Michelle, sewing machines, & S*ing*er Certif*icates

For a long time, I thought I was the only one who was "silly" enough to have a whole "herd" of sewing machines.  (People would just give me their unwanted machines.)  Then one day while reading a blog, I noticed a profile picture that was of a sewing machine instead of a person.  Not only that,  it was a machine very similar to one I had just purchased at a thrift shop.  (No pictures yet.)  I just had to see who this person was.  It was dear Michelle.  She has more sewing machines than I do, and her collection is growing all the time.

With help (and enabling) from her husband, Michelle "rescues" homeless sewing machines.  She cleans and fixes up the machines, and her husband works his magic on the cases or cabinets.  (Michelle, correct me if I'm wrong.)  These wonderful machines are then displayed in her home instead of being hidden away.

Michelle has many really nice machines, but recently, she picked up a real beauty (for a picture of a similar one scroll toward the bottom of the article).  Then, she found out that Sin*ger is providing certificates for machines made pre-1970.  Seems like a good thing to have some history to go with these older machines, right?

So, here is the Sin*ger that I bought at a yard sale approximately 33 years ago.  At the time, I thought the price was steep (twenty dollars), but I knew the woman selling the machine. It had just been serviced (receipt showing she had just paid $35 for the cleaning and oiling!) and the owner assured me it worked.  It did, and still does.  Sews perfectly.

(click on photos for larger views)

The beautiful decals are worn, but this to me means that the machine was used rather than just stored away someplace.  That is the original plate with the patent dates stamped in it leaning against the case.  (One end of the clip is broken off, so I had a new one put on the machine.)  The rubber bobbin winder ring is "new", and the bobbin winder gear may have been replaced with a newer (not new) one.  (I can't remember if it was this machine or another one...)  Because of the age of the machine the electric motor was probably added later and maybe even "fairly recently".  The cords are "rubber" coated rather than cloth covered, and they are in excellent condition.
Oh,  the machine is so old that there is no reverse.

The underside of the machine.

The part of the wooden case has almost a woven grass/cloth fiber type covering.  The covering is fraying along the edges, but the rest of the case is in excellent condition.

(Sorry about the name being wiped out.  I had issues with photo*shop.)

I didn't need another sewing machine, but I fell in love.