Antique Singer Sewing Machines

From LoveToKnow Antiques

Although they are often found at garage sales, flea markets and estate sales with very low price tags, there are several models of antique Singer sewing machines that are highly sought after by collectors.

Singer Sewing Machine Company: A Brief History

From its very beginning in the early 1850s, the name Singer sewing machines grew to be one of the most well known sewing machine companies in the world.

The First Singer Sewing Machines

Having seen a Lerow and Blodgett sewing machine in 1850, Isaac Merrit Singer realized several changes would make the machine work better and be simpler to operate. Within several weeks, Mr. Singer had perfected his changes inventing the first really practical sewing machine of the times. Instead of a circular shuttle movement and a horizontally angled needle, the Singer machine used a straight needle that worked vertically.

Singer continued developing his improved sewing machine which included:

  • a traverse shuttle
  • An eye-pointed straight needle
  • A presser foot
  • An overhanging arm
  • A support table
  • A slot for a roughened feed wheel
  • Gear operation
  • A treadle
  • Lock stitching

Mass production and Lightweight Sewing Machines

The company established cooperate offices and a factory in New York City within several years Singer sewing machines were being sold nationwide for $100 a piece.

As the company increased its sales to include international markets, it also introduced the concept of time payment purchases, also known as installment payments. During their first decade in business Singer introduced the Turtleback sewing machine in 1856 and their first lightweight machine for home use, the Grasshopper in 1858. By 1863, the Singer Manufacturing Company held 22 patents and sold 20,000 sewing machines yearly. Within eight years the yearly sales reached 180,000 sewing machines, which included their New Family machines released for sale in 1865.

Electric Sewing Machines

As the leader of the sewing machine industry, the Singer Company introduced the first practical sewing machine powered by an electrical motor in 1889. Within two years commercial sewing machines were being sold powered by electric motors. By this time the company also was producing commercial zigzag sewing machines.

Singer Sewing Machines of the 1900s

Throughout the 1900s the Singer Company continued adding additional sewing machine models to the forty that they already had. The following are several of the more well known models:

  • 1900 - The Singer 66
  • 1921 - The Portable Electric
  • 1933 - The Featherweight introduced at the Chicago Worlds Fair
  • The Model 95 introduced in 1949 could produce 4,000 stitches in 60 seconds
  • Model 206 was introduced in 1952 and was the first domestic zigzag machine
  • The Touch and Sew models introduced in 1965
  • The Athena 2000 was the first electronic sewing machines introduced in 1975
  • The Touchtronic 2001 was the first computer controlled sewing machine introduced in 1978

Popular Models of Antique Singer Sewing Machines

Of the millions of sewing machines manufactured by the Singer Company, there are thousands of different models. Several of the more popular models sought by collectors include:

The Different Values of Antique Sewing Machines

Determining the monetary value of an antique or vintage Singer sewing machine is often very difficult depending on the particular circumstances of the individual machine.

  • Often these old machines have great sentimental value as many people have fond memories of their grandmother, or great-grandmother, sitting at the sewing machine working her craft. For these people the monetary value is generally far less than the sentimental value.
  • Many antique sewing machines are wanted for their decorative value. Their exquisite cabinetry, striking painted scrolled designs and beautiful metalwork are often showcased when decorating with antiques. Sewing machines from specific eras or periods, such as art nouveux, art deco or Victorian, are used as focal points in a room.
  • A working sewing machine has a useful value for people that sew. Many sewers love the feeling of creating an item using a sewing machine from years past.
  • Some antique sewing machines have a historical value. Generally these are machines that have a proven provenance of belonging to a person of historical significance or machines that were manufactured during the very early years of sewing machine production.
  • To a collector of antique sewing machines, each machine has a collector’s value. That value depends on how the collector limits his collection. For example, someone that only collects Singer Featherweight sewing machines would most likely put a higher value on a machine of that model than on a different model Singer sewing machine of the same era.
  • Collectors and sellers of antiques and collectibles use a price guide to determine the monetary value of old sewing machines. The value of items in most antiques and collectible price guides are given in a price range which is the estimated market value of the item. However, price guides also are an excellent resource for identification. Most of them include pictures, dimensions and information on companies, logos and makers’ marks.

Additional Resources for Singer Sewing Machines

Whether antique Singer sewing machines bring back nostalgic memories of years past, are valued for their historical significance or for their decorative beauty, each one, regardless of its commonness or rarity, held a valued place in a home of yesteryear..

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Comments

You might check to see what similar machines are selling for on eBay. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: Marye Audet

en498183 not sure if it is worth anything

-- Contributed by: I have a 1958? singer

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