22 January, 2008

Singer still in Russia

Via the Craftzine blog link to this site, I give you another aspect of "a few of my favorite things" -- antique sewing machines.
(you have to scroll down the page quite a bit to see the photo of the cake).

Singer opened sewing machine factories all over the world, including one in pre-revolutionary Russia. I have two old Russian sewing machines, made with many of the Singer factory tooled decals, from the factory in Podolsk. I also have a couple of old Singers, and a German one or two, and then had to stop: the "collection" is heavy!

Singer also produced posters to advertise the sewing machines: here is a snap of my Russian poster (under glass, so there is a glare):


For those interested, there is an international society of sewing machine collectors:
ISMACS, and if you have an old Singer sewing machine and want to attempt to "date" it, try here

3 comments:

Pinneguri said...

I should think this collection is heavy weight, yes :) But some men collects cars, not to mention all the men who collects tools of different size and weight, so why should you not? Do they all work?
The poster was beautiful, and I suppose a catch?

Pinneguri said...

By the way, I understand the second word as machines, and the repeat of The Singer Company, but what does the first word on your poster mean?

MaryjoO said...

I think all the machines work, although I have to admit I don't think I'd enjoy using them very much. The two oldest have a "shuttle" bobbin (looks like a metal canoe), and they are not that easy to get in and out of the space. I guess though if that was all you had you'd get used to it. I don't use them, but get them cleaned up every once in a while.

I have one sewing machine that has a Soviet star on it, but at the moment it is on top of a wardrobe and too heavy for me to move around with my recovering broken arm issues. THAT is a unique machine. But many people see my "collection" and say their grandmother's old sewing machine is home ... someplace!

The poster probably isn't available anymore, so I was thrilled to get it. The top word is:
Shveinyia machinyi (sewing machines)(meaning of the Singer company). You can read Russian?
Can you imagine a playing card deck with all of the ladies in national costume -- that would be so fabulous. I understand some of the other national costumed posters are also lovely. I'm quite fond of this girl! Maryjo