My son called me last night to ask if I wanted a treadle sewing machine!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!! (He was helping a friend clean out old abandoned housing area, and it was in the corner of the basement. He said it had "MOM" written all over it! The places have been vacant for some time and the city hires this crew to 'clean 'em out' -- and they can keep whatever they want in the process. No one else on the crew wanted it, so my DS claimed it for me!!!)
He lives about an hours' drive away & we had a snow storm today, so it may be next weekend before I can even get to see it! DS said it looks like its in great condition. I asked what brand it was - so I could look it up on the internet. He said the following: "On the top of the machine it says: 'Free Sewing Machine Company by Chicago'. Free #5 " and DS also said it had patent dates: 1903, 1906, 1910.
Uhhhhhh - didn't make any sense to me & Googling didn't clarify anything.... neither did the TreadleOn site. DS also said that the cabinet didn't work like my other treadle cabinet does -- where you open the top (hinged), then lift the wood brace in the front, pull up the machine, then lower the wood brace back, and lower the machine so that it sits properly. He said that when he opened the top of this cabinet, the machine automatically came up!
Anybody out there have ANY clues? Much appreciated! ME-Judy (who can't wait to see it - and bring it home!)