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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.

Ideal Sewing Machine Kompany

Ideal Sewing Machine Handwheel

An Ideal Sewing Machine showing off its folding handle.

  • The Ideal Sewing Machine
  • Leslie Salter's 1910 chainstitch sewing machine with oscillating hook mechanism secured investment of £100,000 in 1921, only to fail shortly thereafter despite being sold in upscale London stores like Selfridges and Harrods.
  • The Ismak Sewing Machine
  • A 1920s unsuccessful attempt by the Ideal Sewing Machine Company to expand with a rotary hook lockstitch machine, plagued by crude manufacturing and poor engineering that led to clearance sales by 1924 and company closure by 1925.

ISMACS is an organization totally independent of all sewing-machine manufacturers, past or present and is not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in these pages.  Please Note: Do not contact any ISMACS official in an attempt to solicit a valuation - it is not possible other than by hands-on assessment and your request will be ignored.

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