By the time a sewing machine falls into my hands, it has generally had a long and interesting life: Take this machine for example: The serial number, EA146845, tells me it was made at Killbowie in 1932, one of a batch of 10,000 machines, which, as near as I can tell was the first batch ever made. This makes this machine the 8304th 201 built for production.
It shipped with a spoked wheel, which means that likely it was a hand crank equipped or in a treadle table. It came with a Singer hand crank, so that rules out the treadle stand.
I bought it from a young woman who told me that she got it from her "Gran". She was selling it because she didn't know how to sew, and ironically lives up above a shop where they make Tee shirts. (I was about to suggest that she walk downstairs and flutter her eye lashes at any hand male and ask for some lessons, but I really wanted the machine...lol)
It came in a particle board Japanese table with a green motor and controller from a 200 or 300 series Singer, that didn't work, the hand crank and a clone instruction manual, titled "You have invested wisely....lol.
I didn't have a period correct motor on hand so I replaced the old green one with a newer .95mp one and matching controller, serviced the the whole thing and put it in a faux crocodile clone carry case.
The result of this; It's a fast and powerful 201, that breezes through 7 layers of Sunbrella, and just about everything else I have shoved under it's presser foot. Of course, because it's a 201, it's makes a great stitch while doing so.
