1961
That is amazing! You ladies have inspired me to find a repair center! I’ve picked one out that I will try! :o)
I may be the same age as your grandmother! I bought my Singer Touch and Sew model 600E in 1965 and I still use it frequently, though now I have 8 other machines! These machines had several built in stitches, and each black plastic disc will make an additional stitch, I have several of those discs and love to use them. That machine will do almost everything that my newest machines will do and does it well. I can even do a chain stitch on it. Love that machine!
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this information! It seemed like having interchangeable parts might mean a greater room for error. I am so fortunate to have a deep family history in sewing! I own a new drapery workroom and I would love to make my grandmother’s machine a part of it. She was always so interested in my work! I tried to get her machine up and running after it sat idle for many years, but it smelled hot and it wasn’t sewing properly. If I am lucky enough to find someone who can service it, maybe it will have many more years of life left to live! You have given me hope!!! :oD<
Any sewing machine repair place will be able to fix it. I take mine to a local Sew ‘n’ Vac.
I have my mother’s Singer Slant-o-Matic that she bought before I was born, as well as a 1980’s Bernina, and the Singer is my go-to machine. It has the black cams for decorative stitching, same as yours. I keep the zigzag stitch cam in unless I am embroidering and need the fancy stitches. If you have at least one cam you are probably good to go – open it up and see which cam is loaded. Most older Singers run beautifully once serviced to get rid of dust, dirt, and old oil. The plastic cams look funny, but work really well.
Thank you so much for sharing! I wasn’t sure if having the interchangeable discs like that would cause the machine to mess up, that even if I could get my grandmother’s machine serviced it may not work perfectly. With two favorable replies so far to my inquiry I am sure going to try! I am so glad to know that the cams actually work really well! :oD<
I have a Singer Futura which at 10 years old was said by Singer to be unrepairable.
What is the world coming to when it was supposed to have a lifetime gyarantee.
I recently gave away a Singer 15-91 which was in rough condition. I still own an 15-91 AND a 15-90. These machines were made in the 1930-50’s. I am trying to sell the 15-90 but I am keeping the 15-91. Let me tell you why. First it is a modern machine in the sense that it a modern style bobbin system that is used in some industrial machines. It also has reverse stitch. I used this machine to sew almost anything you could imagine. It just chugged alone. I made formal wear, and many other types of clothing. This machine is easy to use and easy to maintain. Unlike my sewing computers, it doesn’t require trips for service. It belonged to my mother, but as a early teem I was able to maintain it until I left home. When I got it back after 30 years, it was in bad shape but after some deep cleaning on lubricating, it is back in business. I love my high end Embroidery Bernina, but when it came to sewing face masks, the singer was better. It handles lumps and bump of many layered pleats. Since is a single stitch machine versus 8mm, the fabric doesn’t go in the hole as easily on narrow pleated seams. The 15 series is beautiful with a sleek black body and ornate gold decals. So it isn’t as inexpensive as a a machine just a few years older that had a new style body.
When WWII ended in 1945, my mom using her Army discharge pay, purchased a Singer portable electric sewing machine. She made her clothes, my clothes and my sister’s clothes using it. I learned to sew using it and before mom passed away she gave me her machine. I am using it to this day and couldn’t tell you how much I have sewn using that machine. It’s awesome and I wouldn’t have a newer one, I just love using it. I would post a picture but can’t see where to click to download it.
That’s lovely
Love my singer 15-91 and my featherweight. They are buIllet proof and so relieable. I also have an older white treadle that was my grandmothers. It put together a tipi.
My 40 year old Pfaff hobbymatic is still the RollsRoyce of machines, from baby clothes, prom gowns, and dozens of quilts, it continues to serve me well.
At age 11, I resurrected my mother’s 1948 Singer Model 221 Featherweight portable sewing machine from the basement. When I was little I used to watch her sew all my clothes. Using that machine and my memories, I taught my self to sew. I began making my own clothing. In high school I earned pin money by making my girlfriends’ prom dresses and other clothing. I’m nearly 70, and that lovely little machine is STILL stitching on! It has saved me thousands of dollars, helped me make lovely things for friends and family members and I still love to sew with it.
My 40 yr old sears machine bit the dust last year. I picked up a fairly new HD Janome. 14 months later that one has been in the shop, still giving me issues. A friend gave me a New Home in a cabinet with knee control. Must be 60 yrs old. Top of the line in it’s day. It’s been sewing like a dream since I got it. Not sure what to do with the “newer Janome”. Maybe some day I will take it in to another repair guy.
I like all sewing machines, vintage and modern and I have eight. Two are 1940-ish White Rotary machines (the black crinkle finish). One of them is in a cabinet and is the machine Mom used to teach me over 60 years ago. It’s a great old machine and I keep it for sentimental reasons, I see her face every time I walk by it. She’s been gone for a long time so I love having the memories. It still runs well but needs a new power cord. The 2nd one is to use for parts. This a HEAVY, sturdy machine that will sew through almost anything. I also have a green Kenmore 158-14000 from the late ’60’s. It’s an exact duplicate of the one Mom bought for me when I was a teenager. It was high-tech in it’s day, it had zig-zag & stretch stitches! I made loads of outfits with it including two wedding dresses. I was stupid enough to sell it about 15 years ago (duh-h-h-h-h!) and now regret it so I found and bought a refurbed duplicate which I installed in an original Kenmore table. It purrs and will most likely outlive me and beyond as it is one of those that Sears had engineered and built in Japan when they were still making them all-metal and meant to last. It was considered a portable but it’s a tank. I actually used to drag it around with me (I was a lot younger then!) I have a 2nd one of these as well to cannibalize for parts if ever needed. I have an old Euro Pro serger from around 30 years ago that works perfectly, a roughly 35-year old Baby Lock “electronic” machine that I love but needs a tune-up, a small, year-old Brother computerized model which travels with me to my quilting group, and a HUGE Brother Innovis VQ3000 Dreamweaver which is superb for quilting and does just about everything but embroidery (which doesn’t float my boat). The VQ3000 gets used almost every day and if I have a quilt under it I can always use the Kenmore for piecing or anything else I choose. Fun!
You have an impressive collection, I am a little bit jealous!
I have been buying and restoring vintage sewing machines for several years. So far, I have given them to friends rather than selling them. I currently have three machines I use personally and another two in restoration. I also have a Juki commercial machine for leather work.
Wow! lucky are those around you!
I’m in need of a drive belt for a Singer treadle machine. Any idea how/where to begin my search? I’m not even sure how to accurately determine the length.
Hi Amy, I don’t really know other than a google search. Maybe one of the other readers will have some ideas and can comment here. Good luck with it!
I have my great grandmother’s treadle from 1905 (sewed my daughter’s kindergarten wardrobe on it) and my grandmother’s coffin case electric from 1925. I bought a 1948 Featherweight for its portability and love to sew on it at retreats and classes. I loaned grandma’s 1950s Kenmore to my daughter and her husband threw it out because she “didn’t use it!”
I am so sorry about your 1950’s Kenmore, what a shame:(
I also have a various amount of vintage sewing machines. 2 singer featherweights , 2 old Kenmore’s, one with cams, old viking, old singer and a touch&sew with cams. I recently bought a 1914 standard treadle with a certificate of purchase with the date city and the salesman name, Looks beautiful and works great. Even has a manual, falling apart and some of the original needles and a box of attachments.
I would hold on to the 1914, if you ever planning to sell it contact me first. Thank you!
At one point I had 15 machines, all of various ages and most of which worked. I have electronic computerized machines for my day to day sewing now (I will admit, it was the buttonhole), but I still love my vintage babies. I have a Davis Vertical treadle machine. My daughter bought it at a garage sale from the DIL of the original owner. It has it’s book and many parts. It would work beautiful if I had a belt. I also have a Singer treadle that I have only briefly seen. It’s in my FIL’s basement and I asked him NOT to make a table of it! I would so like to get it to my house and play. I used to have a Singer treadle … it was so wonderful. I had it set up on my parents large porch when I was a teenager and I would spend hours sewing on that on long summer days. I also had one of the first Singer machines that had zigzag built in. I wish I had never sold that one, but we were moving and I sold it to someone in need of a machine. I have a soft spot for Singer Touch-n-Sews … the bobbin winds right in the machine, and to remove thread no longer desired, unscrew the bobbin and out it comes! I wish standard bobbins could be made to unscrew to remove leftover thread.
I am currently down to 8 machines. I still have the Davis. I also have a Singer 15-99, a Consew commercial, a Singer made in France that belonged to a beloved aunt and a Kenmore bought for my son (which means it’s in my closet, lol).
I will admit to loving my vintage machines. I once bought a Touch-n-Sew at an auction and it froze just after I got it home. Since I knew it had moved, I heavily oiled everything and then I flipped it up and used white lube on the gears and bits underneath. Then patiently waited for two days while the grease and oil loosened things up. That was an awesome machine! I still collect vintage parts, pieces and bits … boxes of interest feet, rufflers, stitch design gears for the Touch-n-Sew machines and buttonhole attachments.
[…] If you like learning about sewing machines, be sure to check out this article entitled, The Irresistible Allure or Vintage Sewing Machines. […]
I still have my mum’s Singer sewing machine from 1948. The original receipt for the purchase is still in the drawer. It is very precious, and I love it!
It would be precious to any one who appreciated vintage and on top of that you have the receipt? Even the receipt is valuable today I am sure. Gosh…a slight tinge of envy I am feeling… you are very lucky Indeed.
I just love love love my vintage Singer 201 in a cabinet, made about 1949. It needed cleaning and oiling and a few parts that were not that expensive. I also re-wired it to make it more safe. I learned a lot about the machine when working on it and just marveled at the engineering and manufacturing that went into it. It is so quiet and smooth compared to new machines. It will also do layers of heavy fabric without complaining. And with the all metal gears, it will never break down. It just has a straight stitch, but that’s 90% of the sewing most people do.
I’d love to post a pic, but it won’t let me.
Hi Christel, do send me the post and I will load it for you. The ability to post your own picture I have taken away.
My mother never taught me to sew. As a young woman, I was somewhat intimidated with sewing machines. I tried to get into sewing, but bought cheap machine that instantly broke and it set me back. So, years later, I found vintage and fell in love. I have many of them now, in various states. I have learned a little bit about wiring and motors, cleaning, parts and the mechanics of sewing, as well as a lot about sewing! My favorite is the 201. Purrs like a kitten and sews neat and strong.
I have now figured out that to have a decent quality newer machine, I would have to spend some $$$, and also, there is no brand new machine that can handle what these old ones can! Got a tough project, go to your vintage.
Indeed!
My house has a Singer treadle in its case, Singer 327, Singer 401A, Featherweight (1955), plus other assorted Singer and White vintage mechanical machines. We also have a vintage Husqvarna serger among a few other vintage White sergers. All machines are in working order and my family loves to work on them.
Very interesting collection. Thanks for sharing.
I have a 201 309. And a singer 27 from1908
Wow!
I have a number of vintage Kenmores, a Singer 401A in mint condition (inherited), and several Necchis (Italian), a Singer 99K and 185J, plus a few others. They all work perfectly.
I love vintage sewing machines. My favorites are the 201, 301, 403, and 404.
I use a bernina 807 that I bought new in 1976. It never occured to me that it is vintage! I had it serviced once that i can remember. Just a few months ago it needed new brushes. Now its good for another forty plus years!
My first sewing machine was my grandmother’s – a black and gold “portable” Singer from the 1920s with an oak carrying case and a knee bar. I gave it to my stepsister, with whom I lost touch over the years. How I miss that machine! It only sewed forward and reverse, but we bought a buttonhole attachment for it, and it was such a reliable machine. But my stepfather gave me a new machine back in 1968 or so, so I passed it on.
But a few weeks ago I scored a treasure – a working Singer treadle machine in a cabinet. The cabinet top needs some work, but the machine is in working order (a friend who repairs vintage machine took a look at it before I bought it). Now I can sew when the power is out!
I was given (yes, GIVEN) a full cabinet 1923 Singer treadle sewing machine. I have not had a chance to get it in for servicing and I know I need a new belt as the one on it does show some wear. If the power goes out long term, I know I can still sew/quilt. It is really a beautiful cabinet and machine.
Mine is my mother’s 1939 Singer Featherweight. Over the years it has sewn everything up & including a canvas horse trailer cover. 2 advantages it has over any other sewing machine I have or had (including a Huqvarna-Viking): 1) The zipper feet (one for left and one for right) can sew the closer to an edge than any other zipper foot . This makes it great for complicated, multi-layer situations; 2) The buttonhole attachment sews the nicest & most even buttonholes of any other machine I’ve used. Summers I put it on display in the local historical society’s museum, then can’t wait to get it back home again.
I just realized that my sewing machine is vintage, It is an elna SU that my husband gave me for supporting him while getting his masters degree in 1972. easy to maintain, never a problem. my daughter bought a used one in 1995 when she went off to college, I was gifted a sewing machine from a treadle because my friend only wanted the base to make a table. my son collected several featherweight and lightweight singers in wooden cases. he also has a really old wilcox and gibbs treadle machine that does a chain stitch. my sister in-law wants wants her 94 year old mom’s 1950s singer. but mom won’t give it up. these old models sew wonderfully and don’t break down.
I only have one sewing machine. . . My Grandmother’s 1930’s Model 99K with a knee control and her button hole attachment. My grandmother sewed everything from formals to repairs. This machine can do anything I want to sew, I do not want any other machine. I would like to get a zigzag attachment, though.
I have a 1948 Kenmore with a wooden cabinet and a dozen feet for various purposes. The feet are works of genius. Its solid metal all through. I’m not a very good seamstress. I just make bags, wallets, curtains, and mend things. I do maintain the machine because it came to me in great condition.
I highly recommend such a machine to anyone willing to clean and oil it. It’s easy to maintain. And very cheap. Everyone thinks they need to computerized stuff. Plenty can be done on q vintage machine.
I never realized I had a vintage machine! I still use the Singer Stylist my grandparents gave me for my 1969 college graduation.
One of my machines is a Singer Slant-o-Matic (actual model name) that I think my syster called a “Rocketeer”, so I assume that is the one being referred top here by others. I bought mine on eBay over a decade ago for $90, but one can get them for less. My sister and I both learned to sew on that model, and have each bought a used one from eBay since my mom had kept the original. I have a more modern Singer sold under the Sears brand that is simply not as heavy and bobust, bought in an emergency when I had a deadline, before i bought the Slant-o-Matic.
Machine dealers (I only had experience with Singer) used to offer money off new machines if one traded in their old one when purchadsing a new one when buying. The reason was so they could destroy the older, more robustly built machines so they could not be re-sold to new buyers by the individual. It was done in the hope that most new sewists could only buy a new machine if they could not find a used one. I’m very glad theat many people kept theirs and sold them to a happy line of customers.
The problem with modern machine is that gears inside are made of nylon or plastic and they will eventually break during heavy use or lightening fast sewing on long seams. Never run a modern machine at full speed for more than a few seconds. I broke gears in them when I sewed for a living, impatiently waiing for the machine to get to the other end of the fabric. I won’t necessarily sauy one can run my old Singer full speed a lot, but it is certainly less liekly tpo bust a gear than more mkodern offerings. I mayb be wrong, but I belive that the old machines were engineered to run smoothly without issues for a user’s lifetime and beyond.
Machines made in the 70s thru the early 90s were made with plastic which cracks and crumbles. Yes, you can replace the gears but it is in this service technicians humble opinion NOT worth it.
Modern machines (10 years or younger) are made with nylon gears -which is a GOOD thing. NYLON wears well and makes the machine self-lubricating. I can elaborate on this if anyone cares how. (Most people do not maintain their machines properly, thus making this almost a necessity).
Vintage machine WILL last quite literally a life time IF you maintain them (not store them but actually USE them) but so often we get newer machines for the bells and whistles and forget about the pretty one in the garage and it freezes up. Once this happens, you MIGHT get it back up and running but it will never be the same.
I would love to learn more about how nylon is self-lubricating, and if my newer (4 yr. old) Janome even needs to go to the shop for maintenance.
I oil the bobbin wick and keep it clean.
Patty, this advice is probably too late for you, but when you sewed for a living and your machine was just too slow, you really needed an industrial machine. For any serious home sewers and professional seamstresses, look into a Juki single needle industrial Model series 5400. You can buy a used one on Craigslist if you live in a large metro area for $500-$1000, depending on it’s age. These machines are fast and nearly indestructible, and will pay for themselves in no time.
Confession time – I’m a vintage sewing machineaholic. Blush ……..
I have 34 vintage machines, nearly all in working condition. Ranging from my best loved little hand cranks dating from the 1860’s and up, the three treadle machines (treadles take up too much room to have very many), the good old mechanical machines from the 1940’s and up, my dear little Featherweight, my beloved 45 year old Bernina 830 (my classic go to machine that will sew through anything that will go under the pressure foot) up to two computerized Pfaffs. And the mechanicals beat the new machines hands down. If anything goes wrong, all I need is a screwdriver and 5 minutes to fix it.
I only have 2 and am eyeing a third and my husband already wishes I would collect something smaller. I can’t resist though.
I have four VSM’s, for now, lol. The oldest is a 1925 Singer Treadle, coffin cover, made in England, and picked up for a song in a junk store in Spain. The most interesting is my Graybar coffin cover portable, from the 1940s. Alas, during one of our many Navy moves, I lost the power cord, and as it is very unique, can’t use it. A 1950s knee lever was my very first VSM, but my favorite belonged to my husband’s grandmother – metallic turquoise Monarch by Brother, made in Japan right after the war, with an insane amount of attachments. I just gave a 1950s Morse Zigzag 4300, blue and white, in a cabinet and with a chair, to my cousin’s teenage daughter, she showed a keen interest in sewing, so I figured why not give her a workhorse of a machine? I keep them all cleaned and oiled, even the Graybar, so all the parts move, at least.
I have 2 vintage machines, one Singer I’ve had since bought new in the early 60s, and still works. Sadly I chopped an older Singer in part exchange for it and now of course wish I still had it. Another I found in a charity shop is a 1936 Singer just like the one my mother had, which ploughs uncomplainingly through the toughest jobs. The 60s machine was made in Bonnieres, France and the 1936 one from Clydebank. Their names? Bonnie and Clyde of course!!!! I do have a more modern machine too which I use day to day but my vintage pair aren’t going anywhere! There’s a web site where you can look up the serial number and you can find out where and when manufactured. Might be of interest? Might be the Singer site? Sorry can’t remember.
The site you want, to date a machine, is ISMACS.
ISMACS provides a lot of helpful information for the VSM user and collector.