Edith Wheeler Wilson is my brand-new old sewing machine! She is the result of my very first Ebay bid, and I just picked her up this morning. Here are some pictures so you can see what a beauty she is!
Edith (herself) Not a particularly good picture, but you can see she's a W-9. This means she was made sometime between 1890 and 1904 or 5.
The coffin top. The machine doesn't swing down inside; it's covered by this "coffin," which locks to keep the children out.
The cabinet. As you can see, part of one drawer is missing, and unfortunately it's the front piece.
The manual. What can I say, I'm lucky the manual still exists after 110 years. I'm not going to quibble that it's in a billion pieces. Besides, I'm a librarian, I'm used to putting things back together again.
The extra treats. These include some attachments, needles, bobbins, and a key to lock all the drawers and the coffin. I'll take pictures of the attachments later when I figure out what they are. But there were also two extra special treats -- a tiny advertising envelope and a tiny book, pictured here with the obligatory quarter for comparison purposes. They are both from Louisville, Kentucky.
I have a lot of work ahead of me. I want to restore her to beauty and functionality, rather than preserve her dusty antique integrity. So everything will have to come apart for a good clean and oiling. Maybe some paint on treadle and legs, and the wood will have to be refinished. Then I will put on a new belt and put her back in use!
