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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.

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ISMACS Digest for 1 Sep 1997

Topics covered in this issue include:

1: W&G by JP <[email protected]>

2: Godzilla Centennial 128 by "Carol Evans" <[email protected]>


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To: [email protected] From: JP <[email protected]> Subject: W&G

To Graham

I saw two W&G's yesterday that I'm considering purchasing, both are electric - one has a W&G motor, the other an after market one.

Could you please give the date of manufacture? The serial numbers are A697127 and A673268.

TIA...JP


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From: "Carol Evans" <[email protected]> To: "ISMACS" <[email protected]> Subject: Godzilla Centennial 128

Lin, I have a godzilla finish Centennial 66, I doubt that it was a military issue sewing machine. I was surprised when I called Singer and learned that it was a Model 66. 1951 would be a little late for WWII, tho it was during the Korean War, I doubt that my machine was made for a military contract. It looks hardly used and came in a wooden cabinet, that I am rather certain was original.

I have another machine that was made in 1951, but does not have the centennial medallion. Singer could not explain why, anyone have an idea??

Carol in the Redwoods (^..^) purrrrrr........... [email protected]

ISMACS Digest for 2 Sep 1997

Topics covered in this issue include:

1: 1951 non-Centennial model by

2: Information about 3 machines. by Atle Staal <[email protected]>


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From:  To: ISMACS Digest <[email protected]> Subject: 1951 non-Centennial model

Carol, Singer even made some Centennials in 1950...It appears that toward the end of 1951 they figured that a buyer in 1952 would think the Centennial badge dated the machine as "old" (i.e., from the previous year and thus not up-to-date), so they stopped adding the badge toward the end of 1951. This explanation is promoted in the Perfect Portable, and it makes Perfect Sense, knowing how marketers think the buying public thinks. ;-)

Dorothy Brumleve


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From: Atle Staal <[email protected]> To: digest <[email protected]> Subject: Information about 3 machines.

Hello friends. I have just bought 3 new sewingmachines, and need some information.

# 1 : Kohler. Kohler Textima VEB Altenburg-Th.

Serial number 2401464 A. Handcrank . Looks like Singer 201. Condition 9. Price 40£. Vibrating shuttle.

# 2 : Nauman. Seidel & Nauman Dresden.

Serialnumber 2179902. Handcrank . Replica of Singer 12. Condition 7. Price 13£. Transverse shuttle.

# 3 : Prima Naalsymaskin. Beitzel Symaskiner Kjobenhavn ( Denmark).

Serial number 1410900. Handcrank . Replica of Singer 12. Condition 7-8. Price 13£. Transverse shuttle.

Any information about these machines is great. Thanks from Norway. -- Atle Staal. - [email protected]

ISMACS Digest for 3 Sep 1997

Topics covered in this issue include:

1: Re: ISMACS Digest for 31 Aug 1997by Graham Forsdyke <[email protected]>

2: Re: ISMACS Digest for 1 Sep 1997 by Graham Forsdyke <[email protected]>

3: IMPROVED COMMON SENSE by Robert Davis <[email protected]>


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To: ISMACS<[email protected]> From: Graham Forsdyke <[email protected]> Subject: Re: ISMACS Digest for 31 Aug 1997

To Audrey re ISMACS Convention

The May date is correct -- 8-10. The confusion arouse because we traditionally run in April but made it a little later this year when the spring weather will be even nicer. Rules for the quilt contest will be published in the Next issue of ISMACS News due out at the end of the month and also published on the ISMACS web site at about the same time. I'll announce it here.

To Lin re godzilla

Although I agree with many of the conclusions reached by Nancy S-J in her book, the crinkle finish for war issue isn't one of them.

There was a fad for crinkle paint in the 1950s and I guess that Singer simply jumped on the bandwagon for a while.Just be thankful they didn't bite on flock-spray as well!

To Maria

Yes the Singer company made electric motor for outside contract but the chances are that this was from an industrial model.

Don't replace the GE motor -- get the original fixed. In the UK, for example, there are companies who have a flat rate for small motor rebuild of $70. A simple repair is much less expensive.

Graham Forsdyke

ISMACS London


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To: ISMACS<[email protected]> From: Graham Forsdyke <[email protected]> Subject: Re: ISMACS Digest for 1 Sep 1997

To JP re Willcox and Gibbs

Your machines date as follows

A697127 = 1931

A673268 = 1923

To Carol

I do not subscribe to the war-issue conclusion for the crinkle paint -- this was a fashion fad at the time and I guess Singer just went along with it for a period.

Unfortunately Singer badges are easily removable from machines and I have heard of Centenial badges being added to late 1950 and early 1952 machines (FWs in particular) which leaves the non centenial badge to be used on the true 1951 model.

Graham Forsdyke

ISMACS London


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From: Robert Davis <[email protected]> To: ISMACS <[email protected]> Subject: IMPROVED COMMON SENSE

Hello everyone. Graham, I'm glad to hear you're doing better. I purchased an Improved Common Sense sewing machine over the weekend. Didn't even think to look for a serial number. According to the picture in American Sewing Machines, guide by James W. Slaten, it may be missing the end or whatever is used to hold the spool of thread on. No treadle is shown and I was wondering what kind, if any, was used to hold it. It's a handcrank machine, fairly heavy, can find nothing that indicates how it stays stationary on a table. Does anyone have any information? Thanks, LaVon in Cincinnati

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