This past week I contacted a local vintage repairman to ask about info on that German treadle.  Although he had none, he did unfortunately have a machine he wanted to sell.  An absolutely stunning 1950 Singer 99.  These machines were a workhorse.    This model started back in 1911 because people wanted lighter, more portable machines.    Can you imagine buying this beauty for likely around $10-15.  They sold in 1911 for around $6 because people wanted more options of having a machine that didn’t need to be in a table to use.

They are called 3/4 machines because they are 3/4 the size of the original Singers.  Many still used the shuttle bobbins but luckily the one he offered was a 1950 model.  While it still had the nice wooden base, it also uses regular bobbins.    I still have to learn to wind, load and use those shuttle types of bobbins.

Once Singer stopped making the Brentwood wooden lids they changed to a mock croc finish that looked more like the modern day covers.  That cover came with the 1950’s.  Eventually they changed to plastic bases and plastic lids.  Obviously those will never last as long as the older ones.   I hate the look of plastic machine bases.   Just looks so cheap.

I added another picture here of the 1923 Singer model 128 Sue gave me so you can see the difference in decals.  I know there are so many different models but both the 123 and the 99 were classified as 3/4 size machines.   I will have to see which others are classified as 3/4 machines.  It amazed me how nice the 1950 looked but even more so how well that 1923 was preserved.  Both are just stunning machines.   And they are mine.  Well, soon as I pick up that 99.  Then it will be on the shelf right under the 128.