Antique Singer 15 - 31 Industrial Treadle Sewing Machine, Accessories, C1904
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:27317533 | Maker: Singer Manufacturing Company |
| Original/Reproduction: Original |
Singer Class 15-31 "Acanthus Leaves" Antique sewing machine, industrial version w/knee activated pressure foot lifting mechanism, Oscillating CB shuttle, Oak cabinet w/extension leaf & drawer w/ bronze knob, Cast iron treadle and a LOT of Extras !!! Serial # B377779, assembled on June 6 1904 at the old Singer’s plant located at 1675 Notre Dame, near Place D'Armes, Montreal, Quebec.Canada .The fact...ory was in the commercial centre of the city in industrial buildings located behind the main office and showroom with no outside yard or storage space. The size and location of the factory with no rail road link to this site would suggest that it wasn't suitable for manufacturing or iron casting , so it is likely that it was just used to assemble machines from parts shipped there from Singer’s plant at Elizabethport, New Jersey. Assembling continued at that Montreal factory until 1906, when a replacement factory was opened at a much larger site in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. From the allocation of Singer serial numbers records, it appears that during the last few years it was produced about 30, 000 machines a year of models 15, 16 and 27. The Industrial/Family heavy duty sewing machine Class 15 has been introduced in 1879 and holds the honor to be the longest (141 years !) continuously manufacturing sewing machine in the history . In 1887 the model 15-11 replaced the original “long beak shuttle “ 15-1 model with with a separate removable “1 o’clock” bobbin case . The class 15-11 bobbin case , race & hook system has been the standard design used by almost ALL sewing machine makers ever since. This model also has a dubious distinction to be one of the most copied sewing machine. In 1970 I have seen myself the mass manufacturing of Class 15 PMZ at the former Singer Podolsk Mechanical Zavod (factory) in Russia. This plant has been built there by Singer SMC in 1902 with the intention to supply sewing machines to the entire Russian market and also The Balkan states, Turkey, Iran, Japan and China. Well, so little did they knew - after that infamous Russian Bolshevik’s revolution Singer basically has lost it's huge factory there and after the WWII there were a lot of copies of this truly wonderful machine has been made in Japan and later in China. And even now they are still being produced in India, the Treadle and hand crank versions ! If these facts are not a testimony of this machine model reliability ...than nothing could be . In US and Scotland Singer plants there has been made over 100 different official modifications of this marvel of engineering Class 15: from 15-1 to 15K191. About one half of them has been made as the industrial version. The only difference in between 15-31 Family and industrial version is the additional knee operated pressure foot mechanism . Basically, it is the Industrial machine for family use . The VERY EARLY models had cast iron face plate like on this machine , then it was replaced by the plain polished steel face plate, . It has all steel construction and the heavy duty vertically oscillating CB (Central Bobbin) shuttle hook and race assembly still being utilized by high speed industrial sewing machines. The vertical bobbin offers more direct path for bobbin thread to be drawn up and as the result the machine is by far better suited for heavier thread. The hinged pressure foot clearance is 3/8” in combination with large and heavy counterweight and mentioned above all steel construction allows to sew very easily heavy layers of denim, canvas, belts and numerous layers of light leather. This model 15 is one of four the mostdesirable vintage Singers sewing machines : 1. The Featherweight 221 !!!? 2. 201-2 3. 15-91 4. 15 Another historical fact worth to mention: with the Class 15 Singer introduced a new design of needle: It is flat on one side of the shank - 15x1. This design became the standard needle used not just for most future Singer domestic machines, but also by almost by all other sewing machines manufacturers. The same needle design also known in modern needles classification system as "20/20". When I have purchased this machine it’s intricate gold Acanthus Leaves decals was not saved completely –the bed portion of it has been in very bad cosmetic condition. But the rest of decals has been hardly visible under the thick deposits of grime and oil. But I am seriously doubt if one can find another 116 years old Antique Industrial sewing machine in absolutely pristine condition. So, I have very accurately and patiently wash numerous times this machine casting with Vegetable Oil Soap to reveal remaining decals . I had to replace the Central Singer Emblem on the bed and one Singer name up in front and on the top . I have also, added decals to front plate and sleeve. The mechanical restoration process was more difficult – the machine was completely frozen :I could not turn the wheel . The lubricant being utilized at that time was the Whale oil , which has a tendency to solidify and become hard like a rock . It required 8 days to remove all moving parts , soak them in the kerosene, clean, high speed polish and assemble everything together .You can see now on the pics provided that every single screw and every critical part is proudly shining –like a brand new one . Now the hand wheel can be turned without any effort just with 2 fingers –there is no frictions or any sort of obstruction . The conclusion: The wood portion of machine # 79 cabinet with treadle has been completely restored and serviced : all moving parts has been cleaned and oiled. The knee activated pressure foot lifting mechanism has been cleaned and serviced . The steel oil drip plate with machine’s lock-n-place mechanism and sliding support bar for extension table has been cleaned and adjusted . Please check my photos attached to verify the machine's condition described. Machine sews very well and guaranteed to be fully functional. We all do know very well that an opportunity to purchase truly unique and rare piece like this one does not present itself often. I have made that hard for me decision to sell out my antique sewing machine collection ago prior of our permanent move to Florida - The G-d’s Waiting Room. It does not come as the surprise that I am not getting younger and I simply can not even imagine a situation in which my beloved machines would be a candidates for Goodwill and I would rather try to find a good permanent home for them now .So far I have been fortunate and little-by-little could be able to rehome almost all of them to the new and appreciative owners . Now I have only 7 machines left over . Please Note: The E-bay shipping estimating tool is not perfect : it allows to estimate the shipping charges based on a single carton only . But that would be a huge and heavy carton ! And accordingly , it could cost a small fortune to ship . iIf machine ( like this one) for reason of safe delivery to potential buyer requires a multiple (3) smaller cartons then an estimated cost of shipping would not be correct . Please contact me prior to purchasing the machine and we could figure out the best and safest way to ship . Also, If you do not want to pay for shipping of cast iron treadle (even if it looks as great as this particular one) across the country , then you can purchase the machine , table, etc... but not the treadle . I could provide the credit for $120 for the treadle only . Please note: I can offer the number of options (3) to package this machine . It would depends on the new destination location . 1. Completely take it apart : remove the machine from the table, treadle wheel and iron stand from the cabinet ( 4 screws) and to pack it together in one carton with a lot of impact absorption media . In the similar cases of shipping the antique treadle machines I usually use High density foam boards, curve the opening in them to fit disassembled parts of the treadle , cabinet into 3 large cartons. Please note that ever popular bubble wrap is NOT effective protection at all from the forces of impact being transferred to the fragile cast iron parts .To take apart very heavy and unique mechanism of treadle is absolutely necessary in order to provide adequate protection not only from mention above impacts but also from effect of very rapid movement within the carton with parts . Only HD closed cell foam can absorb and dissipate the forces and guarantee the safety of content. I have created the pictorial assembly instruction with step-by-step description of assembly process . I have converted it into PDF format and it would be forwarded to the buyer of this machine . The table without extension leaf but with knee lifting mechanism and drip pan is -32x17x 12''. The folded treadle is 29 x22" x14", head is very heavy and will fit with proper impact absorbing insulation into separate carton of 22x12x16. The issue here is not the size but weight : The treadle base with wheel and pedal are extremely heavy, so the total weight with adequate packaging could be ~ 100 lbs so it would require delivery to the commercial address with the loading dock . 2. To do the same process as above but to pack into 3 cartons separately and ship it at once in order to have 3 packages of 50 , 30, 30 LBS for each package and to be able to use the domestic address for delivery . The price for shipping of 3 separate packages would actually be less than in the option # 1 or # 3 . 3. Or if the destination address would be within the states with the common borders with S.Florida , I could remove the machine head , lay the table with wheel and frame on the back, slide it into my Subaru , support all iron parts securely , wrap it up into soft blankets to prevent scratches to the beautiful wood table and cover and to drive to the designated place to meet the buyer and help to re-load cargo into the other adequate vehicle . This option most likely would be the best possible option from the prospective of safe delivery ( and in some cases for the shipping cost purposes too) . All what I want for that service is the money for gas. Just within last year I have carefully packed and shipped at least 4 similarly unique antique sewing machines with the treadle and cast iron stands to the very far away countries - they all came through these long and treacherous journeys without any damage . G-d forbid, but in a worth case scenario nobody want to go through with a litigation process with a freight companies . Even when one purchase adequate insurance ( I do ) and finally would have money for the damaged item - a seller would not have the item in the same condition and a buyers would not receive an item they want . YOU WILL RECEIVE : - 1 Singer 15-31 sewing machine head with pressure foot lifting lever - 1 Oak cabinet with drawer and extension table with sliding support bar - 1 Cast iron legs , treadle wheel mechanism, treadle pedal with Pitman rod - 1 Antique Bronze Ruffler by Johnston Ruffler Co , Ottumwa IA , Patent 2672 issued Sept 24 1878 -The collector's item by itself ! -3 Folder guide , Singer -The collectors item -6 ( six) Needles in Singer envelope 1-Clean edge adjustable folder 4-Various operation pressure feet , Singer -10 (ten) -Bobbins for model 15Singer 2 ( two) -Bobbin cases, 1 o'clock finger, Singer 2 (two)-Oscillating shuttle Singer hooks -1 Extra Needle plategraduated , Singer -1 Singer Oak Puzzle box for attachments , vintage -1 Singer Oilbottle with cork1 Singer Model 15-31Manual and adjustment Guide , copy 1-Historical data on Singer 15, 40pages -all downloaded from Smithsonian Institution Web-site and printed .I could send to you the electronic files ABOUT MEI am a retired textile engineer and sewingmachines have always been a part of my job. My background in mechanicalengineering combined with some nostalgia, passion and plenty of time on myhands has made the great implication on my current activities – Antique andvintage sewing machine restoration . Over years I have bought, repaired, serviced and refurbished dozens of machinesjust for myself and for friends , but now when I am running out of space tostore them in accordance with their status, I have decided to begin to offer toyou these marvels of old engineering at reasonable price .MY PROCESSIn order to retain the authenticity of originaltime-honored design, those fine details which once embellished the antiquesewing machines and my own clear conscience, I am trying to avoid ( unless the machine in the bad condition) themetal parts and treadle legs refinishing– no stripping to remove the originalfinish, no rust preventative primer, no decals or clear coating to make it moreappealing in a photo. Here is a brief description of my process: If required, I am soaking all moving parts inWD-40 to get rid of that stubborn solidified whale oil, cleansurface with Murphy’s oil soap, high speed polish chrome plated parts andapply a thin coat of a mixture of Boiled linseed oil & turpentine on theoriginally painted parts and re-assemblemachine. The gear driven machines are being properly cleaned, greased and oiled, the timing is being checked , bobbin case or shuttle arebeing taken apart, cleaned and oiled for smooth thread draw, stitch adjusted to be equal on both sides. Ifappropriate for that particular model/class, machine is being tested to sew atslow and fast speeds and in reverse on numerous layers of denim to assure it issewing with ease. For machines with motor /light /foot pedal control thefollowing steps are being taken to assure that machine is electrically safe tooperate: the motor, pedal, light wires, are inspected for electrical safety and replaced (if necessary) from the coilsto the connector. The foot pedals are being cleaned and adjusted forsmooth speed control. The machines I offerfor sale are electrically safe and fully guaranteed to sew very well. Pleasefeel free to ask any questions.The followinginformation you should know: FL residents must pay sales tax on all taxable merchandise. Return Policy (see below): There is no restocking fee on all returns. The back shipping at expense of buyer. International bidders should check the shipping charges before bidding. I provide a tracking number for all domestic shipments and whenever possible on international shipments. You will receive a notice the day your item being shipped . Buyer must send notification of payment within 3 days of end of auction. If payment is not received within 7 days the item will be resold. Please verify you have a correct shipping address in your eBay and PayPal accounts. RETURN POLICY :Customer satisfaction ismy ultimate goal !· I must be contactedwithin 24 hours of receipt of item to initiate a return.· I will attempt toresolve the situation via emails or phone calls. Only after theissue has been verified I will accept a return.· All returns must use USPostal Service , UPS and have delivery confirmation. If you do notdo this we cannot guarantee receipt of the return and will not issue anycredit.· I will only credit costof the actual product but not theshipping charges.· I will issue a creditafter I have actually received the item and verified the issue.· Return payment will beissued in the same manner as it was received.SHIPPING:Allitems are shipped quickly and directly by me from the South Florida . Zip code 33487. Your purchased item will be shipped within 24hours after receiving your cleared payment via PayPal. As soon I will receivepayment I will ship ( More time would berequired for special disassembly andpacking of treadle and cabinets. Shipments are available at the quoted rate to all 48 states in theContinental United States. Shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, or other USterritories may carry higher charges. Please contact me with detailed addressinformation for accurate quotes. Internationalshipping is available for most items upon request. Please contact me prior tothe close of the auction to request an international shipping quote. The moreaddress detail you provide in requesting shipping quotes, the more accurate Ican make the quote. All items areshipped via USPS Priority Mail, USPS First Class Mail, USPS Media Mail, USPSParcel Post or UPS Ground. pleaseview my listing for the shipping details on this particular auction. Atbuyer’s request I will be happy toprovide upgraded shipping or shipping via an alternative vendor . Please contact me promptly to makesuch arrangements and receive a shipping quote. Combined shipping discounts will be made available whenever possible. Ifyou are interested in more than one of my listings, please contact me for adiscounted shipping quote.PACKAGING :I will pack allitems with a great care with utilization of proper force of impact absorbing materials . As the rule , I will placethe sewing machine’s head into the double-box and will use bubble wrap or rags inside the first box . If it would be atreadle or cabinet sewing machine , I will double-box machine’s head separately . I will disassemblecabinet / irons legs (if appropriate), then I will write the instruction with photo attachment of step-by-step assembly process to avoid anypossible confusion during assembly . Orif it would be required, I could even crate the cabinet and will place andsecure machine head in the double carton underneath . Please be aware that ONLY in that particular case some reasonable handling charges wouldbe added to cover the cost of a palletand wooden boards . I want to assure you I will do everything possible in accordance with your requirements tomake sure that your purchase would besafe along the way. I put a lot of effort , time and quality materials into cabinetry restoration process and it would beextremely upsetting to me if the finished piece would be broken during transportation ..TRACKINGTracking informationis provided for all shipments. You will receive notification via e-mail onceyour shipment has been processed for shipping. USPS shipments are processed throughPayPal, and you will receive notification from PayPal. UPS shipments areprocessed directly through UPS, and notification will be sent via UPS. Tracking informationis also available directly on E-Baypage. Please note that the tracking status provided on E-Bay's website is notupdated regularly. For timely information, please use the provided trackingnumber and track it directly on the US Postal Service or UPS websites.COMMUNICATIONIt is myresponsibility and the matter of honor to make sure that my listing is thorough, honest, and accurate. However, I realize that there may still besome questions on the part of interested buyer. Please feel free to contact mewith any inquiries. I will try to respond within 24 hours or less. It is buyer’s responsibility to make sure you are fully informed before placing abid. Please be sure to read the full listing, view all attached photos and ask all questions prior to placing a bid.I encourage and will enjoy all communication with other membersFEEDBACKFeedback system is criticalto our E-bay community. User Feedbackspeaks to the reputation and trustworthiness of both E-Bay's buyers andsellers. I take it very seriously and hope you will do the same.Our common goal is to be happy and asthe result to leave a positive feedback upon completion of the transaction .The honest communication is the most critical factor . Just in case If upon receipt of your item youcould feel there is any reason preventing you from leaving positive feedback, please contact me. I am alwayshappy to work towards a resolution. I hope everything would be in accordancewith you expectation . Positive feedback completes thetransaction and is acknowledgement that the purchased items are "asdescribed" I will try my best to provide accurateitem descriptions and high quality photos for all my listings.
