I have a few toy sewing machines of varying ages in my collection. This Gateway machine was the very first one I purchased. The interesting thing about this machine is I know a descendant of the manufacture. One of the guys that comes hunting here each fall from the Cincinnati area noticed my machine a couple of years ago. He was surprised to say the least as his family manufactured this toy sewing machine in the 1940s and 1950s and he had never seen any outside his immediate family until he saw mine. I think they manufactured 3 different models.
The two outside machines are the same brand KayandEE Sew Master. The one on the left is missing the tension dial. These are both metal machines and the machines were manufactured from 1943 until 1963. The one one on the right is older than the one on the left.
The red one in the center is a JC Penney machine made in the 1960s-1970s and is made of metal and plastic.
The most expensive machines in my collection are these two Singer hand crank toys. I think the tan one on the right was made in the 1950s and the black one near 1948. They are heavy cast metal machines.
The machine pictured above is a Bell Portable Sewing Machine made in Pennsylvania. I don't know what year it was manufactured but it is not a toy even though it is quite small. It comes with a bobbin and sews a regular stitch not a chain stitch like the rest of the toy machines. I have a case and foot pedal, cords and other accessories stored away. The case that looks like a small suit case doubles as a sewing table when using the machine.
The first pink metal and plastic machine is a Crystal battery operated with a foot pedal machine - date unknown. The second one is a McCalls plastic battery operated machine and this is the most modern of my toy machines - it was manufactured in 1992. The red machine on the end is a Sew Rite machine and was made in the 1950s. I have the original box plus a lot of the original fabrics, patterns, etc. that came with the machine.
I have not added to my collection for many years as the prices for all toy machines has gotten higher than I want to pay. I am not ruling out purchasing any more - who knows if the price is right and I like the machine it might just have to come home with me!
Lynn
2 comments:
In my WHOLE life, my Mother never gave me a toy sewing machine ... wahhhhh ... I wanted one so badly 8-((( So now, I have 5 'regular' machines. Is there a connection?
You really have one great collection! Good job, and thanks for the memories of what I never got .... 8-)
What a great collection of toy sewing machines.
I'm with Elaine, I never got a toy sewing machine as a child and so now I'm making up for it and have 6 sewing machines. :-D
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