If you're thinking about voting for McCain, watch this:

This page features the older and more unusual machines in my collection. For slightly newer machines, see Part Two. To see larger images, click on the small ones.

Please note that I am unable to provide appraisals of machines. I am a collector, not a dealer or an appraiser. Machine prices vary with rarity, condition, location, and timing (and probably some other things as well!). Buy for what the machine is worth to you; sell for what you are willing to take for it. To get an idea of what machines have gone for, check your local sales and online auctions.

Any inquiries as to a machine's value will be ignored, since the above is all I can tell you.

Jones Hand: I don't have an exact date for this one, but it is pre-1900. It's my latest acquisition and one I'd coveted for some time. I love the serpentine line of the arm and the fiddle-base bed. It's a reciprocating "boat" shuttle machine, with the shuttle moving in a line from front to back. Yes, it sews, but I probably won't let it do too much sewing so that I can preserve the gold decoration. Here it is in its new home, atop a Singer 66 cabinet (The Redeye inside is in fair condition, but sews quite nicely), and under the Imca calendar.		IMCA Calendar This 1991 calendar depicts several wonderful machines from the Imca company's museum. To display it nicely while avoiding taking it apart, my husband constructed a "well" of foamcore boards inside this thrift-shop frame. We wrapped the well and foam-core matting with some fabric from my stash, and the calendar rests inside the well. Eventually we hope to find the right hardware to make the back of the frame come off more easily (at the moment it is taped on) so that the calendar can be removed and flipped over to display the next picture.
Singer "New Family" 12K I think this was made in 1890, but it could be earlier. The New Family was Singer's first successful home sewing machine, and my first handcrank machine. It uses a reciprocating boat shuttle that moves in a straight line, left to right.		Wheeler & Wilson #8 Made sometime between 1865 and 1890; this one may be among the earlier models or perhaps a transitional model. The bobbin-thread tension is controlled by a thumbscrew under the machine's bed, rather than by a spring on the bobbin case, as with later models. I have finally achieved a stitch on this machine! The trick was to wrap the upper thread twice around the tension discs and tighten the tension! I also have a close-up
Wilcox & Gibbs This one is from 1908. Note the unusual scalloped base. I was told by a fellow collector that this was done when there was an imperfection in the base.		This Western Electric closely resembles a Wilcox & Gibbs. It came in a lunchbox-style carrying case, with some needles and attachments. The motor swings under the machine's arm for storage. A close-up is also available.
Singer Model 27 Treadle: The cabinet is in really lovely condition, and included a puzzle-box full of attachments. It was made in 1906.		Here's a closer view of the machine itself. Note the "sphinx" decals. I recently acquired a real sorry model 27. Note that the gold has turned to silver. I got it for the puzzle box that came with it. Puzzle Box close-up. I also have a truly beautiful model 27 with nearly perfect gold decals. Here's a close-up
Vibrating Shuttle #2, Treadle, 1891-1892. The precurser to the model 27 shown above. Note the "fiddle" base. Take a look at the coffin-top cabinet.		This is the back side of the VS2. Notice how the decals blend the access-plate right into the machine. Also have a close-up of the back.
Helpmate Treadle: This one is a fiddle-base coffin-top. I'll put up an image of the cabinet & top later. The person I bought it from thought it was made in 1898; I don't have an official date for it yet. Take a look at the coffin-top. I also have a trade card.		Here's another view. I'm hoping to take some pictures with better contrast soon. For now, note the tension device in the top, the stitch-length regulator on the pillar, and the large medallion on the upper-right. It bears a striking resemblance to the Household machine I found through Charles Law's site.
Minnesota New Model A. I think this was made in the 1920's or 1930's, most likely by White. I love the claw-foot base!. It is electrified with a Franklin motor. I don't know if that is original. For a view of the machine with my "sewing machine inspector," look here		Wheeler & Wilson #9 I bought this as a companion to my #8. Unfortunately, I discovered later that it had been repainted. This model was made 1890-1907, but it appears newer because of the paint-job. It has also been electrified. Note the U-shaped spool pin.
Queen. A transverse shuttle hand-crank. Thanks to Alan Quinn for his information and for the needle-clamp that allowed me to get this machine sewing. Alan has a Harris machine on his site that is very similar to my Queen, and probably made by the same German manufacturer - Alan thinks it's Vesta. I also have a rear view.