It's no surprise that the Mister bought me another old sewing machine for Valentines Day, nothing makes me happier as I just love old machines. Nothing is more satisfying that finding a beautiful old machine tucked away in some corner of a antique store, cleaning and polishing and getting it sewing again. This one was well and truly squished in behind tables and chairs, hidden in a dark corner and we had to move quite a bit to get to it, but there is no hiding an old sewing machine from me. ☺ At first I couldn't get the cabinet door open, but then the owner informed me there was a little button in the door knob to push. We purchased the machine without actually seeing it the daylight, which is a bit of a risk. I've done this before, my first Franklin and first treadle and it was a mistake. The backside of the machine was in very very poor condition and that poor machine I took apart, sold the useful pieces on eBay for other folks to use and sent the actual machine head for scrap. It made me sad, but it was beyond repair, no amount of polishing and cleaning helped. At least it's bits and pieces were used by other restoring old machines. This machine, on the other hand, is beautiful. Stunning really and I would say, barely used. The cabinet, as you can see from the photos, is quite ornate - may crap photos don't do it justice. It has the handy function of lifting up the machine when you lift the lid. I'd say this machine is probably almost 100 years old - no dating on Franklin machines. It sews like a dream, I just love it. I never thought I would like the vibrating shuttle machines with their funny bullet shuttles, but I have two treadles now and my Singer 128 which are all vibrating shuttles and despite having what looks like small bobbins, they actually hold quite a lot of thread. Anyway, I won't waffle on anymore, the photos say it all, this one is definitely one of my favorite machines.
Toodles...L x ♥
It's lovely - I love the way the old things were decorated so beautifully rather than just being functional. Happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteThat's so lovely, Louise! It's odd, I think, that a lot of old machines have Egyptian-esque decoration, isn't it? My Mum had a LION machine in the 50s and it was very similar (but not in a cabinet) and lots of the French ones I have seen are the same. Was it to do with the Great Exhibition, I wonder, or did Howard Carter find Tutankhamen's tomb at this time?
ReplyDeleteI have just bought an old Jones (from the 60s, I think, which I brought home yesterday. Not a patch on yours, and with a plastic base and no lid - but I'm still exciting at cleaning it up and maybe finding out a little of its history. Not even a model number on it, and no instruction book, but a pristine tin with original bobbins, oil and a spare lamp in!
How lovely! Wonderful to bring this old piece back to life. I had not heard of Franklin, just Singer really which my mum had. Such an interesting post!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Alison xx
farmhousetraditions.blogspot.co.uk
Beautiful! :-)
ReplyDelete