Cast Iron
& Steel
Travel & Child Size Toy Sewing Machines
We can help you
sell your antique Toy Sewing Machines!
Below are
a series of pictures that graphically illustrate some of the types and vintage of antique
toy sewing machines
(TSMs) we actively deal in. To get more information and see other
examples of desirable and collectible early patented sewing machines, please visit our sister
website www.patented-antiques.com,
where we conduct
most of our
Internet sewing machine sales.
Many small antique sewing machines were marketed as machines for travel or
mending, while at other times they were sold as children's machines. A few
of these small antique sewing machines utilized a shuttle and made a
lockstitch, but most of these
"child size" antique sewing machines were designed to
make a simple single thread chain stitch.
Marketing these as toy sewing machines in addition to their dubious marketing
as useful sewing devices for the mender, seamstress or traveling user
was a brilliant attempt to sell more. The simple observation of how many have
survived in near mint condition, stored away in the corner of many
closets, is a testament to how infrequently most of them were actually
used.
Marketing at its finest!
Toy Sewing
Machine
Consignment Sales
* * * * * * * * * * * *
We are active dealers of toy
and child-size sewing machines. We are always interested in
helping you sell your sewing machines through
the Consignment Program we offer.
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American
Hand Patented 1868 Sewing Machine
This is a prime example of the
type of antique sewing machine that we
are actively seek.
It resembles a pair of scissors, and you operate it by squeezing the arms
together like you would a scissors, and thus it is referred to as a "sewing shears-style machine".
Another example of this style machine carries the name Goodbody and was
made in Bridgeport, CT. A third one was patented by a fellow named
Hendricks.
Patented
Hancock Sewing Machine
We are seeking small antique sewing machines
with built-in or integral clamps such as the one pictured on the left,
and are active and serious dealers of
this style sewing machine. There are a whole
series of early patented sewing machines commonly referred to as "Hancocks"
after the inventor who was first granted the patent in the 1860's. These
sewing machines were sometimes marketed under other names, such as the
"Household Pet", Lake Patent, and others that were similar in design but have subtle
differences. We know of three or four different variations of these sewing
machines. Other names of "integral clamp" sewing machines machines that
we are looking for have names such as Bartlett, Novelty, Cute,
Beckwith, Boynton, Hook, and others. All of these early patented American
small handcrank sewing machines as well as many others
are sought.
The
Hook Sewing Machine
This wonderful small cast iron sewing machine measures just 4"
tall and was
patented in the early
1860's. It was only manufactured for a very short period of time. It is referred to as the
Hook and is very similar to the Hardie, another patented
sewing machine which is slightly larger.
This machine also has a built-in clamping mechanism and is another example
of a desirable antique sewing machine from the mid 1800's
that we are seeking.
We are always interested in any
early patented antique sewing machines
that date from this era (pre-1870), whether large or small, and would love to discuss
selling your antique sewing machines with you. This particular example
is so small that I doubt it served much of a utilitarian purpose and I
imagine was not all that popular or well received, thus partially explaining its
rarity and desirability today. It has a
very complicated mechanism to drive it, and incorporated a small and very
fragile spring that goes from the top of the machine down
through
the body to activate part of the looper below that. It is clear that this design could never have stood up to
regular use.
Smith &
Egge
Little Comfort Chain Drive Sewing Machine
This is an example of a cast iron child size toy sewing
machine
that dates from near the turn of the 20th century.
We are
interested in many super condition cast iron toy or children's sewing machines from this era These early sewing machines originally sold for about a
dollar or two, and were sold as both toys / child-size machines and as travel / mending machines
through large distributors like Sears or Montgomery Wards.
Basically this was a marketing ploy to sell as many as possible, and I
doubt that many were put to actual use by seamstresses or travelers of the day. They
are often found still in their original boxes. Other similar TSM sewing machines we are actively seeking carry names like
Spenser, Universal, Pony, Triumph, Tourist, F & W Automatic, American
Gem, and more.
Singer
Toy Sewing Machines Singer made a line of toy or
child-size sewing machines starting in the 'teens and continuing through
today. These sewing machines are often mistakenly called
"salesman sample sewing machines". All of the different Singer Model
20 small sewing machines were marketed solely as real sewing machines or
toys for girls, and often given away to help implant the Singer name in
the mind of the future sewing machine buyer or junior seamstress of
tomorrow. The Singer toy machines we are interested in are the
metal-bodied ones produced from the 1900's through the 1950's. In
general, the values for most of these small toy Singer sewing machines
runs from under $100 to close to $500 or more for a few of the rare
variations that have surfaced, with most falling into the lower
part of that range.
The next era for
collectible
toy sewing machines, which generally dates a bit later and spans up into the
1960's or so,
are the toy machines which are usually referred to as "tinnies" or sheet steel
models. There are examples of this style machine from all over the
world, and while some of them were produced in great numbers others were
not and are considered quite rare and desirable.
Please contact us
with any miniature or child-size cast iron or sheet steel sewing machines in great
condition that you may have that are for sale.
We are not interested in buying plastic
or battery operated styles of these toy sewing machines that generally
date from a completely different and later era.
Select Antique Sewing
Machines Wanted
*****Click the
Links Below*****
The above sewing machines are examples of the
caliber, condition and quality of antique sewing machines that we are primarily interested in.
If you have quality antique sewing
machines similar to those that you see
on this page that you want to sell, please contact us at
LCM@AntiqBuyer.com
providing as many details as possible. Thank you!!
To see examples of antique sewing machines that
we have for sale, please go to our sister site
at www.Patented-Antiques.com.and
visit the sewing machine sale pages you will find there.
