The Gold Machine

Blackside faceplate

As I was sewing my gold dress last week I kept thinking "Oh I have to write something about my 98k, it could be a series" I am dreaming big for this little blog, I know.

serial number EV 525167

If you are playing at home when you see the red S singer logo like this it means that this machine was manufactured sometime in the 60's and as we discovered last time, the K after the model number means it was manufactured in the Kilbowie factory in Scotland (that's a joke, if anyone reads this post I don't expect you to read up on old posts this is supposed to be fun not educational). This beautiful machine is from 1963 and is not that popular or well known. I have no idea why. It's gold people. And so tiny and cute.  Offically 3/4 sized. She weighs a ton though.  

Only 50,000 of these gold machines where made (later gray machine the 286k was made and these two models are usually lumped together) compare that to the numbers of featherweights made some people say one million some say 2.5 million.  A lot more featherweights around but still these little gold wonders get no love and featherweights are selling for $300-$600.

Featherweights

She has all blackside pieces instead of chrome, one of the reasons I had to have her.  Now everywhere I look online states that Singer made pieces like this between 1941-1953 because of  shortages of nickel and chromium.  My 98k was made a full decade after that which is interesting. 

If anyone who stumbles upon this post knows anything about them please feel free to comment. I know very little. The lovely couple who sold her to me passed along some folk law and rumour about her model but nothing concrete.  The rumour goes that these were made to be used in institutions like schools and prisons. A budget model.  Which is why she is so heavy. The very simple engineering with hardly anything you could pull off and pocket also suggests this.   

Slide plate and bobin cover plate are in one piece

You hook your finger under and remove the whole thing to get at the bobbin

I know of only 2 others both of which were "released" from the factory on the same day. One has all blackside pieces and the other has some blackside and some chrome. I wish I could say I sewed my gold dress on my gold machine but it didn't happen that way. I bought her with a visual that I would sew 60's dresses with full skirts while wearing a 60's dress with a full skirt so I should do that sometime soon.