Mechanical Marvel
Several years ago, while Mark and I were driving from Rochester to our house, we saw all types of furniture and items on the lawn of a big house where a sale was being held. A Singer sewing machine in a cabinet caught my eye and Mark stopped for me. Twenty dollars later, we left with a sewing machine in a walnut veneer cabinet!
When Michelle was younger I spent so much time behind that sewing machine, making her little dresses. I loved sewing and this machine was so much less complex than the new models. The stitches were so nice and the machine was very reliable.
I got the machine out of its cabinet a few days ago so Mark could have a look at it. I have never heard Mark sing so many praises for any product….ever!
The first thing that impressed Mark about the machine was its simplicity. Even though it is a very simple machine, it came with all sorts of attachments which make it very diverse and versatile. The cast iron body of this small sewing machine makes it sturdy and and solid.
Mark was greatly impressed with the nice motor housing….
Mark said one could never find such a well made machine these days. He said anything made so well would cost so much today! His remark got me to wondering just how old the machine might be. I looked online and found a site that gives information about Singer sewing machines and giving their dates of manufacture. To the best of my knowledge, my little machine was manufactured in 1953 in Kilbowie, Scotland!
I am adding a photo of the model of my little Singer machine. The “K” indicates the location where the machine was manufactred, according to the information I found on the internet.
Thank you, Bill, for the information regarding the name change! From what I understand, Kilbowie is located close to Clydebank, thus the change? The tiny country of Scotland has certainly produced a wonderful little workhorse in this machine. Too bad our modern machines cannot even hold a candle to these!
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Wow: what a machine. And looks like you got it at a great price!
I was a little confused by the reference to Kilbowie, but then found the factory had been renamed Clydebank which made more sense since that was what I knew it as. This factory actually had its own railway station called Singer because of all the employees who travelled to work there.
One of the things I noticed in Syria was in the street of the shoe/bag repair shops, there were a large number of ancient treadle industrial singer sewing machines still in use. These machines were simple to maintain, easy to use, robustly built and somehow elegant.
Ian, it really was a steal, as I came away with all sorts of attachments, too!
Bill, the reason I knew my machine was made in Kilbowie is because it is labeled “99K”. I forgot to show that photo….oops! Funny they renamed the factory! Your last sentence describes the old Singers to-the-tee!!!!!
What an amazing machine, I learned on one similar.
That’s twenty dollars well spent! New machines can’t even compare. They are full of plastic gears that don’t hold up. I have a Singer that was my mothers and it’s one of the last made with metal gears.
I love the “Back Tack” instead of backstitch!
What a deal! I would bet it is worth much more to an antique dealer!! We have an old sewing machine table…minus the machine! Of course, I cannot sew … even a button…ha!!