DATING
WHEELER& WILSONSEWING MACHINES
In 1876, the newW&WNo. 8 machine was introduced and a new series of serial numbers was initiated. It is, therefore, imperative to know that the machine is one of the earlier style machines before using the following list of serial numbers to date the machines, approximately as follows:
Serial Number Year
0 ..............................
1851
200 ..............................
1852
651 ..............................
+ 799 1853
1.450 ..............................
+ 756 1854
2.206 ..............................
+ 1.171 1855
3.377 ..............................
+ 2.210 1856
5.587 ..............................
+ 4.591 1857
10.178 ..............................
+7.978 1858
18.156 ..............................
+21.306 1859
39.462 ..............................
+25.102 1860
64.564 ..............................
+18.556 1861
83.120 ..............................
+28.202 1862
111.322..............................
+29.778 1863
141.100..............................
+ 40.062 1864
181.162 ..............................
+ 39.157 1865
220.319 ..............................
+ 50.132 1866
270.451..............................
+38.055 1867
308.506..............................
+ 49.350 (no data) 1868 (*)
357.856 ..............................
+78.866 1869
436.722 ..............................
+83.208 1870
519.930 ..............................
+ 128.526 1871
648.456 ..............................
+ 174.088 1872
822.544 ..............................
822.544 ..............................
+ 119.190 1873
941.734 ..............................
+ 92.827 1874
1.033.561 ..............................
+ 103.740 1875
1.137.301 ..............................
+ 108.997 1876
(*)
From 1852 about To 1900 c.
From 1860 c. To 1879-80 c.
The No. 5 Machine
From 1860 c. To 1887 c.
The No. 6 Machine
From 1873 to ... by 1905 (?)
The No. 7 Machine
From 1875 to ... by 1894 (?)
NEW SERIES OF SERIAL NUMBERS
In1876, the newNo. 8 machinewas introduced and a new series of serial numbers was initiated.
Records of the second series of serial numbers dating from 1876 are not available.
The No. 8 Machine
From 1876 To 1887
From 1888 To 1905and beyond
From 1882 To 1899 c.
The No. 11 Machine
From 1892(?) To 1905and beyond
The No. 12 (A-B-C-D) Machine
From 1887 To 1905
The No. 15 Machine
From 1892 To ...
1905
...and beyond
to be continued
Sources:
The Invention of the Sewing Machine byGrace Rogers Cooper
The Sewing Machine Gazette and Journal of Domestic Appliances
Sewing Machinery by J. W. Urquhart (1881)
No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8
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1851 X LONDON EXHIBITION
1852 X X
1853 X X
1854 X X
1855 X X
1856 X X
1857 X X
1858 X X
1859 X X
1860 X X X X X
1861 X X X X X
1862 X X X X X
1863 X X X X X
1864 X X X X X
1865 X X X X X
1866 X X X X X
1867 X X X X X
1868 X X X X X
1869 X X X X X
1870 X X X X X
1871 X X X X X
1872 X X X X X
1873 X X X X X X
1874 X X X X X X
1875 X X X X X X X
1876 X X X X X X X X
1877 X X X X X X X X
1878 X X X X X X X X
1879 X X X X X X X X
1880 X X X X X X X X
1881 X X 0 0 X X X X
1882 X X 0 0 X X X X
1883 X X X X X X
1884 X X X X X X
1885 X X X X X X
1886 X X X X X X
1887 X X 0 0 X X X X
1888 X X X X
1889 X X X X
1890 X X X X
1891 X X X X
1892 X X X X
1893 X X X X
1894 X X X X
==============================================
1895 X X X
1896 X X X
1897 X X X
1898 X X X
1899 X X X
1900 X X X
1901 X
1902 X
1903 X
1904 X
1905 X
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No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.8
X . machine advertised
X . unsure date
0 . not advertised
By1894, the W&W Nos. 5, 7, 8 and10were no longer made, so customers would have been offered the:
No.1 (curved needle) and the New No. 4 for shirt manufacture;
No.6 andNo.11to special order;
No.9 and versions of theNo.12 all basic work;
No. 10Button-Hole version.
by John Langdon (ISMACS)
No.8 No.9 No.10 No.11 No.12 No.15
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1876 X
1877 X
1878 X
1879 X
1880 X
1881 X
1882 X X
1883 X X
1884 X X
1885 X X
1886 X X
1887 X X X
1888 X X X
1889 X X X
1890 X X X
1891 X X X
1892 X X X X X
1893 X X X X X
1894 X X X X X
==============================================
1895 X X X X X
1896 X X X X X
1897 X X X X X
1898 X X X X X
1899 X X X X X
1900 X X X X X
1901 X X X X
1902 X X X X
1903 X X X X
1904 X X X X
1905 X X X X
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No.8 No.9 No.10 No.11 No.12 No.15
By1894, the W&W Nos. 5, 7, 8 and10were no longer made, so customers would have been offered the:
No.1 (curved needle) and the New No. 4 for shirt manufacture;
No.6 andNo.11to special order;
No.9 and versions of theNo.12 all basic work;
No. 10Button-Hole version.
by John Langdon (ISMACS)
TheAmerican Civil War(alsoknown by other names) was a war fought in theUnited Statesfrom 1861 to 1865.
