Rare & Beautiful 1877 Singer Model 12 New Family Fiddle Base Sewing Machine

  
My husband and I have owned and restored over 1000 antique and vintage Singer sewing machines, and our favorites are the oldest ones : foot-powered (treadle) and hand-cranked machines that were powered by their owners instead of Mr. We especially love the odd shapes, like the fiddle-shaped base of this Model 12, of some of the earliest machines. Designed to be mounted on the top board of a treadle cabinet using its original hinges (bottom of photo five), this machine was driven by a leather belt that ran around its large hand wheel (photo seven), and then around the drive wheel of the treadle. The machines serial number, 2642976 (photo ten), dates its manufacture to 1877. Those of you with sharp eyes may notice a second number in photo ten, 81976, stamped just to the right of the serial number. The second one is an identifying number for the running gear (photo eleven). This Singer makes a stitch using an upper and a lower thread, just like a modern sewing machine. The upper thread comes from a spool held by a pin on the top arm of the machine again, just like a modern machine but the bottom thread comes from a bullet-shaped shuttle instead of the familiar round bobbin. The open-top shuttle on this machine, called a boat or canoe by some collectors, carries a small bobbin shaped like a dumbbell.

The shuttle rides in a cradle and moves backwards and forwards with a reciprocating motion under the sewing bed (photos eight and nine) and it works in just the same way as the shuttle of a loom, weaving its bottom thread horizontally as the needle weaves its top thread vertically. This simple technology worked so well that Singer manufactured a different family of shuttle machines Models VS1, VS2, VS3, 27, 28, 127 and 128 from the 1880s all the way to the 1960s.

We did not restore this lovely antique it will be 150 years old next year! But we did make sure that its running gear operates smoothly. It would be a wonderful addition to any sewing collection and will look lovely displayed in your home. Its small size roughly 14½ inches long, 8½ inches high, and 6½ inches wide allows it to be tucked in anywhere. I know industrial décor is in and the looks of this little machine are more important to many of you than its usefulness, but we do hope youll use it. And we hope it helps you to make lots of beautiful things.

If you live near us or plan to visit West Central Florida and have a friend or family who can hold it until you arrive, you are welcome to pick it up. Please ask if you have questions.

We are happy to help you! All of our goods are. Thank you for looking in. The item "Rare & Beautiful 1877 Singer Model 12 New Family Fiddle Base Sewing Machine" is in sale since Tuesday, April 13, 2021. This item is in the category "Antiques\Sewing (Pre-1930)\Sewing Machines".

The seller is "its-a-girl-thing" and is located in Bradenton, Florida. This item can be shipped to United States.

1. Original/Reproduction: Antique Original