Agenoria
1872
This machine was listed on Ebay in November of 2022.
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This is an 'Agenoria' Sewing machine,
manufactured by Charles Fowkes & Co.
at the Franklin Works, Soho, Birmingham, England, from 1872-1873.
History:
1868 : The Franklin Works S.M. Co was started, & Agenoria Sewing Machines were produced for 20 years, under different Company names, with different face plates, but all have the wonderful high arched back that is so unique to these machines. It's just beautiful to my eye.
1868-1888: The manufacturers of the Agenoria went through several name changes, before the last one went out of business. This particular machine was one of the earliest models, from 1872-1873.
Dating:
1868 - 1872: The Franklin Sewing Machine Co. was established by 3 men: Arthur Maxfield, Isaac Cole, & Charles Fowkes, who manufactured the Agenoria at the Franklin Works.
The 3 men parted ways in 1872, but all 3 continued to produce the Agenoria, which is where some confusion comes in.
1872 - 1873: Charles Fowkes continued to produce sewing machines at the Franklin Works until 1873, under the name Charles Fowkes & Co. using the Franklin Sewing Machine Co. Trade Mark (3 crossed needles & a long bobbin).
Arthur Maxfield & Isaac Cole each formed new partnerships & companies as well, also continuing to produce the very popular Agenoria sewing machines. Each with slight variations, but all distinctly identifiable from that high arched arm.
In this particular machine, we can easily tell it's from Charles Fowkes & Co, at the Franklin Works, because it's clearly stamped on the Cloth plate. Since they were only in operation under that name from 1872-73, we can be sure that it was produced in that 1-2 yr timeframe.
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Colors: The hardest part is taking accurate photos. My walls are a very light minty/aqua green, my desk is honey brown, & the turntables I use are White, or Teal. Some pictures show weird textures & lord help me if there's a speck of lint - It will Scream that, & you can't even see any of that with the naked eye. (Bear in mind - you're looking at a magnification.)
The machine is jet black, & the decals are shiny Gold. This was originally one of the most lavishly gold laden machines ever produced, so I stuck with just gold. I tried my best to get it right, but your monitor may not see colors the same as mine, so if my wall looks tan to you - know you're not seeing the true colors.
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Details: This machine came to me in serious need of some love, so it was a lot of work, but a joy to bring it back to a thing of beauty. I loved the transformation. This machine is missing some pieces, so it won't sew in it's current condition. I believe it would sew well, if those missing pieces could be replaced.
Mechanically:
* There are No cracks, or repairs on the machine.
* Hand crank turns freely, with the original ceramic Handle. (See video above)
* Original Gears are clean, & operate freely.
* Thread Spool Pin is present, & original.
* Feed Dogs feed properly.
* Presser Foot is present, but does not seem original, & is not well secured.
* ABSENT: Needle, Boat Shuttle & Bobbin, Face Plate.
* Wooden Base is original, and I believe it's Walnut. Some minor end cracks, as would be expected, but no through cracks. Surprisingly good condition on the wood, given it's age & condition when I got it.
** I can not attest to the stitch quality, as there are missing pieces.
** For this reason, this machine was Sold As Is.
*** Any item of this age is going to show nicks & dings, as well as some pitting, which can be seen in the photos.
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Measurements (approximate):
* 12" Wide (Includes Hand Crank Knob).
* 6" Deep (Hand Crank Wheel = 6" ).
* 10.5" Tall (at the top of the Needle bars, when up).
* Weight: 14 lbs.
It became obvious once I started tearing it down, that this machine was sold to me with several parts that seem to be replaced from another machine - but not another Agenoria. It's difficult to tell if something is original in pictures, or even in person, when it's rusty & the screws are stuck, etc. Once it gets cleaned up, suddenly you realize the screws are not the right size for the holes, & things are loose, or ill fitting. As you can see I've removed the face plate from this machine. It didn't fit, & the screws were not the right size. The Presser foot, & it's lifting lever were also from a different type of machine, as neither was functional. Once I studied other Agenoria machines online, it was obvious that these are not original parts. Not to mention the face plate is plain, & wraps around the side, which none of the others do.
Many machines have multiple variations on their face plates, over their production runs, but I'm unaware of any Agenoria machines having a flat front face plate, or a wraparound feature. All showed the Goddess Agenoria, & the presser foot is also unlike any of the pics I've seen, even though there is some variability in the online pics for those. The foot on this machine is not well fitted, nor securely attached. It's clearly been jury rigged by someone before me. I cleaned it, ground it down a bit to fit better, & left it, because it looks better than no presser foot.
My listing disclosed the missing pieces, and the fact that this was not functional, due to the missing pieces. It's so gorgeous a machine, though, I think it's worth having just to display. It's not like anyone is using these to sew clothing, at this point. There are lots of more easily sewn on treadle machines in the world, if your goal is to sew clothes without electricity. Singer made a fortune on that idea, & did it quite well. : )
The Agenoria value is in her beauty, rarity, & history, as much as her ability to sew.
Below are examples of 2 original Agenoria face plates, & presser feet, for comparison:
