This is a small, Original 'New England Style' Sewing Machine,

* likely manufactured by Nettleton & Raymond Co (1859 -1861).

( Just as a time reference: ... Lincoln Dies & the Civil War ends in 1865. )

Sold on Ebay in late June, 2020.

The original Ebay Ad:

This is a small, Original 'New England Style' Sewing Machine,

* likely manufactured by Nettleton & Raymond Co (1859 -1861).

Dating: * Others manufactured copycat New England style machines, as well, during the same time period. No records indicate any of those original small New England style machines were produced after 1865.

( Larger, lookalike machines were produced for a while after, as they were able to claim it was an "Improved" machine, by being 2" bigger.)

( Just as a time reference: ... Lincoln Dies & the Civil War ends in 1865. )

An early age can be determined on this machine, because of the unusual walking foot. Note the jagged teeth on the bottom of the presser foot. It travels in a loop, circling up as the needle goes in, then over & down onto the fabric just a smidge closer to the front, as the needle comes back up. As it does so, it pulls the fabric backward for the next stitch.

This was a wonderful piece of engineering, & it worked, but you had to have the timing just right. So when the idea of feed dogs coming up from below the sewing surface occurred, that became the norm for everyone immediately. This walking foot was only made for the first few years, & that's how we can know when it was made (within 2-3 yrs, anyway).

Patent infringements - ie outright theft, of ideas was the norm at that time (These guys were not at all subtle, & once they decided to steal your idea, they tended to steal it all - right down to the last screw, making it hard to know who made these machines.) Most were not marked, so as to avoid being sued over patents (even the earliest Raymond machines were unmarked, until 1861 ), & any differentiation based on paint or decals gets lost after 140 years.

Condition: She is in near perfect condition now. Her gears are perfect, no cracks or chips on any part of the machine.

The original wooden hand crank handle has a small crack, & does not spin as you turn the wheel. Not sure if it ever did, but the handle can not be easily removed. I wasn't willing to risk breaking it, so it remains, as you can see in picture 10, which is well lit & magnified. It's barely visible to my eyes, & you don't feel it when you crank the wheel. (It's been cleaned, sanded, & clear-coated, so no risk of slivers, & it feels smooth.)

This machine was in pretty rough shape when I got it. She was frozen, with significant rust, & all her decorations were gone. She was missing her looper, which was no small task to replicate. Fortunately, I had a second machine on hand, & was able to match the missing piece perfectly.

The Thread spool screw was pretty beat up, so I had to carefully re-tap the nut & screw, to allow the tension to tighten properly. It's still not perfect, so go easy, but it will hold a spool now, & with the spring I added, the tension can be better adjusted.

As usual, I refurbished it completely. (ie, Clean, De-rust, Sand smooth, Paint, Polish bare metal, Decorate, Spray protection for the decorations, then Polish with a high end Car wax).

Stitches: She turns well, & the looper catches every stitch. Unfortunately, the tension does not seem to be right, because the loops remain too long, & the looper quickly becomes entangled. I'm no mechanic, & I can't make it stitch right for more than a few stitches. I think the timing is right, so it has to be the Tension, the Fabric, or the Needle, as these old machines are often 1 of a kind, & modern needles do not work. I inserted a brand new Wilcox & Gibbs needle. It fits well, & all stitches are caught, so I think it is the tension, or my fabric. Modern fabrics are a lot different than 1800's fabrics, & these old machines were made to handle those fabrics, not modern, paper thin fabrics. (I folded up my thin cotton fabric to 6 layers, & it worked better.)

* No cracks or repairs in the machine

* All Gears turn easily. Needle travels as intended, & the Walking Foot feeds.

* She has a new Looper & a new Needle (which may or may not be the right one).

* Very Easy operation with no fabric, but Stitching is hit & miss. (I'm no mechanic, & it could be the needle, thread, or fabric. These old machines can be fussy about all 3.)

* Colors: In case your monitor shows colors badly (as mine does), the paint is black, with gold decals, & the colored parts are hand painted. I used a couple shades of Pink, & Purple for the flowers, & a few shades of green for the leaves.

*** Any item of this age is going to show nicks & dings, as well as some pitting, which can be seen in the photos.

Measurements (approximate):

* 8.5" Wide (Plus 2" for the hand crank knob).

* 5" Deep (Wheel is widest part)

* 6" Tall Machine (Plus 2.5" more for Needle bar & Thread spool at maximum height).

* Hand crank wheel is 5" across.

I think this one is gorgeous, & I love the purple Clematis Vine on the sides.

I hope you feel the same, & Good luck bidding. : )

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PS This item will be well packaged, & shipped ASAP, once payment is made, usually within 24 hours.

** I request that you open, & take note of any damages within 3 days of receipt, or let me know if you are unable to do so.

Buyers want their items delivered quickly, & Sellers would like to know you got it OK, just as quickly.

I'm just a person, like you, so please don't leave me hangin... Thanks. : )