Elna Supermatic no. 4

Yes, I know I'm supposed to be de-cluttering and downsizing.  The Elnas, though -- it's raining Elnas.

Right now I'm in Supermaticville.  You've seen my first and second, both lovely.  But my second needs a new friction drive pulley, a case, and could use some accessories such as a few cams and presser feet.  So I bought a third with a case, one that I thought I would part out.  However, I may begin cleaning it and bond with it.   (I number them according to their acquisition chronology, not their readiness for blogging.)

And this is my fourth, one I picked up, cleaned, oiled, and examined this morning.  (That is, after I finished with this Necchi.)  Pulling the trigger for an eBay Best Offer of $20, I then agreed to fetch the machine myself down in Auburn.  The seller, a Ukrainian fellow who was very polite on the phone, informed me his wife and kids would be at the house to make sure I got the machine.  I knocked and a boy of about 11 years of age opened the door, asked if I was there for the machine, and we knelt on the floor and plugged it in, fiddled with the case, and saw that everything was OK for the price.  He acted about 10 years beyond his age, compared to most of his counterparts that I've met.

Still, I find it strange that he would have been given instructions to allow a complete stranger into the home.  It just felt odd.  The kid was very nice, mature, and exceptionally polite but I kept thinking how lucky this family is that I'm not some violent psychopath but just a guy who likes sewing machines.

Anyway, here it is.  Dings all over it and it too needs a new friction drive pulley and accessories but it has the case and the knee lever and included the zig-zag cam.  So not a bad deal at all.

It also needed (and still needs) a thorough cleaning, with which I'm about 75% finished. 

I love Elnas and the Supermatic is a favorite of mine so I'll want several in the permanent collection.  This color scheme is an interesting one (I have a Plana flatbed that is the same) but I think my favorite is the two-tone green of my very first.  I will probably opt for one in much better cosmetic condition eventually but this price was too good to pass up and I would gladly use this as my free arm machine in the future studio depending upon how I feel about the Pfaff 360.  Or the Kenmore 1913.

I'm also working on acquiring yet another Elna, this one from the early '70s.  Stay tuned!