Singer Treadle Sewing machine model 15-88 ~Pictures~

[quintinp]

I just got this baby for 60 dollars at an antique shop. Although it shines nice and bright in the photos, it didn't start out that way, I had to put in about 3 hours of straight non stop work to get it to this point.

 

[kstaven]

That looks good. Those old machines are great.

 

[galanie]

Wow even those gold decals look great! Great find!!

I have one that I swear looks identical but with a motor on the back. It's said that the first electric ones were the same treadle machines but with a small motor added on, and now I believe it. Mine isn't nearly as good looking as your is but has had LOTS of use through the years and is still going strong.

 

[quintinp]

Wow even those gold decals look great! Great find!!
I have one that I swear looks identical but with a motor on the back. It's said that the first electric ones were the same treadle machines but with a small motor added on, and now I believe it. Mine isn't nearly as good looking as your is but has had LOTS of use through the years and is still going strong.

I love how great the decals look. This one is supposedly a rare machine. It is supposedly the last machine that was made to have been used with a treadle. I don't know how accurate that last one is.

Mine has a screw hole where a motor would mount onto it.

I would guess that your machine would really like to be rubbed with some sewing machine oil. I did that and let the oil set for a minute, and then I wiped it clean.

 

[galanie]

Yes when I saw the back of yours I could see where the motor would mount. Mine has had so much use these past 60+ years that the decals on the base are worn almost completely off. Only the ones around the right end are still bright. It's a model 201. Those were made starting 1939 but I believe mine was made in the early 50's. I looked it up by serial number once on Singer's website but forget precisely the year.

It would have looked like this new:

This is not my machine or my picture.
But as I said, most of the gold on the lower plate is worn off from years and years of cloth being pulled through it. And though I don't sew a lot, cloth is still being pulled through it. Mother kept it oiled and cleaned and knew it inside and out. I am having to teach myself how to do it all now but there's so many excellent online resources now that I don't fear messing with it at all.


PS: I did notice on yours the "tire" for the bobbin winder is gone. I'd be willing to be you could get a replacement.