I think Brother made those machines in the ’50’s. sorry that’s all I’ve got!

I’s a Japanese clone of a Singer model 15.

If you get a Singer instruction manual that will probably get you using it, how to thread it, set tension, stitch length, wind the bobbin. I would probably lube it first, the moving parts accessible from the underside.

Thanks, everyone! That's super helpful. It'll be getting checked with a multimeter before any usage, as well ... better safe than sorry!

I have my grandmother's old Singer. It's wiring was badly deteriorated. It was notnthat expendive to get it replaced.

Background quilt is my mum's handwork, and the quilting on that was actually done by hand. She's an amazing quilter; she taught me to appliqué, too.

Thanks for the link to the manual! Super helpful!

Those really old motors had grease tubes that actually got filled with grease. That is one thing that you might look at. Not sure, though that yours does.

You said that there is a setting for "silk"? Is that what it says on the machine?

Those old machines were good and here they are today with many still going strong. That is becasue they are simple well designed machines with no tech or computer things to go wrong. As quickly as our tech devices get outdated, I wouldnt buy a computerized machine. There is no way that the computer one will still going strong after a couple of decades. A computerized one is more about the fancy stuff that it can do all by itself, rather than a solid machine that can make the fabric feed and the needle move. An old solid machine is simple and reliable and so beautifully mechanical in its form! Here they still are after lifetimes have passed!

The one that cost an arm and a leg with the computer in it will be sitting in the corner all outdated with a dysfunctional mother board and the old mechanical model will still be chugging through just about any reasonable fabric that you can feed into it. It has no "brain" to go bad, so it just keeps going as long as it is not physically destroyed.

I have an old Singer from the 1950s and it is solid. Of course you still have electronics to deal with but they are easier to deal with as they are apart from the actual machine and are visible and easy to access.

It looks like fun.

I had one such but I gave it to someone who was really interested in old machines. I kept it for years but never got around to restoring it and now, at this stage of life, I have no interest in doing so. It had belonged to a family member. It was in a cabinet like yours and it was from sometime pre WWII.

Those old solid machines were built to last and they are an amazing clock work like marvel. Getting a machine to make a lock stitch took some clever engineering. Then, of course the intricate movements that make the needle and the bobbin dance together is so beautiful and choreographed.

Enjoy your machine. I know you will.

The knob that has a setting for "silk" drops the feed dogs. For "silk", the feed dogs lower. The feed dogs drop all the way for darning or free motion quilting.

bkay

bkay, I see. It drops, or lowers the feed dogs. What an odd calculation to put on the dial with "silk, embroidery, or normal" . It looks like it would go from fully raised feed dogs to fully recessed feed dogs with the "embroidery" setting being fully recessed feed dogs What odd designations!

I have seen some decorative work done free hand using only a straight stitch machine, but it doesnt seem that would be very practical as it seems to take some one with a good hand at it. Darning is a type of embroidery.

I looked at the manual and now I understand. But what an odd way to designate settings.

Pressure and feed dogs settings i understand.