Ten dollars. At a yard sale even further up into the mountains than where we live. Where we also made some cool new friends.
Not an electrical part on it anywhere. Completely human-powered. Seems to have all of the important (read: hard to replace) parts; what’s missing or loose can be replaced or adjusted.
Don’t know when it was made, but it has a metal plate with a series of engraved patent dates, the most recent of which is 1886.
Real wood. Real metal. No plastic in sight. In pretty good condition, considering its age. Beautiful.
I’m looking forward to its company on cold winter nights, and am already imagining all of the things I can mend, make or re-make, with its help.
But now, I’m off to harvest and hang to dry catnip, oregano and spearmint, check the chicken coop for eggs, and then help Peter put up fencing. My new treasure will wait. Out here, winter work is different than summer work.
4 Comments
Oooh, pretty! We have my great-grandfather’s tucked away in storage…he was a tailor in NYC back in the day! Have fun (in a few months)!
Miriam — Jul 4th, 2009
very, very, very cool
Victoria — Jul 4th, 2009
I could be wrong, but that looks exactly like the one that I remember playing with at your grandma Myers house when I was a kid. I think she continued to use it into the 60′s.
Daryl — Jul 5th, 2009
Awesome find! And unbelievable price! I’m off to work on a sewing project on my grandmothers treadle-converted-to-electric Singer I inherited many years ago. We’re having a great summer in Oregon so far, looks like you are too!
Mary Jo — Jul 7th, 2009
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