Bellingham, apparently. My mom needed to visit with a sick aunt and wanted a chauffeur. My price? Take a side trip to purchase a machine, one I've wanted for a couple of years but twice wasn't able to buy, first due to condition and second due to price.
Here it is, paint dings and all:
It was only $35 and I've had some success with touch-up paint on another machine (a Necchi -- stay tuned) so I think I'll try to match the cream paint (oil-based white and bone, mixed with spirits) and see if I can hide some of the spots you see here. The machine is in great mechanical condition and it came with a full set of E-cams and the buttonholer with the geared plate that fits the buttonhole drive lever in the bobbin area.
These pictures were taken after a long day and right after I cleaned up this machine. (It was the usual filthy garage machine with a dust bunny the size of Rhode Island.) I'll take better pictures once I do the touch-ups and get some better lighting.
Hmmmm, that's one I haven't seen before. They did some really interesting things with those Kenmores. I like the design of this one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are a lot of cool design cues in this one: the antennae-like thread guides, the decorative plate behind the stitch/length knobs, the torpedo shape and the crown badge on the nose, the metallic lavender pillar and matching sears button badge on the front and back, the nameplate reminiscent of a dashboard or car trunk, etc. Even the tension has a lavender top. I like the Atomic Age/space ship/rocket fantasy of it. I was only a kid at the very end of it, but I miss the Cold War.
ReplyDeleteOh, and it happens to sew beautifully -- always a plus.
I've got a couple of machines in the pipeline I think you'll find more interesting. Check back in 2 weeks or so. :)
I will, I promise. That should be about the time I get back from my trip.
ReplyDeleteHave a great trip. I hope you're able to find a machine or two along the way. The Midwest is such a gold mine for great machines.
ReplyDeleteHi, Ann. The value of a sewing machine depends on how much someone else is willing to pay and that's hard to guess. You might have a difficult time finding anyone who appreciates it as we do; or you may find someone willing to pay over $100 for it because it represents something to them beyond the machine's ability to sew very well (which it does).
ReplyDeleteThere are many variables. Your local market, the cosmetic condition of the machine, the mechanical condition of the machine, the time of year, etc. If you wish to sell it, try watching CL for a few weeks and see if you can find the same or a similar model and note their prices. eBay is another price source, although I find eBay much less reliable and prices are usually too high (as is shipping, so I deal locally).
And since you don't know how to operate a sewing machine and have access to such a good one, why not learn to sew a bit? It would cost you next to nothing and you might enjoy it! Sewing on a well-made vintage machine is such a pleasure. I hope you do.
Thanks for commenting and good luck, whatever you decide.
Mouse, I found this same machine for $25 + nice cabinet in a Durham, NC thrift shop with my 1-year old granddaughter. It is missing the small lavender "stone" with the engraved 'R' on it. It came with a dusty but pristine (after cleaning) manual and a few attachments. I really like sewing with it.
ReplyDeleteJohn Thomas in NC
Score! John, that's a great price for a very nice machine. Perhaps your granddaughter who helped you find it will eventually learn to sew with this machine; these Kenmores -- if treated gently -- will outlast us all.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and have fun with your Model 54.
Did yours have a foot peddle or a knee peddle? I just bought one at an auction for $17.50. It had a broken bobbin winder post but does not seem to effect the performance. Also, any idea where to find a manual and spare parts?
ReplyDeleteI don't have the manual, unfortunately. However, Kenmore machines with a similar stitching architecture should give you most of the information you need. This is a machine that has straight and zig-zag built-in, then takes the flat 'E' disc cams for decorative stitches.
DeleteMy machine has a knee pedal, a set-up I prefer.
I hope you can find the manual and any parts you may need. eBay is a good source for those items but it may take a while, so find out what other machines have parts that may work. Good luck and enjoy your machine!