Very Rare 1879 Large Logo Singer Treadle Sewing Machine Frame ~ Cast Iron Art!

Description

My husband and I have owned and restored over 1000 antique and vintage Singer sewing machines and we share a love of the very oldest ones, the treadle (foot-powered) machines made before 1900.
This Singer treadle frame is extremely rare. So rare that this is only the third we have ever owned. The
side frames with their enormous logos read "Patented April 15, 1879" on the inside. Just a
few years later, Singer replaced that giant logo in the center of the side frame with their familiar small oval emblem at the bottom, and added “SINGER” in block letters across the center brace shown in photo five.
Made of cast iron, the frame is in excellent, all-original condition with no cracked or broken parts, no-repainting or re-gilding, and we have included photos from all sides so you can see what you’re getting.
The metalwork is beautiful – like a piece of industrial art.
In photo three you can see that the top half of this emblem looks pretty much as it did the day it left the factory. Both sides are that way because they were protected from sunlight by the drawers on either end of the cabinet, while the bottom half of each emblem was exposed.
Another interesting thing about the huge emblem shown in photo three is the address. Singer’s factory was still in New York City in 1879.
The frame sits on two “pad” feet on one end (photo seven), and two wheels on the other (photo eight). Earlier treadle frames had four pad feet and later ones had four wheels, so this 1879 model was transitional.
The foot pedal and drive wheel turn freely, linked by the original wooden drive arm. The dress guard (difficult to see but shown on the lower half of the drive wheel in photo nine) even has its original belt shifter (photo ten), complete with working spring (photo eleven). That spring is often found broken, even on much-newer treadles, and this one is 140 years old!
You could make a top for this treadle and use it to power a treasured sewing machine, or you could build a beautiful piece of furniture around it for your home. Pinterest can give you lots of ideas if you don’t already have something in mind. The treadle
measures about 21 inches wide, 28 inches high, 18 inches deep at the bottom and 13 inches deep at the top. There are three holes already drilled through the top of each side frame, so no drilling is required to install whatever material you choose for your top.
Because of its rarity and the very real risk of it being damaged in transit to your home, we cannot ship this lovely antique. It will have to be “local pick-up only,” and Jeff and I apologize for the inconvenience. If you have family or friends in West Central Florida, perhaps they could pick it up and hold it until you can come for it.
Important note:
The original photos were taken indoors and did not do justice to this thing, so I re-shot them in sunlight so you could see what it really looks like. The description was changed somewhat to reflect the new order of the photos. I apologize if you saw the original photos as they were awful.
Please feel free to ask questions! We are happy to help you.
We invite you to take a look at our other eBay listings. We are selling many interesting and useful things.
Thank you for looking in.