Jones Serpent Neck model
Serial No:
Date: 1893 - 1901 Fiddlebase Jones page
Acquired: Fall of 2023
Needle: 29x3
Purchased from Trevor (OldSewingStuff13) for $350 because I saw he had it for sale and had to have it.
A couple videos that Trevor made when he was cleaning it up.
Bobbin winding: https://youtu.be/fqfGQFTrxL0
Stitching: https://youtu.be/jybq2eR4Bl4?
Wilcox & Gibbs Automatic
Serial: A669877
Date: 1920/1
A gift from a friend, she thought I'd enjoy it more, as a collector, than she had, as a user of old sewing machines. Much appreciated and I look forward to doing a bit of rewiring as it's a shade sketchy, so that I can do some sewing.
Singer 128 Blackside
Serial AG869428
1946
Purchased for $CDN25 at a garage sale in Ladner, BC. Locked bentwood case so didn't know what was in it.
Actually saw it when driving by the week before but garage sale was closed by the time I got back. The next week my mum was driving by and it was still there. So she bought it. Happy Christmas to me.
Gritzner R badged Nicholls' Enterprise (also Ntapryze)
Serial:
Year: approximately 1923
Price: $CDN100, Vancouver, BC, summer 2023
Came with instruction manual which told us that it was sold by Nicholls' in Rochdale, a small industrial town just outside of Manchester. After a fair amount of research I identified it as a Gritzner Model R. Sees reasonable as that's a lot of what Gritzner did, sold machines for badging.
The decals are in spectacular condition. Really the whole thing is.
White VS Model IV
Serial: 763220
Date: 1890
Bonnet top treadle
Can't stop myself from rescuing things I don't have. But $30? OK it was $50, but I'm getting better at the "offer less and see what happens" game. So $30. I had to pick it up that day as I was down towards Seattle, and so was the machine. It will need work. See that antique-ee looking cream colored paint with olive and gold tones? Gach! I've been told it will be a nightmare to strip it all off and save the wood underneath, but what else will I have to do in my retirement. When I don't have two jobs, a business, and two organizations to run.
It (The Shire) has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.
Frodo, Lord of the Rings
Visited a local museum yesterday at the invitation of the curator. They have sewing machines. None of them work (or they don't know how to work them). Would I come by and take a look.
Thing 1: Lots of really old sewing machines, at least five that I saw plus a sock knitting machine. I was not aware that a sock knitting machine was even a thing. I now need one and I need to make it work. If you are curious:
Thing 2: A WWII vintage Harley Davidson Flathead. No idea how long it's been since it ran but it's been sitting inside for years. I know this because even though I'd never been in the museum I remember seeing it in the window when I drove by 25 years ago.
Thing 3: A basement full of old cars in various states of repair and disrepair. Not my thing, restoring old cars, but also, two Indian Chiefs.
Not sure of the ownership setup of many of these items as often with these small local museums things are loaned but I'm willing to spend some of my free time tinkering. The curator is fairly new to the museum and apparently the previous director wasn't much for paperwork or keeping track of what they had, so she has her work cut out for her.
Anyway, here's a couple quick samples of sewing machines to pique your interest, if that's your thing. I'll have more as I spend some time there. A Wheeler and Wilson Number 1:
And a German made handcrank transverse shuttle. This is a Singer 12 copy but had no identifying info that I could find in the initial quick tour.
All pretty dirty, all need oiling, but everything I touched has the potential to live again.
