MY NEW - OLD - MACHINE

Machine came home today, I named her Claudia after the lady I purchased her from. Claudia said the machine was circa 1927 - I just liked the fact it was a treadle.

I have been busy last night and today looking up information to find out more about her. I also spent almost 3 hours this afternoon, just gently wiping everything down to get the first layer of dust and spider webs off.

So, what do I know, and what have I found out:

*My machine has a fiddle base
-The 'fiddle' shaped base was phased out about 1891 (or 1895 - depending on the web page), as was the big Singer Logo cast under the machine.



*It is model VS2 - Vibrating Shuttle, and one of domestic machines, I think.
Singer did not have the model number anywhere on the machine, so I am only guessing what it is from what others have said / written. I posted a query on a FB Vintage Machine page and a reply was the first model 27 type machine was a VS2 on a fiddle base - that's what I have. It was replaced with model 27 on a rectangle base, and later became 127. So I have the older style VS2. It is a full sized machine, 35-38cm. It has a circular chrome stitch plate covering the feed dogs and 2 split chrome slide plates that run from back to front that covers the shuttle mechanism. They are caked with dirt and will not budge, so a lot of gentle cleaning will be involved. VS2 was introduced in 1887.

*The faceplate is plain.
The faceplate on early models were polished plain plates, while older models are embossed with a ‘grapevine’ pattern. I will have to look up dates to see when this changed. All the crome parts are very dirty and will need a lot of cleaning.

*I think the decals are the Victorian design.

Most of the decals I see on VSM are very ornate. I now can easily recognise the Sphinx and Lotus designs. Apparently Singer did not name their decals, it is the collectors that have named them.These decals are very worn and little of the original gold remains. I don't think I will replace them, as it machine is old, and the worn decals simply show there age.

*My cabinet is a five drawer table with a coffin case
It has the Singer badge on the sides. I will be restoring the gold on the emblem. I will have to find out how to restore the cast iron. I think that will be an outside job.

*Serial Number 10 033 684
Singer dates 9 810 000 - 10 629 999 as 1891.
Singer Sewing Machine Models dates a machine 10356980 as April 1891.
If that is true, mine must be early 1891.

* The drawers have the original diamond Singer emblems - underneath all that dirt.

There is a lot of work to do, and I will be happy to do it.

The Coffin top laminate is peeling very badly. One piece was already off, and laying on the top. I'm glad the ladies in the LQS decided to leave it with the machine. Although I carefully cleaned each piece, I did break off another piece of laminate from one of the drawers. Both pieces are now safely in a drawer with one tiny shuttle (with thread on it).

I'm not sure what the object is in the photo below, I think it may have something to do with the shuttle. More research is needed.