Singer 191U Parlor Treadle

Some years ago, I came across an electric Singer marked 191U. it was in a very cheap wood/paper case, unlikely to be original, but was in good shape and was obviously something I had not seen before... a Class 15 machine made on the same case casting design as the post-1954 Singer 201 alumininums. I did what research I could at the time and discovered that it was made in Utsonomiay, Japan, and that the serial number designation "TA" had been first used in 1956. The machine was the light brown that Singer used in the 1950's. I bought it, used it and liked it (I like all Class 15's). I even hunted down a brown hand crank for it and had a Singer spoked wheel painted to match. (Note: I was told that the same machine was also made in the Brazilian factory, but I have never been able to verify this.)

This past weekend, I was given a heads up that there was a 191U in a liquidation store in Everett, WA. I had to go to Duvall, WA to do a treadle demo, so I had Ann drop me off in Duvall to do the demo, then go on to Everett to track down the store and see if the machine was anything. She found the store and bought the machine, which, much to my surprise and joy, was not an electric, but a fully original parlor treadle.

 

 

cabinet is more or less art deco... very well made, not particle

 

 

 

 

worst problem on the unit... top needs attention

 

 

here it is fully open. This is the first time I've seen, let alone obtained, a treadle cabinet with a stool designed to fit inside.

Here's the inside in a close-up. The treadle parts are all cast iron, not the pressed steel that was often used in the US and British plants at that time, nor the wood that was used in one Model 99 treadle I had for awhile.

 

 

Here's the head. Note that it has reverse and a feed dog drop control on the plate, as was common with Japanese machines

 

Another problem... the back plate is missing. I need to find one.

 

i love reconstructing the history of a machine when I can. This machines was purchased in Japan by a Japanese US Army wife... Mrs. Yoko Smith shipped the machine back to Seattle from a Navy APO post office in April of 1981. She insured it for $25.

 

 

The machine came with a large number of bobbins, buttons and zippers. Yoko Smith sewed her clothes. Some of the button and needle packages were purchases while she was in Japan.

 

 

Thi is the back plate that is missing from this machine. I think several other machines used it as well... if anyone has a parts machine with this plate left and would part with it, please let me know.

There you have the story and pictures of my latest find.

Captain Dick