International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society

Fostering the collecting of, and research into, sewing machines.

Whight & Mann Excelsior

Martin Gregory; John Langdon

This article has been adapted from the original ISMACS News layout for web presentation; line-break hyphenation and formatting have been normalized.

The London Sewing Machine Museum continues to grow at a cracking pace with the arrival of this well-preserved Whight & Mann.

Proprietor, Ray Rushton invited us in to photograph it before it went on permanent display in the showrooms.

This machine made a two-thread chainstitch like the Grover & Baker. It is based on a patent of Theodore Washburn in America. The identical American version was made by West & Wilson.

George Whight registered Washburn’s patent in England in 1861 and later manufactured the machine at his works in Ipswich. Whight & Mann called the machine the Excelsior and it was advertised at 6 guineas (£6.30).

Like the Wheeler & Wilson curved needle machine, it sewed from left to right and was only available as a treadle machine. It has a ‘needle feed’; the very long needle has a long thick shank which is clamped on the crank disc. As the crank rotates the needle has to pull the cloth along while it is in the fabric. This weakness of feed plus the very expensive custom-made needles ensured a small sale.

The museum is open to the public on every first Saturday of the month, from 2 to 4 pm. Admission is free but there’s a charity box in which gratitude may be shown. Proceeds go to the RNIB (Lifeboats). (MG & JL)

Photos: Lin & Rod Jones

Images

Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum

Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum
Several views of the pristine Wight & Mann Excelsior at the London Sewing Machine Museum

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