I dropped by the local Value Village to shop for a few things and just happened to walk through the furniture aisle. You never know what you'll find, AM I RIGHT? Now, I love a good formica end table with one end of the handle falling off, a side strip of the laminate coming unglued, and a water stain from a houseplant. Don't you?
OK, let's cut the crap. I went in that store determined to find a sewing machine -- hoping and praying for a Kenmore -- and lo and behold, this 8-stitch beauty was sitting fat and sassy, ready for my greedy mitts. Perhaps that water stain was my drool, I'm not sure.
It was filthy and still has a fair amount of dirt in the crevices and seams. I'm going to be cleaning this one every time I run it, seeing little lines of dirt and old oil between every panel. Ah, the price we collectors must pay for our indulgences.
It's one of the lower-end Jaguar/Maruzen Kenmores built in Taiwan in the late '70s, probably 1977 or '78. (No wonder the transition to Janome was so uneventful.) I'm happy to report that it is as smooth and heavy as its Japanese counterparts.
It has plenty of small dings and fine scratches but all the knobs, spool pins, thread guides, etc. are present and in good working order. It's been sitting in the sun, as it has a light case of UV on several of the plastic panels. No attachments or manual were included -- not even the power cord/pedal. Fortunately, I have an extra cord/pedal that I believe will work, once I dig it out and see if it has the proper plug configuration.
The model tag states 'Simpsons-Sears, LTD. (LTEE.) - Canada.' It's possible this machine was purchased in Canada and brought south, as I found it near the Canadian border. I haven't seen many of these 8-stitch models; perhaps these were made primarily for non-U.S. markets. Once I get it fully oiled and running, I'll update this post and hopefully give two thumbs up.
This is exactly the kind of machine I love to find and the $4.99 price tag makes it all the sweeter.
