Woman with a Silk Corset 1891a painting by Mor Than
Obviously I knew she was old. But my mind couldn't really go back further than the 1920's at the very earliest, though I was more inclined to stick to a few decades later, the Forties.
I don't know much about the history of sewing machines - well at least I didn't.... and so I thought that perhaps Mildred (as I have named her) was a 'modern' contraption of those times. I imagined all the garments she would perhaps have sewn; dresses, aprons, shirts, blouses, perhaps even the odd flapper outfit if she really was that old, but mostly, the same type of things we sew today on our really modern contraptions.
I don't know much about the history of sewing machines - well at least I didn't.... and so I thought that perhaps Mildred (as I have named her) was a 'modern' contraption of those times. I imagined all the garments she would perhaps have sewn; dresses, aprons, shirts, blouses, perhaps even the odd flapper outfit if she really was that old, but mostly, the same type of things we sew today on our really modern contraptions.
But no! On closer inspection, and with much referencing of the serial number, it seems that Mildred is not just a Grandmother in my sewing room, but a Great Grandmother! For she was made in 1891!
Which means that one thing she probably did sew alot of when she was young, was real Victorian Corsets!
Wow!
6 comments:
Wow that's some history. And history being my favourtie subject keep telling me more :)
Mildred isn't silly ... she's 'come home'. x
My Mum has the cast iron tredel base for one of those.... unfortunately the wooden top is gone but I really wish she would let me have it and not leave it in her garden with a slab of marble on top!
Does yours work? or are you restoring it to working order?
X Alex
I think its great that she is sooooo old. I have lots of ladies magazines from the 1890's with fashion drawings and descriptions (the patterns that came free with the magazines have long gone). But you could recreate one of them as a 'nostalgia' thing for Mildred. (like you havent any other projects to do!)
OMG that's amazing! Mildred truly is a really proper old antique.
I'm actually most shocked that Singer kept such fantastic records and gave all of their machines serial numbers allowing us to actually trace them.
PS Mildred is lovely
How wonderful to be able to date the machine and to know she has a history.
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