Garage Sale Score!

[GinaC]

This weekend every year, the City of Newport hosts a city-wide garage sale. You pay your $10, and then the city makes maps of everyone's sale to distribute, also with notations on exactly what you have to sell.

Yesterday, the first house I went to had this beauty. I was looking for something to use as a TV stand, and I saw that the cabinet would fit in the spot perfectly. The lady came out and said it was okay to open it up, and so I did. It still runs, just needs a new belt. I looked up the serial # and apparently it was made in Germany around 1920.

It apparently belonged to the lady's aunt, who used it well into her 80's. It will be very loved in my house.

[heartwood]

congrats on your find! I love the idea of a city wide tag sale...great way to meet your neighbors!
enjoy........
.....jade

[awomanwithahammer]

Oh, Gina, that's beautiful! I love to sew, and the old sewing machines are so superior to new plastic ones.

[Gothichome]

As others have mentioned, a very nice treadle. As a TV stand it should work well, a place for the remote and every thing, oorrr, you could take up vintage sewing. Upper management has several vintage machines only one though with a frame, a pull up electric though. Too bad they aren’t appreciated as much any more, you can buy one in our area from $50 to $250 depending on condition and the level of fanceness.

[GinaC]

Well, I do sew a lot and I have my Bernina, but having this beauty restored will be great if the power ever goes out!

[phil]

I have one I use for a TV stand too. Its just a 1940's one but it is in super nice shape with the stool. Sewing machines tend to not go really high unless they are special. I don't even really sew but I like the machines. one day I found two open arm singer featherweights at a thrift. I bought them both and Ive seen them go as high as $2000 on ebay in similar condition. the open arm singer featherweights are very sought after.

you can find a leather belt. you can also use a plastic and with that you glue the ends and it's a bit stretchy. similar to neoprene. It's often used in O rings. you can use crazy glue. you can get o ring material in a kit that comes with a cutter and the glue to make them the length you like. I've seen the stuff in red black and clear.
you'll find the round leather if you look for it and want the originality. they just used a wire like a staple to join the ends. you are supposed to derail it when not in use so it doesn't stretch out.

[GinaC]

Thanks, Phil! There is a length of plastic-y red cable in one of the drawers, so maybe the lady I bought it from intended to replace the belt but never got around to it.

[Corsetière]

I love antique sewing machines. I have a really neat Singer treadle cobblers sewing machine. I even found some WWI era photos of soldiers repairing boots with this model that I will have framed to display next to it.

[Manalto]

I love antique sewing machines.

I've got dozens - like, space-problem dozens, an issue which will have to be resolved in the upcoming months.

You may enjoy one of my favorites, a Wheeler & Wilson No. 9, made in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was an award-winning machine (they used to give awards for design, quality and performance) and a worthy competitor for Singer until that company bought them in 1905. The machine was so good, they kept the design intact until 1913 and only changed the company and model (9W) decals on the arm.



Well made? A century later, all it needed was a little cleaning up and a few drops of oil to get it running perfectly again. I have a sneaking suspicion that the plastic machines of today will not hold up as well. But then, the W&W couldn't embroider perfect little computerized duckies at the touch of a button.

[awomanwithahammer]

No, they don't hold up, James. The one I got for Christmas in 1977 has bitten the dust. Poor thing, it served me well for many years, but my serviceman said he couldn't do much with it anymore. Almost all plastic. So I replaced it with a 60s model that's nearly all metal and runs like a dream. Found it at a thrift store with all parts and accessories for $37 including the table.