Davis Family Sewing Machines There's only one collecting interest that almost of us in the family have in common.  We all have just more than a passing interest in sewing machines.  Some of us love the classics, and others love newer more colorful machines.  Here are some of them, presented for your enjoyment and in no particular order.

SOVEREIGN (Will & Tammy Davis) This highly attractive machine seems to date from the early 1960's.  It was manufactured in Japan.  No actual manufacturer is stated clearly on the machine itself, although in the usual place for such things, there is a JIS mark (more on that shortly) and the letters K. S. M. C.  What exactly these stand for is not clear, although it's very likely that the last three letters are "Sewing Machine Company!"   Serial No. 88257.

The machine is finished in a very attractive salmon for the most part, with an offsetting color best described as a very light green.  There is a tiny hint of grey in this green paint, though, making it look "less green" than it really is when lighting is not bright.

The machine is equipped with a decidedly NON-salmon colored Westinghouse Sew Motor (107P931H01) which may or may not be original; we think it is.  This is one of our absolute favorite machines, and is on display in our home.

BROTHER MODEL 60 (Will & Tammy Davis) This is one of the machines we acquired early on.  There's no mystery as to who made this one; it clearly displays the Brother name right on the side.  It also has the manufacturer named on the inner part of the neck, seen in detail below.

Here is the detail shot of the marking on the neck of the machine.  Below the odd symbol is printed "HA385 Model 60 Streamliner Brother."  The mark above is actually known as a "J.I.S." mark; you can make out the letters J and S with the I connecting them.  This was a mark which a company was allowed to use only after having passed extraordinarily stringent testing as regards total product quality and production efficiency.  The program was created to help destroy the general perception, worldwide, that Japanese-made products were of inferior quality.  It's a sign of a very well made machine.

MERCURY 2100 (Will & Tammy Davis) This attractive blue and white machine is sort of an oddball.  For one thing, it's one of the few we've found which has its actual owner's manual.  For another, it was made in India.  Yes, that's right -- India.  No idea who made it.

Morse Distributing Corp. first used the name "Mercury" on sewing machines in 1948.

"Sew and Enjoy with Model 2100," the manual says.  Of course, as with many exported multi-branded things, no actual brand name is used on the manual -- it might have to be supplied along with machines carrying many different brands, distributed by many different companies.  The brand name "Mercury" traces to the Morse Sewing Machine Company, known to be a major importer into the US of sewing machines from all over the place, for a long time.

This is certainly the only unit in our collection to come from India.  We never did find out who made it, or who LIKELY made it.  Perhaps some of these shots will ring a bell with someone who can tell us!!  No matter, though; the machine has a blocky shape, made pleasing by the rounding of the edges and even more so by the two-tone paint.

MORSE 200 De Luxe (Will & Tammy Davis) This machine falls into that class of sewing machines which I've found to be commonly known as "Singer Clone" machines.  It's the only one we have, and when we started collecting we decided that if we did get a "clone" it would have to be in nice shape, and it is.  Distributed by Morse Distributing Corp. of New York, and made in Japan.

There's really only one mystery surrounding this machine, which is the fact that the UL label is covering the original manufacturer's mark.  Several Japanese companies could have made this.  Maybe I'll eventually peel off the sticker -- although it is original, and I'd rather leave it.

STRADIVARO 85 SUPER DELUXE (Will & Tammy Davis) This rather massive looking machine is also a very heavy one.  This machine's brand name, "Stradivaro," can be traced to the Modern Sewing Machine Co. Inc. (of New York.)  This company apparently began using the Stradivaro name on sewing machines in 1952, although it only filed for a trademark in 1968.

The actual machine itself was made in Japan.  It is a product of Toyota; this is clearly found on the machine, in the proper place, along with the JIS mark.  Toyota Motor Corporation originally produced the machines (beginning immediately post-war), and production was later split off to a subsidiary company known as Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd.  It appears that Toyota first began to break into the US market in 1962; in 1970, Aisin Seiki set up its own sales network.  Thus, the intervening period was likely filled with re-branded machines such as this one, helping narrow its likely date of production.

KINGSTON 400 DE LUXE AUTOMATIC (Will & Tammy Davis)   Here's a brand new acquisition, just found on June 29th!  This machine is a zig-zag machine, and although I've tried to find a visual match to it briefly, I can't find one.  Notable are the push-buttons on the base, and sticking out of the side of the machine above the stitch length dial.  No manufacturer mark.  Serial number 41031 is found on a metal plate rivetted to the base. No idea who made it... but it's impressive looking, isn't it?

I've found that the name "Kingston" is associated with thread, but associating this machine with the thread company is probably a mistake.  Just a name!