Old Sewing Machines

UPDATED: I was so wrong! See below.

Aren't these antique hand crank sewing machines beautiful?! There are a number of treadle sewing machines on the page also.

Two years ago I saw this old sewing machine outside a store in Silver Dollar City. (a theme park south of Branson, Missouri)

They have a lot of old rusty farm and household items just sitting around. It's supposed to be part of the charm of the place. Of course I had seen pictures of these before but this was the first (and so far only) one I've ever seen up close and in person. It made me sad (and actually a little shocked) that someone had just neglected it and left it to rust.

Ever since I saw that I have wished I had one of my own. I'm not going to buy one of the restored ones. It seems too self-indulgent. It's an expensive item that I don't need and I don't even have anywhere to keep and display it. But if I ever saw one un-restored but still somewhat functional for a good price I probably would not be able to resist the temptation.

UPDATE: This is NOT a hand crank machine. It's a Willcox & Gibbs electric machine. Actually a very, very interesting sewing machine. It uses only one thread, no bobbin. I so much want to try using one.

UPDATE II: Or I could still be wrong. Or even more wrong. Or I could have been right in the first place. Here is another page about Willcox & Gibbs sewing machines with more about the machines themselves and more pictures. There was a hand crank model that looked a lot like the electric model, just without the motor. There were also a number of clones so it might not be a Willcox & Gibbs machine at all. Anyway, I am increasingly fascinated with these machines.