The sewing machine presented in the museum’s collection is made of metal using wood and cast iron. It is built into a wooden table top with a hinged lid. The table top stands on a cast-iron frame. Its sides are openwork and connected to each other by a crossbar with the “SINGER” cast inscription.
The platform still has the individual product number, i.e. F-6.206.445. It says that this model of sewing machine was produced in the Scottish city of Clydebank in 1915. In the lower part of the stand, there is a foot drive in the form of a grid.
The product is decorated with a golden pattern with the image of the Sphinx and Masonic signs. The “Sphinx” or “Memphis” patterns are one of the most common for sewing machines. It was depicted on sewing machines of other companies with different variations. At that time, the fashion was dictated by the art nouveau style, which was distinguished by increased decorativeness. Therefore, manufacturers tried to decorate even the most ordinary items as much as possible. It is said that a whole series of sewing machines with the image of the Sphinx and Masonic signs indicates that Isaac Singer was among the secret Masonic society.
Isaac Singer is a legendary figure. For most of his life, the future American industrialist was an unremarkable man. The turning point in his life was 1850 when he moved to New York. There he met the aspiring inventor Orson Phelps. This meeting was a real gift for Singer, because it was Phelps who showed his new friend the original model of a sewing machine for home use. Singer decided to improve this design at all costs. Thus, in ten days, he came up with several important innovations. He positioned the looper horizontally so that the thread stopped getting tangled. He proposed a table-board for fabric and a needle leg-holder, which made it possible to make the seam continuous. In addition, he provided the sewing machine with a foot pedal for driving. Now the sewer can work with the fabric with both hands.
The foot sewing machine has not so many functions and lines to use it in special ateliers. But for working at home, it was the best option. The craftswoman working with a foot drive could use free hands, which allowed to speed up the sewing process and improve the quality of the product.
The platform still has the individual product number, i.e. F-6.206.445. It says that this model of sewing machine was produced in the Scottish city of Clydebank in 1915. In the lower part of the stand, there is a foot drive in the form of a grid.
The product is decorated with a golden pattern with the image of the Sphinx and Masonic signs. The “Sphinx” or “Memphis” patterns are one of the most common for sewing machines. It was depicted on sewing machines of other companies with different variations. At that time, the fashion was dictated by the art nouveau style, which was distinguished by increased decorativeness. Therefore, manufacturers tried to decorate even the most ordinary items as much as possible. It is said that a whole series of sewing machines with the image of the Sphinx and Masonic signs indicates that Isaac Singer was among the secret Masonic society.
Isaac Singer is a legendary figure. For most of his life, the future American industrialist was an unremarkable man. The turning point in his life was 1850 when he moved to New York. There he met the aspiring inventor Orson Phelps. This meeting was a real gift for Singer, because it was Phelps who showed his new friend the original model of a sewing machine for home use. Singer decided to improve this design at all costs. Thus, in ten days, he came up with several important innovations. He positioned the looper horizontally so that the thread stopped getting tangled. He proposed a table-board for fabric and a needle leg-holder, which made it possible to make the seam continuous. In addition, he provided the sewing machine with a foot pedal for driving. Now the sewer can work with the fabric with both hands.
The foot sewing machine has not so many functions and lines to use it in special ateliers. But for working at home, it was the best option. The craftswoman working with a foot drive could use free hands, which allowed to speed up the sewing process and improve the quality of the product.
