I am looking for any information I can find on a Smith & Wesson sewing machine. My aunt recently sent pictures asking if I could find any info. My efforts have so far failed as I haven't found anything yet. Any information anyone can provide would be most appreciated!!! I have attached a mini album of pictures of her machine

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Cant give you any info but that was cool to see.

Ask Roy Jinks, if anybody knows anything about it or where to find the info it would be the Historian.
Roy, please don't shoot me.
Thom Braxton
SWCA # 1474

What caliber?

Never seen one before and did not know Smith-Wesson made sewing machines.

You might try a Google search and see what you turn up. Surely there will be some information out there.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

I'm sorry, I don't have any info for you but that machine is way cool!

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

One perfect example of why people were in good shape back then.

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Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I'm sure someone here knows about this thing, it's just a matter of time before they find the thread. We all know S&W ventured into all sorts of industries for awhile- plumbing, shaving gear, ammo, etc. I recall someone saying something about dishwashers at one time.

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SWHF #448

There is actually a book called "The Encyclopedia of Early American Sewing Machines". The author is Carter Bays, but I don't know if he's still alive. His web site is still on line, but it doesn't have a lot of information about machines. Here is his email, [email protected].

Good luck.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

On the website nramuseum.org, there is a brief mention of S&W sewing machines among other items being tried after WWI as there were so many imported and surplus weapons available the company was desperate to try anything to stay afloat. This site has a brief but interesting history of the company and the people who made it all happen. As with many other early companies, the history of S&W is full of individuals who went on to become namesakes and legends in the history of firearms in this country.

I dare you to send in for a letter!

That is exceptionally fine and looks to be in great shape. Probably fairly rare too, especially considering that the different feet and other accessories are with the machine.

It does pose an interesting question--is a Smith & Wesson sewing machine as rare and valuable as a Singer pistol?

(I can't believe I was the first one in with that)

MARTHA STEWART called & wants it back.

The horror!

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Oh well, what the hell.

Man, I learn so much here! One of the main reasons I stick around.

That and the silliness.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Yes, Flatus Maximus, the silliness.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

If he went for the silliness it would be Flatulus Maximus...

I figured "flatus" (wind) was as close as I'd better get, to keep from getting another ding.

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Oh well, what the hell.

All I can add, is that I remember these machines in my 'Elementary School' back in the late 1940's and early 1950's. They were run strictly by foot pedal power. Once a week for 1/2 a day, the girls would go to the 'sewing room' and the boys would go to a nearby school which had woodworking. To this day i still have a set of carved bookends and a wagon which i made back then....

My aunt had one,but I believe it was a Singer.

I don't know the brand, but my sister-in-law has her grandmother's treadle sewing machine, and still uses it on occasion; I think just to show off to her grandkids. It's way more heavy duty than her "modern" one. I've helped her move it - it's a two person job unless you don't care about the status of your back muscles afterward. The thing must be solid cast iron.

"CTG"?

I've seen some cool old sewing machines come through auctions, never a S&W. Would have to bid on one of those.

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Chuck M

I still have my mother's Singer 99. I don't use it, but it has a lot of sentimental attachment for me. I think they started making them in about 1905 or so and continued until after WW II, although probably not during WW II. I think it was one of the first things she bought after she got married in 1945.

The early ones were treadle powered, but sometime in the 1920s or 30s they started putting motors on them.

Cast iron, beautifully painted, and durable. They literally don't make them like that any more.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I don't think it is the same one by the pictures. Atlanta, GA do a search for S&W and it comes up.
Not my ad or sewing machine.
Stumbled onto the ad after seeing this post. Just an interesting old piece.

Hi, Are you still interested in getting info about the machine? I know a person who knows a lot about the Smith & Wesson Sewing Machines that I can put you in touch with, if you are still looking. On the other hand, if you found information about the machine, I would appreciate the information that you have.

I don’t have any information on a SW sewing machine but in this part of the country any manually operated sewing machine like a classic Singer is grabbed up by the Amish.

I doubt you'll get an answer since the original poster made that post almost 9 years ago and never logged in again.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

In the days of musical CDs, Rhino records had a 3-pack of CDs, "One Hit Wonders". I guess this Forum does, too.

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S&WHF 366

Probably, but nothing ventured...

We had one back in 1946, that my mother used but it was made by Singer.

Yours machine is a lot older, due to the style of the foot operation system
but that was the "Standard" type table that came with most of them.

Please notice how moch care and workmanship was put into the paint jobs
back in those days.

Nice find.

And some whizbang is gonna pop up here and try to convince us that Singer made handguns! Sheesh!

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Retired trap shooter

Does any one know how top get in touch with Mr. Roy G. Jinks? Does he still participate in the site?

Thanks,

My grandmother had an old pedal powered Singer that we played with as kids. Sure wish one of us had kept it. Same cabinet as the OPs photos. As I recall it was in very nice shape. I wonder why she let us sit there pedaling away not sewing anything ….

When I was growing up, my mother used a foot treadle sewing machine with the name “Kantauk”. She always said that it could do anything but it Kantauk. https://offerup.com/item/detail/291300380

After WWI, many gunmakers started making non-gun items to use un-needed factory capacity, most notably Colt and Winchester, which even went into the hardware chain store business. It nearly drove Winchester into bankruptcy. In Germany Mauser started manufacturing many items such as hand tools, measuring instruments, appliances, adding machines and even automobiles. All those items are now highly collectible.

Apologies for reviving this almost-dead thread, but the S&W Historical Foundation just got a letter from someone looking for information about a Smith & Wesson sewing machine, and I'm scratching my head and realizing that I didn't even know S&W made sewing machines.

Are there any good sources of information out there about these?

Mike

That looks identical to the one my Mother and Grandmother both used as I was growing up. It was a Singer.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244