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International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society

The purpose of the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society is to foster the collecting of, and research into, sewing machines.

The Hengstenburg & Anker Sewing Machine Companies

  • Mother's Help Sewing Machine

    (Photo: John Langdon, courtesy of Degia's Sewing Machine Collection, Leicester) 

  • Mother's Help Manual
  • The "Mother's Help" machine was made in Germany by Hengstenburg (later Anker) for export, primarily to the UK. It has a transverse, boat-shaped shuttle - modeled on the Singer 12 - and also takes a 12x1 needle.