1940??? that's a youngster.
I have a 1896 Singer Sphinx model - my great grandmother's - in perfect condition. It sews better than any of the new machines I ever had. It's in the full cabinet with 4 drawers - here's the Sphinx model machine itself
this is how it looks closed
OMG! I learned to sew on an old Singer that looked just like that, case and all. It was my grandmother’s, she died in 1942. After I married and moved away my father got tired of stubbing his toe on the machine when he got up at night. He carried it out to the curb and the garbage truck took it away. When I came back home and discovered what he had done, I sat down and cried.
I have one of these and yes it does a better job of sewing than the new ones. Belonged to my grandmother and she used to make dresses for me out of feedbags. Just finished sewing all my grandson’s Boy Scout patches on his new shirt. He loves to bring the neighborhood kids over to watch when I am sewing.
Oh, wow. I recognize that Singer. My friend in first grade had one in his house. I remember playing with the, uh, pedal? His mom sewed through her fingernail once. Not while I was messing with it, though. I think I can remember how she would use the wheel on the right to help slow it down rapidly and then to make slow stitches while turning the cloth until she’d get to another straightaway and could let fly.
What a beautiful machine. But it has a straight bobbin, right? Round bobbins (I think) weren’t developed until sometime in the late 20’s? Thanks for pic.