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| Free Parlor Cabinet Sewing Machine from 1916 |
This is the Sewing Machine I bought from Peggy McBride at the River Rat Toga this September. When I started working on it I found the manual and also this 'raffle' ticket in the inner drawers of the machine. The ticket was the top part of an advertising flyer dated Saturday February 19th, 1916 from Weyrick & Evans of Traer, Iowa. It was number 1297.
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| Guarantee for Free Sewing Machine Co. |
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| Raffle ticket No. 1297 |
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| Serial Number for this Free Sewing Machine. |
The person holding the ticket didn't win the free Free Machine because on the inside back page of the manual was this notation.
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| Paid 37+ old machine (unless that is a 9) |
Here is the manual. It was all crinkled up and torn. I ironed it flat and used some tape to reinforce it.
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| Free Sewing Machine Manual |
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| Close up of machine head |
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| It stitches very nicely |
The front doors open up and become the support for the flip top cover. They also hold the attachments, an oil can and thread. The oil can that I 'liberated' from Mohn Electric more than 20 years ago fit perfectly in a little round divot on the right side inside door. I just knew I needed that tiny little oil can. I bet it came from my first husbands grandmother. She was a quilter too.
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| Right inside door drawers |
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| The tiny oil can fit perfectly in the cut out circle |
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| Left inside door showing attachment box |
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| Attachment box with 5 more bobbins and attachments that look unused |
I really like this machine. It is in my living room near the front door. I hope to do some sewing on it for the Christmas block exchange for the MN/WI Junkies Christmas Party.
Love,
That machine is just a treasure. What a find.
ReplyDeleteReally neat! The oil can coincidence is amazing. Funny how sometimes you just "know."
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteIn all the years (16)I worked at Mohn's no one ever used that oil can. I decided it should live with someone who would appreciate it.
Now it is 20 years since I worked there and it has finally found it's new/old home again.
Beautiful machine with such interesting decals. I use an Ott Light for my trreadling also. That is just about the only thing I miss from electrics....a built in light.
ReplyDeleteHuh! Looking at your machine I realize I don't have a #5. Wonder what my model was called?
ReplyDeleteI had a Free#5 in the parlor cabinet for a couple of years, but, never had time to play with it. For some reason, it 'froze' (hand wheel didn't want to turn). I passed it on to someone who wanted to clean and restore a machine, earlier this summer. She is loving it, and now it is getting used.
ReplyDelete