Sewing Machines, The Fascinating New Twist To Collecting! The Marvels Of Singer Sewing Machines

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH SEWING MACHINES, THEN AND NOW - IT'S FASCINATING HOW THIS COLLECTING THING MANIFESTS OVER TIME

SUZANNE'S DANCE WITH VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES IS, WELL, A TANGO?

     THIS REVELATION, COMES FROM A RUGGED OLD CHAP, WHO ONCE, BOLDLY, AND PROUDLY, COLLECTED "MUNSTERS" CHEWING GUM CARDS, HOCKEY AND BASEBALL TRADING CARDS, COCA COLA BOTTLE CAP 'HOCKEY STARS,' HOSTESS POTATO CHIP PLASTIC AIRCRAFT, LUCKY ELEPHANT, AND CRACKERJACK PRIZES, AND A MODEST COLLECTION OF ARCHIE COMIC BOOKS. YEA, I'M A COLLECTOR'S ROLE MODEL OF WHAT NOT TO DO. IN LATER YEARS, MOST OF WHAT I HAVE COLLECTED HAS BEEN SOMEHOW RELATED TO HISTORY, EVEN MORE SO THAN ANTIQUES, WHICH ADMITTEDLY ARE MY PASSION. WORKING AS A REGIONAL HISTORIAN, I'VE COLLECTED WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND WHAT I CAN USE AS A RESOURCE, CLOSE AT HAND, WITHOUT HAVING TO VISIT A COMMUNITY ARCHIVES. I'D RATHER OWN MY OWN RESOURCE MATERIAL, MEANING THAT I'VE INVESTED MY COLLECTING 'MAD' MONEY, IN LATER YEARS, TO BUILD UP EVERYTHING I CAN FIND, THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA. I HAD SOMEONE COME UP TO ME, A FEW YEARS BACK, AND BASICALLY ORDER ME TO DONATE THE MATERIAL I POSSESS TO A PROPER ARCHIVES, SO IT CAN BE PROPERLY CONSERVED. "I KNOW HOW TO LOOK AFTER ARCHIVES MATERIALS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH; AND BY THE WAY, I PAID FOR THIS COLLECTION, SO IT STAYS WITH OUR FAMILY." EVERY FEW MONTHS, SOMEONE WILL COME INTO THE SHOP, WHERE I HAVE MUCH OF THIS MATERIAL CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY, AND MORE OR LESS, INFORM US, THAT WE SHOULD PASS IT ALONG, WITH GODSPEED, TO ONE OF OUR AREA MUSEUMS, SO IT CAN BE CONSERVED, FILED AWAY, AND, OH, DID I FORGET, MODESTLY APPRECIATED. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS AND HOTEL RELICS, THAT HAVE CAUSED A STIR, BECAUSE THEY ARE, FIRST OF ALL, VERY RARE, AND UNFORTUNATELY (IN THEIR OPINION) IN PRIVATE HANDS. IT'S WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT MUSEUMS, AND BY THE WAY, I'VE WORKED INTIMATELY CLOSE WITH TWO REGIONAL HERITAGE SITES, AND AS AN APPRAISER FOR THE THIRD. THERE ARE SOME BIG JAM-UPS, BETWEEN COLLECTORS AND MUSEUM-FOLK, SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT I'M SOMEWHERE IN THAT GROUPING. BUT I DIGRESS.
     I'M WRITING THIS COLUMN ABOUT MY PARTNER, SUZANNE'S LIFE-LONG AFFECTION FOR SEWING, AND SEWING MACHINES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE LARGEST SELECTION OF VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES, OF ALL OUR COMPETITOR ANTIQUE DEALERS, BUT I'M WILLING TO SAY, INSIDE A YEAR, WE WILL, AT OUR RATE OF ACQUISITION, HAVE MORE THAN A HUNDRED FOR SALE OR DISPLAY (SOME SUZANNE WORKS ON DAILY) IN OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP. WE ALWAYS HAVE OVERLAPPING WORK ON COLLECTIONS-IN-PROGRESS; AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON OUR COOKBOOK ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY, WHICH GROWS EVERY MONTH. BUT WE ARE VERY SELECTIVE THESE DAYS, AND WHAT THE CUSTOMERS DESIRE THE MOST, IN VINTAGE, AND OUT OF PRINT COOKBOOKS. NOW, IT'S SEWING MACHINES, AND IT'S REALLY BECOME ALL CONSUMING. WE'RE NOT JUST COLLECTING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE CRAZY, RIGHT? BEEN THERE, DONE THAT! SO WE HAVE TO SELL SOME, IN ORDER TO KEEP BUYING OTHERS WE FIND, OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT. WHEN A VISITING COLLECTOR, TRIED TO ENGAGE ME THE OTHER DAY, ABOUT WHAT I COLLECT PERSONALLY, I DID HOLD BACK ADMITTING TO THE SEWING MACHINE-AFFECTION. I DON'T KNOW WHY, ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RIDICULE ANTICIPATED. HOW CAN A GUY, WHO HAS HAD HIS NOSE BROKEN THREE TIMES, AS A GOALIE, ADMIT TO BEING A BIG FAN OF SEWING MACHINES? I USED TO GET TAUNTED FOR COLLECTING "MUNSTER" CARDS AND "ARCHIE" COMICS, SO THINK ABOUT IT! I KNOW IT SHOULDN'T COME DOWN TO THIS MUSTY, SHOULD BE RETIRED, SEXIST STEREO-TYPE, OF HAVING TO LIVE BY THE STANDARD OF "MANLY-MEN, DOING MANLY-THINGS, IN A MANLY-WAY," SITUATION, BUT I CAN'T HELP IT. IT IS THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP. MY FATHER WAS A MALE CHAUVINIST, AND A MAJORITY OF THE COACHES I HAD IN SPORTS WERE PRETTY RIGID IN THIS AREA. I PLAYED HOCKEY, FOOTBALL, AND BASEBALL, WITH THE "EAT 'EM RAW," POINT OF VIEW, AND EVEN TODAY, IF I SAT DOWN WITH MY OLD TEAM-MATES, AND THE SUBJECT CAME UP, I'D STILL FIND MYSELF SHY, FROM ADMITTING, I HAVE COME TO SHARE MY WIFE'S HOBBY OF COLLECTING VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES. SEXIST? STUPID? ABSOLUTELY. I'M ASHAMED OF MYSELF FOR THIS INABILITY TO SOAP BOX MY CONFESSIONAL, SO LIKE A WRITER OPTS, WHEN WISHING TO AVOID EYE CONTACT WITH AN ADVERSARY, I DECIDED TO PEN SOMETHING OF AN EXPLANATION, AS TO HOW IT ALL BEGAN. MAYBE THIS WILL CHIP-DOWN, INTO CRUMBS, THE STEREO-TYPE FACADE I'D RATHER NOT LIVE WITH. SO HERE GOES!  
     I'VE STUDIED COLLECTOR COLLEAGUES, AND EVEN WRITTEN A BIOGRAPHY ABOUT ONE. I'VE EVEN TRIED TO JAM MYSELF UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, AND TALK ABOUT A TIGHT FIT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAS LED ME TO LIVE THE LIFE OF A COLLECTOR. WHAT MINDSET HAS CAUSED ALL THIS COLLECTING PASSION, FOR ALL THESE YEARS? WHERE THE HECK DID IT COME FROM? THE CORE OF IT ALL, IS WHAT I CAN'T REALLY BREAK DOWN SMALLER THAN IT IS, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH A LUMP OF QUESTIONABLE CONTENT AND TEXTURES. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT, MY FAMILY LIVED PAY CHEQUE TO PAY CHEQUE, AND SOMETIMES, THOSE PAYMENTS CAME IN A GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ENVELOPE, WHEN EITHER MY FATHER OR MOTHER, HAD BEEN FORCED BY UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCE, TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. THE FEDS HELPED US THROUGH A FEW TIGHT CHRISTMAS SEASONS, AND I KNOW FOR FACT, BECAUSE I FREQUENTLY HEARD THEIR OPINIONS ON THE MATTER, BEING ON UNEMPLOYMENT WAS A HUGELY UNHAPPY SITUATION. MERLE AND ED LIKE TO WORK. THEY WERE FROM A FAMILY OF HARD WORKERS, WHO SURVIVED THE GREAT DEPRESSION, HAVING LOW PAYING BUG RELIABLE JOBS AND BUSINESSES. THEY BOTH FOUND IT SOCIALLY MORE IMPORTANT, TO WORK DAILY, I THINK, THAN EVER WORRYING TOO MUCH, ABOUT THE RATE OF RETURN FOR THEIR SERVICES. WHEN THEY WERE GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PAYMENTS, THEY DIDN'T SIT AROUND OUR ALICE STREET APARTMENT, WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING. THEY HUSTLED OUT AND AROUND, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THEM TURNING JOBS DOWN, EVEN ONES THAT WERE PART TIME OCCASIONAL. MY FATHER, WHO WAS AN EXPERT IN THE LUMBER TRADE, WORKED AS A BARTENDER AT THE FORMER HOLIDAY HOUSE, TO MAKE ENDS MEET, BETWEEN JOBS, AND MY MOTHER WORKED IN THE TINY VARIETY STORE, UP ON BRACEBRIDGE'S TORONTO STREET, OWNED BY FRED AND MARY BAMFORD. SHE CERTAINLY DIDN'T GET PAID VERY MUCH, BUT THE BAMFORDS WERE SWELL PEOPLE, AND THE LITTLE SHOP WAS LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM OUR APARTMENT ON ALICE STREET. I SPENT MY ALLOWANCE AT BAMFORDS ON MOST WEEKS, BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCH NEAT INVENTORY. FROM BASEBALL GLOVES AND HOCKEY STICKS TO HAMMERS AND NAILS, AS WELL AS ICE CREAM AND LUCKY ELEPHANT POPCORN. IT WAS AN ECLECTIC COLLECTION OF THIS AND THAT, WHICH MADE COLLECTORS CRAZY, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL NOSTALGIC AND OUTDATED INVENTORY BY CIRCUMSTANCE. THEY USED TO BUY CHEAP, OLDER INVENTORY, FOR MUCH OF THEIR STORE, EXCEPT IN GROCERIES, FRESH AND FROZEN, PLUS CANNED GOODS.
     AS I'VE NOTED PREVIOUSLY, IN THESE BLOGS, I KNEW WE WERE OF THE POORER CLASS, BUT IT ONLY EVER BECAME AN ISSUE, WHEN SOMEONE AT SCHOOL WOULD KID ME ABOUT MY THREAD-BARE CLOTHING, BROKEN-DOWN SHOES, OR A COAT THAT WAS HANDED DOWN BY A NEIGHBOR TO MY MOTHER; THAT YES, HAD BEEN WORN BY ONE OF MY CONTEMPORARIES, THAT I USED TO PLAY WITH REGULARLY. FUNNY THING THOUGH, BECAUSE, SIMPLY STATED, ALL THE KIDS I HUNG AROUND WITH, UP ON HUNT'S HILL, IN THE TORONTO STREET NEIGHBORHOOD, COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS ABOUT THE WORKING CLASS STATUS OF THEIR FAMILIES, OR THE REALITY, THEY LIVED IN MODEST ACOMMODATIONS; HOUSES WITHOUT ITALIAN FOUNTAINS IN THE FRONT YARD AND GRECIAN PILLARS AND MARBLE STATUES ON THE FRONT LAWN. WE WERE A PINK FLAMINGO NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I NEVER HEARD ANY ONE COMPLAIN. BUT THE POINT FOR NOTING THIS, YOU SEE, IS THAT I KNEW TO KEEP MY DEMANDS FOR MONEY LOW, IF AT ALL. I MADE MONEY DOING ODD JOBS AND RETURNING POP BOTTLES FOR THE DEPOSIT MONEY. I WAS GOOD AT THIS, BUT I WASN'T WITHOUT RESOURCES. I JUST DIDN'T BURDEN MY PARENTS WITH LONG LISTS AT CHRISTMAS, OR FOR MY BIRTHDAY. WE WERE GOOD BEING OF LOW INCOME, AND WE NEVER WENT HUNGRY.
     EVEN WHEN WE LIVED IN THE NAGY APARTMENT, UP ON HARRIS CRESCENT, IN BURLINGTON, I WAS A COLLECTOR OF FOUND OBJECTS D'ART, AND AT THAT POINT I WAS TOO YOUNG ANYWAY, TO APPRECIATE WHAT IT MEANT TO BE BROKE. WE ALWAYS HAD MONEY FOR FOOD, AND ANN NAGY, MY DAY-MOTHER, ALWAYS MADE SURE I WAS TOPPED-UP WITH THE WONDERFUL FOOD SHE ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE PREPARING, IN HER TINY BASEMENT APARTMENT. SHE OWNED THE APARTMENT BUILDING, BUT SHE WAS NEVER PRETENTIOUS ABOUT IT; BUT ALWAYS PRACTICAL AND RESOURCEFUL. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LIFE FROM ANN AND ALEX NAGY, WHO LOOKED AFTER ME WHEN MY PARENTS WERE WORKING IN HAMILTON AND TORONTO, AND COMMUTING TWICE DAILY BACK AND FORTH TO BURLINGTON. ANN ALLOWED ME TO WATCH HER WORK IN THE KITCHEN, AND ALEX LET ME FOLLOW HIM WHILE HE WAS DOING YARD WORK AND FIXING THINGS AROUND THE APARTMENT BLOCK. I LEARNED THAT MR. NAGY WAS A NO-FOOLING-AROUND KIND OF GUY, WHEN HE PUT IODINE ON A CUT I GOT ON MY LEG, FROM A BICYCLE MISHAP, AND HE HELD ME SO I WOULDN'T RUN OFF SCREAMING DOWN THE STREET. I THINK THE NEIGHBORS THOUGHT HE WAS TRYING TO HURT ME, WHEN INSTEAD, HE WAS TRYING TO STOP THE INFECTION BEFORE IT COULD GET HOLD. ANN'S REWARD FOR MY PATIENCE IN THE KITCHEN, WAS THE SINGLE SPIRAL OF APPLE PEEL SHE COULD CREATE WITH A KNIFE, AND MANUAL DEXTERITY OF HAND, AND IT WAS ALWAYS FROM SUCH BEAUTIFUL, FRESH APPLES. I'D GET A SLICE OF THE PIE AT LUNCH, OR ON OCCASIONS THAT I STAYED FOR DINNER, WHEN MERLE AND ED WERE GOING TO BE LATE.
     I GREW UP LIVING IN APARTMENTS. I OFTEN HAD A LOT OF FREE TIME TO CONTEMPLATE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON, IN THE APARTMENTS AROUND US, ABOVE AND BELOW. I HEARD THINGS. I SAW STUFF HAPPEN. AND SOME OF IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY. LIKE THE TIME I SAW ONE OF OUR APARTMENT NEIGHBORS, UP ON BRACEBRIDGE'S ALICE STREET, TRY TO SKI DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS, AFTER A HALF CASE OF BEER. NOW THAT HURT. IT TOOK THREE OTHER NEIGHBORS TO FREE HIM, FROM THE SKI BINDINGS, AND HIS AWKWARD, HEADS-DOWN POSITION ON THE LANDING. BUT THERE WERE MANY MORE OCCASIONS, WHEN I SATISFIED MYSELF, TRYING TO IDENTIFY SOUNDS COMING FROM VARIOUS APARTMENTS. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY BROTHERS OR SISTERS, AND THERE WEREN'T MANY KIDS MY OWN AGE IN EITHER APARTMENT, BURLINGTON OR IN BRACEBRIDGE. SO I'D SIT OUT ON THE STAIRCASE, WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO, AND THE WEATHER WAS RAINY OR SHOWING THE WRATH OF WINTER, AND LISTEN FOR THOSE INTIMATE APARTMENT SOUNDS, THAT COULD HAVE INCLUDED ARGUMENTS AND COUNTERPOINTS LIKE, "HONEY, I WILL NEVER DRINK THAT MUCH EVER AGAIN!" I HEARD A LOT OF THAT, AND IT WAS A MIX BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES, MAKING THESE PROCLAMATIONS ABOUT OVER INDULGENCES.
     AS STRANGE AS IT ALL OCCURRED, I WAS BECOMING, AS A CHILD PRODIGY I SUPPOSE, A MASTER OF IDENTIFICATION, WHEN IT CAME TO SOUNDS EMANATING FROM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. SOMETIMES THE DOORS WOULD BE OPEN, AND I WAS NOT ADVERSE TO PEEKING INSIDE, UNTIL I'D GET CAUGHT AND TOLD, "WHAT DO YOU WANT TEDDY." I HATED BEING CALLED "TEDDY," SO THAT REPELLED ME RIGHT THERE AND THEN. IT WAS THE WAY TO GET RID OF ME, THAT'S FOR SURE. MY MOTHER, MERLE, HILDA WEBER, OWNER OF THE ALICE STREET APARTMENTS, AND ANN NAGY, ALWAYS CALLED ME "TEDDY" WHEN I WAS IN CRAP, WHICH WAS USUALLY TWICE DAILY. BUT SUZANNE, THANK GOODNESS, REFRAINS FROM THIS PRACTICE. SHE JUST REFERS, IN THESE CASES OF SUDDEN CHAGRIN, TO CALLING ME, "HEY YOU OLD FART," OR "WHY YOU!" POINT IS, I WAS BOTH A VOYEUR, (BUT NOT PEEPING TOM) IN OUR APARTMENTS, AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GENERALLY. SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH COLLECTING, AND HAVING AN INTEREST IN THINGS LIKE SEWING MACHINES?
     IN BOTH BUILDINGS, THERE WERE SEWERS LIVING ON THE THREE FLOORS OF APARTMENTS. AT AN EARLY AGE, I BECAME FASCINATED BY THE WILD LOOKING CONTRAPTION, THAT WITH SOME INTERNAL ALCHEMY, AND WILDLY INTERCONNECTING MECHANISMS, GEARS AND LEVERS, RIGHT OUT OF THE STORIES PENNED BY JULES VERNE, THAT COULD SEW UP SEAMS IN MY PANTS, OR THE JACKET I RIPPED IN A SCHOOLYARD GAME OF BRITISH BULLDOG. I EVEN GOT TO WATCH SOME OF THE OPERATORS OF THESE MACHINES, WHEN THE DOORS OF THEIR APARTMENT WERE LEFT OPEN, AND THEY DIDN'T MIND SHARING THEIR CRAFT WITH THE PESKY, CURLY HAIRED CURRIE KID FROM DOWN THE HALL. I HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GET CLOSE TO THESE MACHINES, AND WATCH HOW THEY WERE MANIPULATED BY THE AGILE HANDS OF THOSE USING THEM; WHICH WAS QUITE INTRIGUING TO STUDY UP CLOSE, WITHIN A NOSE-LENGTH, OF BEING SEWN MYSELF, TRYING TO DISCERN HOW ALL THE COMPONENTS WORKED TOGETHER, VIA THE HUMAN TOUCH, OF HAND DEXTERITY, WITH FOOT ON THE PEDAL, TO GET THE JUICE FLOWING. MOST OF ALL, I BECAME QUITE ALLURED BY THE LIGHTS AND SOUND OF A RUNNING SEWING MACHINE. IN MY EARLY YEARS OF SEWING MACHINE VOYEURISM, (IT'S NOT A CRIME YOU KNOW) ALL I EVER SAW IN ACTION WERE VINTAGE BLACK, NICELY DECORATED IN GOLD LETTERING, "SINGER" UNITS, BECAUSE THIS WAS PART OF THE FASCINATION. I'M NOT ON THE SINGER SEWING MACHINE PAYROLL, FOR WRITING ABOUT THIS, BUT FOR MY FIRST TWENTY YEARS, AND A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THOSE WIZARDS OF MECHANICAL, ELECTRIFIED SEWING, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE OTHER MANUFACTURES OF MACHINES. I JUST ASSUMED SINGER HAD, AS THEY SAY, "SEWN" UP THE MARKET. NOW, I WASN'T A NAIVE TWENTY YEAR OLD. EVEN BY MY LATE TEENS, I WAS ALREADY BUYING AND SELLING ANTIQUES, AND I KNEW THERE WERE OTHER SEWING MACHINE MANUFACTURERS, BUT NOT FROM NORTH AMERICA. OF COURSE I WAS NAIVE, AND AS I WASN'T PLANNING ON TAKING UP SEWING, OR NEEDING THE SERVICE OF SUCH MACHINES, I JUST KEPT IT ALL IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, IN CASE ANY CAME UP FOR SALE DURING THE LOCAL AUCTIONS I USED TO ATTEND REGULARLY. ALL MY GIRLFRIENDS BACK THEN, NOT ONLY COULDN'T SEW BY HAND, THEY HAD NO USE FOR EITHER MANUAL, TREADLE SEWING MACHINES, OR ELECTRICS. THEIR RESPECTIVE MOTHERS, AUNTS AND GRANDMOTHERS COULD SEW, BUT THE YOUNGER GENERATION DIDN'T HAVE ANY REAL INCENTIVE TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THEIR ELDERS. IF THEY NEEDED SEWING DONE, LIKE ME, THEY ASKED THEIR MOTHERS TO LOOK AFTER THE DOMESTIC CHORES, OR FROM ANYONE ELSE WHO OFFERED SEWING AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE; AS MY GAL PALS AND I, WERE TOO BUSY LIVING UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE MODERNIST ILK. THIS WAS IN THE 1970'S, AND EARLY 1980'S. EVEN BY OUR TWENTIES, MOST OF US COULDN'T COOK, LET ALONE SEW.
     IN MY EARLY YEARS OF BUYING AND SELLING ANTIQUES, I HAD AT LEAST THREE TREADLE SEWING MACHINES, IN OUR BRACEBRIDGE STOREFRONT, THEN KNOWN AS OLD MILL ANTIQUES, ALL MADE BY THE SINGER COMPANY, MORE THAN A LEGEND IN THEIR OWN TIME; BUT NONE OF MY SIGNIFICANT OTHERS EVEN KNEW HOW TO THREAD A NEEDLE. THEY KNEW HOW TO WORK THE TREADLE BUT THAT'S WHERE THE FASCINATION FOR THEM ENDED. SO I WOULD JUST BUY AND SELL, BUT MARVEL WHILE I HAD THEM, ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THEY HAD BEEN TO THE EARLY HOUSEHOLDS, WHERE CLOTHING HAD TO BE MADE, AND REPAIRS WEREN'T SENT OUT TO THE LOCAL TAILOR OR SEAMSTRESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THE HOUSEHOLD BUDGET FOR SUCH LUXURIES. I WAS ALSO A LITTLE SCARED OF PUTTING A NEEDLE THROUGH MY THUMB, AS I HAD BEEN TOLD FREQUENTLY HAPPENED, IN SUCH DOMESTIC SCIENCES, JUST LIKE THE RISK TO CARPENTERS, OF SAWING OFF FINGERS WHILE CUTTING BOARDS. ALL THE TREADLE MACHINES I HAVE EVER SOLD, IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE AROUND TWO DOZEN, HAVE ALL BEEN PURCHASED AS VINTAGE DECORATIONS, IN CONTEMPORARY HOME AND CONDO DECORATING SCHEMES. ONLY ONE, I BELIEVE, WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO THE HOME OF A SEWING MACHINE COLLECTOR, WHO DID PLAN ON USING THE UNIT, BUT EVEN THEN, I WAS SUSPICIOUS IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE A GLORIFIED FERN STAND BELOW A BIG WINDOW.
     WHEN SUZANNE AND I GOT TOGETHER, AND WED AS ANTIQUE DEALER AND ANTIQUE COLLECTOR, I ALSO BY ASSOCIATION, MARRIED INTO THE SOCIAL / CULTURAL PANORAMA OF THE KNITTER, SEWER, BAKER, CULINARY ARTIST, HOMEMAKER, WHO BELIEVED RECREATION HAD TO INVOLVE MAKING SOMETHING OR OTHER, IN ORDER TO BE A HEARTFELT SATISFACTION. SHE WAS A FAMILY STUDIES TEACHERS AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND TAUGHT SEWING. SUZANNE WAS A GRADUATE OF THE 4-H PROGRAM, AND WAS AN ACTIVE JUNIOR APPRENTICE FOR THE LOCAL WOMEN'S INSTITUTE, IN HER FORMER HOME TOWN, OF WINDERMERE, (ON LAKE ROSSEAU), ASSISTING HER MOTHER ON FUNDRAISING PROJECTS, SUCH AS PUTTING TOGETHER QUILTS BEING PREPARED BY THE INSTITUTE. WHEN WE GOT MARRIED, I WAS NOT ONLY HITCHING UP WITH A GREAT GAL, BUT AN ARTS AND CRAFTS WORLD, I HAD ALWAYS ADORED BUT NEVER QUITE UNDERSTOOD. SUZANNE BROUGHT A 1970'S WHITE KENMORE SEWING MACHINE INTO OUR LIVES, AND IT WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO MACHINES MANUFACTURED BY COMPANIES OTHER THAN SINGER. MY REAL INTEREST, WAS AND REMAINS, GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A SEWING PROJECT UNDERWAY. THE SOUND OF A SEWING MACHINE, CRANKED UP IN THE SEWER'S ENTERPRISE, OF CREATION OR REPAIR, IS STRANGELY SOOTHING TO ME, BUT GOSH, I DON'T KNOW WHY. SORT OF LIKE GETTING YOUR HAIR CUT, OR WASHED AT THE LOCAL SALON, AND JUST RELAXING WHILE SOMEONE ELSE DOES ALL THE WORK. I LIKE THE SOFT, GENTLE, RHYTHMIC SOUNDS OF THE SEWING MACHINE IN OPERATION, AND WITH THE LIGHT, AND ALL THE ACTION GOING ON, IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT TRAINS. GEEZ, TED, HOW DOES A SEWING MACHINE REMIND YOU OF A TRAIN ENGINE. THIS OF COURSE, COMES FROM THE FACT, I USED TO HANG AROUND THE BRACEBRIDGE TRAIN STATION WHEN I WAS A KID, AND WAS ENDLESSLY ENTHRALLED BY ALL THE TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND MOVIES THAT HAD, AS PART OF THEIR CONTENT, THOSE GRAND IRON HORSES, THE EVER-ROMANTIC, STEAM LOCOMOTIVES; EVEN THE OLD CANNONBALL TRAIN, USED IN THE SHOW "PETTICOAT JUNCTION." TODAY, WHEN SUZANNE STARTS UP ONE OF HER OLD SINGERS, SLOWLY AT FIRST, SPEEDING-UP ACCORDINGLY, FORGIVE ME FOR THINKING IT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE ONE OF THOSE OLD STEAM LOCOMOTIVES, RISING TO THE CHALLENGE OF HEADING OFF DOWN THE RIBBON RAILS. IT WAS THE OLD VINTAGE BLACK SINGER ELECTRICS, THAT REMINDED ME, ON A SMALL SCALE, OF THOSE STALWART, HARDY, CHUGGING TRAIN ENGINES ROLLING DOWN THE TRACKS, WITH A FULL HEAD OF STEAM. I WAS A KID. I HAD AN OVER-ACTIVE IMAGINATION. WHAT CAN I SAY. I SAW THEM AS I WANTED TO SEE THEM, AND I SUPPOSE, NOT QUITE AS MUCH FOR WHAT THEY SERVED, IN THE SECURITY OF STITCHING, TO KEEP MY PANT LEGS SEWN UP, AND MY LONG SLEEVE SHIRT ADJUSTED FOR THE SUMMER SEASON. RUTH FORTH, WHO JUST RECENTLY PASSED AWAY, WAS MY MOTHER'S CHOICE FOR THESE SEWING JOBS, AND THEIR HOUSE WAS LOCATED THREE HOUSES EAST OF OUR APARTMENT. I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO GO TO RUTH'S, TO PICK UP OUR CLOTHING, HAVING BEEN FRESHLY REPAIRED, AND THEIR HOUSE ALWAYS SMELLED SO BEAUTIFULLY OF TEXTILE ARTS. THAT'S ALL I COULD SAY. I JUST LOVED THE AMBIENCE. THE NEATLY FOLDED FABRIC AND FILED "PATTERN" ENVELOPES. THE COLORED THREADS. SPOOLS. THE ARRAY OF NEEDLES AND SEWING BASKETS. THIMBLES, OF ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES, SIZES AND COLORS. I FOUND A MOST PERFECT, RAW HISTORY, IMBEDDED IN THE ART AND CRAFT OF SEWING, AND SEEING AS I BECAME AN HISTORIAN, I GUESS THE IMMERSION HAD A POINT AFTERALL.
      SOMETIMES I'D HAVE TO WAIT FOR RUTH TO FINISH UP SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK ON THE MACHINE, BEFORE SHE COULD BUNDLE UP OUR ITEMS, WHICH WAS NO INCONVENIENCE TO ME. LIKE WATCHING BARBER / ARTIST, WILLIAM "BILL" ANDERSON, PAINT DURING MY SATURDAY MORNING HAIR CUTS, AT HIS MANITOBA STREET SHOP, I WOULD JUST SIT IN A CHAIR AND LISTEN TO THE SWEET MUSIC OF AN OH-SO-SMOOTH SEWING MACHINE, MAKING A PERMANENT SEAM AS ENDURABLE, AS IF IT WAS FOR THE FINGERS OF A CATCHER'S MITT, OR A GOALTENDERS LEG PADS. SEAMS THAT WOULD LAST THROUGH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. WHEN MY MOTHER WOULD MAKE A REPAIR, WITH NEEDLE AND THREAD, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THIS WOULD BE SEVERAL DAYS, EVEN IF SHE DID A PARTICULARLY GOOD JOB. RUTH'S SEWING REPAIRS, OR ADJUSTMENTS, WERE THERE FOR THE LIFE OF THE GARMENT; UNLESS SHE WAS EMPLOYED TO REMOVE HER OWN HANDIWORK. WHICH DID HAPPEN IN THE CASE OF THOSE WHO LOST WEIGHT, BUT WANTED TO KEEP SOME OF THEIR FORMER WARDROBE. MY MOTHER WAS ONE OF HER BEST CUSTOMERS, BACK IN THE LATE 1960'S AND EARLY 70'S, WHEN MERLE SHED ALMOST A HUNDRED POUNDS, ON ORDER FROM THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN, OR ELSE. HER PROGNOSIS AS IT WAS, HAD COME DOWN TO GIVING HER, AS A LIFE EXPECTANCY, A MATTER OF ONLY A FEW YEARS TO LIVE. AS IT TURNED OUT, SHE LASTED ANOTHER FORTY YEARS, BECAUSE SHE HAD A GOOD DOCTOR, AND SOMEONE TO HELP HER ADJUST HER WARDROBE, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY FOR NEW OUTFITS.
     I AM NOT SO FOND OF THE TICKS AND TACKS OF SUZANNE'S KNITTING NEEDLES, WHEN SHE SITS BESIDE ME, ALTHOUGH THE VERY VISUAL ART OF KNITTING MAKES ME AS RELAXED AS A LAP-CAT, AND I MAY EVEN BEGIN PURRING. WHEN SHE BEGINS TO SEW, EVEN IF I CAN'T SEE HER WORKING ON THE MACHINE, THE SOUND OF THE MISSION IN PROGRESS, IS QUITE COMFORTING FROM THE NORMAL FARE OF SHOP DIN. IT IS A MUSIC STUDIO AS WELL, YOU KNOW! LOTS OF DRUMS AND ELECTRIC GUITAR SOLOS. AND THIS GREAT WORK HORSE OF A MACHINE, PUMPING AND CHUGGING AWAY, IN ITS MYSTERIOUS BALLET OF INTERIOR GIZMOS, AND GEARS, AND OLD AND DEAR TECHNOLOGIES, PUTS ME GREATLY AT EASE; AS IF IT HOLDS THE TRUMP CARDS AROUND HERE. I'M NOT SURE IF MY BLOOD PRESSURE DECLINES, DURING THESE SEWING TASKS, BUT IT IS SO CALMING IN FACT, I CAN ACTUALLY FALL ASLEEP AS A DIRECT RESULT. THE SOUND IS THE PERFECT LINK TO A GENTLER VIEW UPON LIFE AND CHORES. I VIEW LIFE WITH PLEASURE, AND AVOID CHORES BY SLUMBERING. WHEN, ON OCCASION, I HAVE GONE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT PROJECT SHE'S WORKING ON, AT THAT MOMENT, I NEVER ONCE FAIL TO BE ASTONISHED, AT HOW AMAZINGLY SMALL THESE MACHINES ARE, DOING SUCH MAJOR SEWING JOBS. SHE LIKES TO DO THIS AT THE SHOP, WITH ONE OF HER THREE EXCELLENT CONDITION SINGER FEATHER-LIGHTS; THEN HAVING CUSTOMERS POKE THEIR HEADS AROUND THE CORNER OF THE COUNTER, EXPECTING TO SEE AN INDUSTRIAL SET-UP, WONDERING WHAT GREAT BEAST OF A MACHINE IS BEING ENGAGED. "IS THAT IT," THEY ASK, "DOING ALL THAT SEWING," REFERENCING THE FINISHED WORK SUZANNE HOLDS IN HER HAND. "YES," SHE ANSWERS. "BUT DON'T LET ITS SIZE FOOL YOU. IT'S SMALL BUT IT CAN DO BIG JOBS." SHE HAS SINGER MACHINES, IN THE SHOP, KNOWN AS "WORKHORSES," BY THOSE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES, BUT SHE HAS THE RIGHT SIZE MACHINE, WITH ITS TRADEMARK CAPABILITIES, FOR EACH PROJECT. I'M NOT COMPLAINING. TODAY, INSTEAD OF SITTING ON THE APARTMENT STEPS, LISTENING TO THE DISTANT SOFT RUMBLING OF A SEWING MACHINE OUT OF VIEW, I CAN SIT IN THE STUDIO, NEXT TO SUZANNE'S WORK SPACE IN HER ANTIQUE SHOP, AND LISTEN THROUGH THE DOOR, TO THOSE SWEET SOUNDS OF TODAY'S "SOUP" OF THE DAY, SO TO SPEAK. SHE'S BEEN WORKING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, ON AN ARRAY OF CHRISTMAS-THEMED KITCHEN APRONS, INCLUDING TINY ONES FOR CHILDREN, SO I'VE BEEN LISTENING ATTENTIVELY ALL THIS FALL, AND YES, SOMETIMES THESE MARVELOUS LOCOMOTIVES OF THE SEWING-KIND, DO PUT ME TO SLEEP. WHEN SHE FINDS ME NODDING OFF, WHEN SHE TAKES A COFFEE BREAK, I HAVE FOUND IT QUITE ACCEPTABLE THEN TO OFFER, AS AN EXPLANATION, "DEAR, I SO VERY MUCH ENJOY YOUR SEWING, THAT IT RELAXES ME RIGHT INTO A NAP." "YEA, RIGHT," SHE RESPONDS, YET ON THIS MATTER, I AM TELLING THE TRUTH.
    BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT AN AMAZING ASPECT OF OUR WORLD HISTORY, THIS CRAFT OF SEWING, BY HAND AND BY MACHINE. IT'S REALLY QUITE INCREDIBLE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AND CONTEMPLATE THOUGHTFULLY, ARRIVING AT THIS MODERN AGE, WITHOUT THE BINDING THREAD, AND THE CRAFTSPERSONS TO SEW IT ALL TOGETHER. WE WOULD BE QUITE NAKED WITHOUT, DON'T YOU THINK?  

IS THIS WHY WE HAVE TURNED INTO A VINTAGE SEWING MACHINE SHOP? A LITTLE OF THIS, AND SOME OF THAT, I SUPPOSE!

     Even this morning, we were able to ferret-out two charming vintage electric sewing machines, one a 1950's Singer, in emerald (but Suzanne will undoubtedly correct me) and a robin's egg blue Kenmore, similar, according to my wife, to her mother's favorite machine from the 1960's; both from a local second hand shop, in excellent condition. The sewing machine trend in collecting, for us, began out of my profound sense of guilt. The fact I stuffed every room in our house with books for decades, robbing Suzanne of a proper sewing room. Every six months, I'd make a promise to her, that I would clear out enough books, so that she could have a little corner space, to set up her sewing machine. We always had at least one treadle machine in her bedroom, and upwards of three electrics, one in a cabinet, but there would be hundreds of books piled on top. We're not talking about a hundred books, but rather three to four thousand, in and around the cabinet. Gosh, that's a lot of books. So damn right, I should have been turfed out on my ear, but the kindness of my bride, allowed me to carry on, burdening her house. Finally feeling a first class arse, I made her a promise to get rid of books, and give her the space for a proper, fully functioning sewing nook. Well, it didn't happen as fast as it was proposed, by good intention, and it has only been at our Gravenhurst shop, in the past year, that she has finally been able to block out my excesses, and enjoy a few of her own. She has, over the past couple of years, built up a modest collection of a hundred electric sewing machines, plus one hand crank turn of the century unit, made by the Opel Company of Germany (that also made cars). Now she has made a space behind her antique shop counter, for daily sewing adventures, in between customers, and this is where she can play with all the different models she owns, dating back to the late 1800's. A majority are Singers, but we have many others, some being clones of better known machines, in turn made in Japan. She has machines up to and including the 1960's, but her preference, are the pre 1970's all metal component Singer machines, that have been well looked after, by a likely succession of former owners. She can repair and set up these machines, although her refurbishing and restorations have all been at the hobby level so far; as she really pays a lot of attention, to how the machine looks, and any of the provenance that can be attained from a former owner. Thus most of the machines are nearly mint condition, and have been well maintained, oiled and cleaned properly over their working existence. It's pretty easy to observe this, when examining machines put out for sale. It's not that she won't take on a project restoration, but she's not quite at the technician stage yet; but I have watched her take apart machines and put them back together, so I can see it in the cards, she could well make repairs part of her shop service. She's just not there yet.
     We Curries never do the collecting-thing without full immersion. We've got a lot of corroborating evidence, if you look at our books in the shop, art, and cookbook inventory. Collecting vintage sewing machines, hasn't become an obsession, but in order to do anything really well, you have to dive in, and that's a good way of describing our activities thus far. Suzanne does sell a portion of the acquired machines, because our house would sink under the weight otherwise. But they really are neat, and when you think about how important they have been, to our society, for so many decades, and to the welfare of the home economy, it does make collecting them an exercise in social / cultural history. Funny thing is, I have made at least half the discoveries in shops, where we have been antique hunting, and even this morning, I situated the two vintage sewing machines that look as if they have been well cared-for, with nice shiny coats, ( I like things like this because I'm shallow) with clean cases. Makes me wonder why I didn't start collecting sewing machines for posterity, a lot sooner in my antique career. But then, I'm still a voyeur after all these years, but I really do enjoy watching these wonderful contraptions working their magic, with such a soothing, hum and subtle, pleasing clatter, of creative enterprise.
     I keep asking for updates from Suzanne, about how the machines are doing, as her examinations continue in her sewing area. "They both work fine, and I'm just oiling them. Don't worry, they'll be fine," as if suddenly, they've become human entities, and I'm worried about their future welfare. So far so good. I think it could be safely assessed, I've immersed myself in sewing culture, and I'm good with this. I'm not sure if it's possible to reach a ceiling, as far as acquisitions go, but like books, I'll worry about that, when I can't find any open space to hang my coat, at home, because of the stacks of sewing machines. Suzanne is much better at this moderation thing; which is good for a guy like me, prone to excesses, and loving things a little too much.
     Suzanne had been stuck on the Kenmore sewing machine, getting it off zig-zag, but after a gallon of coffee, and trial and error, she finally figured the beast out. This happens when you don't have a manual. On rebound sewing machines, it's often the case the manual is missing, which does make maintenance much more difficult. But as it turns out, there are enough sewing machine fanciers and collectors out there, who sell bits and bobs related to sewing heritage, that most of these service manuals are either available to purchase, or published online. There is a huge sewing network connected through cyber space, so it makes getting parts and advice about specific machines a whole lot easier. It has given a new life and relevance to these interesting and reliable old machines.
     I'll have more in the coming weeks about vintage sewing machines, and some follow-ups about our latest acquisitiions.