General Information

Serial #

JZ44879

Part Number

1

Total Parts

12

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Cabinet is made of hardwood, sewing machine is made of painted and/or plated metals.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

55.6 cm

Width

45.2 cm

Height

78.2 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Textile working

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Ca. 1958-2003

Canada

The donor purchased her machine in October 1958 at Simpson`s Sears in Ottawa and used it until last year essentially for her family. As she decided then for acquiring a recent model, she thought offering it to MSTC. The sewing machine is concealed within a dark solid wood cabinet with a lid on top. The front of the cabinet has a gilt handle outside on the left, that gives on a drawer. The lid opens on the left where it is supported by the drawer, thus providing working space. The mechanism has to be pulled out from the inside and is then laid on a supporting plaque on the front; it is operated by a knee device on the right side. Underneath, the cabinet is closed with a piece of plywood, which allows the recuperation of the debris. Kenmmore, the brand name for the Sears Company products, appearedfirst in 1913 on a sewing machine, then was applied to washing machines (1927), to vacuum cleaners (1932), and, from 1936, to several laundry appliances. Innovations in electrical household appliances of the kenmore brand were brought forward after the Second World War with their production of the first automatic, agitator-type washing machine (1947), the "wash & wear" cycle in washing machine (1957), and with the introduction of the microwaveovens and trash compactors (1971), of the Ultrawash dishwasher (1984) and of the "Super Efficient Refrigerators" (1993). Kenmore became one of the important manufacturer of electrical cleaning appliances at the beginning of the twentieth first century. Relation to the manufacturer: the production was and still is distributed by Canadian companies. Kenmore has a long tradition and a high rank in the production of electrical household appliances and those sold under this brand name are still very popular among Canadian consumers.

Function

Machine used to stitch fabric and other pliable materials together with threads

Technical

Relation to the collection: presently, NMST's collection has 4 sewing machines from the 1950s, but none on the Kenmore brand. Besides, the collection has a Kenmore toaster and a Kenmore range. Relation to technology: innovations with this model of a compact cabinet which allows the mechanism to fold-in and being taken out when in use; innovation with the lid that becomes a working space when unfolded.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Sewing machine, proper right side, silver plate reads "KENMORE"/ Sewing machine, lower proper left plate reads "AUTOMATIC/ SUPER DE LUXE/ ZIG ZAG"/ Back of sewing machine, plate on motor reads "SMPP 110 V. AC. - DC. .5 AMPS./ MODEL B SER. MO. 12758/ MOTOR/ MADE IN CANADA SA/ SHOE MACHINE PARTS LIMITED/ TORONTO"/ Front of sewing machine, center, under rim, engraved reads "JZ 44879"

Missing

Appears complete

Finish

Cabinet is a dark brown and caramel colored wood. The top of the cabinet opens to provide a larger work space and reveals a grey-blue and white sewing machine with silver, black and red components which can be lifted out of the cabinnet and fixed in place. A silver knee lever can be found under the proper left side of the cabinet which activates the machine once plugged in.

Decoration

Detached button for sewing machine depicts the logo gor the model, a white, bold "Z" on a cherry red background.