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How to Identify Vintage Sewing Machines

Invented in 1846 by American Elias Howe -- who later went on to found the Howe Machine Co. -- the sewing machine had become indispensable to many homes and businesses since the 1870s. Despite being produced in large numbers, these machines have a build quality that differentiates them from later models, making them easy to identify by following a few simple steps.

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the body of the machine to note the construction. Most vintage examples were made from cast iron set into a wooden base until other materials, such as aluminum, gained ground from the 1930s onwards.
- 2
  Check the machine's case. This was usually made of bentwood -- recognizable by its curved top -- but some early examples have a solid-wood housing.
- 3
  Inspect the decoration. Almost all vintage sewing machines were coated in black lacquer, known as japanning. On early machines, this is relieved with a little gilt decoration, growing more elaborate and colorful on models from the 1890s until, by the 20th century, a utilitarianism design reasserts itself and the machines become relatively plain once more.
- 4
  Search for a maker's mark. While some manufactures such as Singer enjoyed longevity, others came and went over a shorter period. For instance, a sewing machine marked Wheeler and Wilson would have been produced no later than 1907, the year the company closed.

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