THE NEEDLEBAR
NATIONAL SEWING MACHINES
By Claire Sherwell & Alan Quinn
The Main Model Types
1. Vibrating Shuttle Machines – two slide plates (front to back), the shuttle moves in an arc. Serial number under the front slide plate, on later machines it will be under the machine bed.
Click on thumbnail images to see larger pictures
Model |
Size |
Body
Shape |
Inspection
Plate(s) |
Upper
Tension |
Stitch
Length Control |
Notes |
Full |
Angular |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Screw |
(Eldredge B) Fiddle shaped bed. Square throat plate |
|
VB-TT Type 2 (no picture) |
Full |
Angular |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Screw |
More rectangular base, curved bed under balance wheel. Square throat plate. |
Full |
Angular |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Screw |
(Velox) Rectangular bed, round corners | |
Full |
Angular |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Bed Screw |
(Detroit) | |
Full |
Rounded |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Screw |
(Arrow) New model shape. Low bobbin winder. Size - 14 1/2" x 6 13/16" |
|
Full |
Angular |
Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Screw |
(Harris B) Spool Pin at centre of arm. Large screw towards faceplate. Low bobbin winder | |
Full |
Rounded |
Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Screw |
(Vindex C) Spool pin at center of arm. Large screw towards faceplate. Low bobbin winder. Size - 16 1/4" x 6 3/4".
|
|
Full |
Angular |
Large Screw |
Face Plate |
Pillar Lever |
(The Eldredge) Also model with stitch length control on bed. | |
Eldredge B (Vindex sub model?) |
Full |
Rounded |
Large Screw & Shoulder |
Face Plate |
Pillar Lever |
(Eldredge B2) Spool pin at center of arm. Bobbin winder high |
Model name? Full size of Expert |
Full |
Angular |
Left Side & Shoulder |
Front |
Bed Screw |
(Manchester B) Tension & inspection
plates are different from previous model. Surely not the same model as
Law says?? |
Full |
Angular |
Left Side & Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Screw |
Tension & Inspection plates vary from models of IEB in Charles Law. Surely not the same model? | |
Full |
Rounded |
- |
Top Leaf |
Bed Screw |
(Texas Advocate) This is the original model named Seamstress using W S Brown's 1892 patent. The name Seamstress was repeated throughout National's history. | |
Imperial Seamstress (no picture) |
Full |
Rounded |
Large Screw |
Front |
Bed Screw |
|
Full – 14½in
x 6 ¾ in. |
Rounded |
Large Screw |
Face Plate |
Bed Screw |
(Improved Seamstress & Wanamaker B) | |
¾ sized of VB-TT |
Rounded |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Screw |
(Grand). Available as an iron based hand crank model | |
¾ sized of VB-TT |
Rounded |
Shoulder |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Lever |
(Model 1000). A variation with a direct drive hand crank, iron base. 1090C has motor. Iron base (not a Saxonia). Later angular model has wrinkle finish |
|
¾ sized of 10
& 11 |
Rounded |
Left & Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Lever |
(Governor C & Dallier’s Electric). Available as an iron based hand crank model. | |
¾ sized of 10
& 11 |
Rounded |
Left Side & Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Lever |
(National) Has light (is that BL?). High bobbin winder. | |
¾ sized of 10
& 11 |
Rounded |
Left Side & Shoulder |
Front |
Pillar Lever |
(New Home 8F) Made after merger with New Home, wrinkle finish. Solid balance wheel + motor. c1953, | |
? |
Rounded |
- |
Front |
Pillar Pointer |
Has reverse. Not electric, treadle only. Reversew (National's name for reverse sewing ability). Two Spool Pins. Reversew B was an electric model with only one spool pin on top of arm at center. | |
? |
Rounded |
- |
Front |
Pillar Pointer |
(Montgomery Ward) Enclosed light. Also made in wrinkle finish. One spool pin. | |
¾ sized |
Rounded |
- |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Lever |
(Montgomery Ward) Electric only. Large round stitch plate. Wrinkle finish. Size - 3/4 sized |
|
13" x 6 !/4 |
Rounded |
Front Disc |
Top Leaf |
Pillar Slider |
(Free Westinghouse) Uses Eldredge marked shuttle. The last version of the Paveway model, made after 1948 takeover (not 1953) of National by Free. |
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