Who Buys My Machines?

Yesterday I both bought and sold a vintage Singer. It's just a hobby for me, not really much profit to be had (the profits roll right back into the hobby fund.)  In the last five or six years I've sold a couple dozen of them, I guess, and I always sew at least one project on each machine before it goes to its new home.  That is the fun part to me - discovering machines that haven't been used for years, and putting them back into circulation.

I started thinking about who buys these old Singers from me, and why.

I'll start with the obvious: the Featherweights.  I've lost track of how many of these I've sold, but it's not hard to see why.  They are both useful AND collectible.

I've sold beautiful ones,and shabby ones,

and many more in between.  Some are for Show and some are for Sew.  I'll say this, Featherweights sell themselves.  I list, they buy.  With one exception, I've sold all these on eBay.  They are the only machines that are light and compact enough to ship easily.

I've sold most of my Singers through word of mouth or on Craigslist.  I've lost track of them all, but here are some examples:

I've sold a number of 15-91s, including this one.  One of these was bought by a local clothing designer who wanted a sturdy, reliable machine for his studio.  

Singer 15-91

He was a repeat customer, having previously bought this 201 from me.  He loved it so much he wanted another one like it.

Singer 201

These machines have different configurations (vertical/oscillating hook versus horizontal/rotary hook) but they are both fine machines, well suited to garment construction.

One machine that was a little different from my usual line up was a Singer Stylist free-arm machine like this:

Singer Stylist (not the actual one I sold)

I remember this one, especially, because I paid only $5 for it and then I replaced the worn-out nylon gears and reset the hook timing - yes, I did it myself!  Unbelievably, I was not only able to purchase the gear set online for $25, but I found a DIY video showing the exact same model, step-by-step how to do it. (I mainly did this for the experience - just to see if I could.)  It ran perfectly after that and I sold it for a whopping $75. The young man who bought it wanted it specifically to sew a sail. I never heard how it turned out, but I do know that he got a good value compared to the "Bucket-o-Plastic" machine he could afford to buy at WalMart.

Of course I've sold several Slant-o-Matics.  They are in big demand, and many buyers mention that their grandmother sewed on such a machine and now they want one.  One customer does custom home dec sewing like drapery and upholstery, and she specifically wants these machines because they can meet the demand for heavier sewing.  (I'm not implying these are industrial strength machines, by any means, but compared to modern domestic sewing machines they are beasts.)

Singer 503

Singer 403

Along the way, I've also sold scores of accessories and attachments like zigzaggers, buttonholers, hemstitchers, presser feet, bobbins, manuals, and even cabinets.  These are items that usually "come along for the ride" when I buy a machine.  Believe me, there is nothing I love more than opening the drawers of an old sewing cabinet or lifting the lid of a sewing stool.  Treasures to be found!  

Singer Automatic Zigzagger

Singer Automatic Buttonholer

This is all in fun, and as long as I break even it's a sustainable hobby that also helps provide new homes to these great machines that have many more years of good service to give.

UPDATE:  April 2022, five years later...

Gosh, how many sewing machines have I sold?  Maybe a hundred?  I can't even guess.  Just this year, I think I've sold five already.  Don't mean to brag here (okay, well maybe I do - it's my blog, so I can brag!) but I've sold every single machine I ever listed for the price I asked. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

Soon, I'll add a post on tips to sell sewing machines...