Manufactured by
Singer Corporation, American, founded 1851
Owned by
DeVigne, Yvonne Berry, American, 1914 - 2004
Date
ca. 1938
Medium
stainless steel, plastic, rubber, paint, cloth, thread, wire, felt, glass
Dimensions
9 1/2 × 15 1/4 × 7 1/4 in. (24.1 × 38.7 × 18.4 cm)
Hinged platform raised: 9 1/2 × 11 1/2 × 7 1/4 in. (24.1 × 29.2 × 18.4 cm)
Description
A black Featherweight Portable 221 Singer sewing machine used by Yvonne DeVigne. The machine body is made of stainless steel, painted black with gold art deco style accents. There are also several unpainted sections of metal, including an elaborately stamped face plate with geometric art deco design. The base of the machine has a hinged section that can be lowered for use and raised for storage. The arm of the machine is attached to the base at its far PL edge. The motor of the machine sits just behind the arm, with a plastic belt running between it and the hand wheel. The motor casing is stamped with a black, red, and silver Singer logo and a plate with the motor's specifications on it. The plug port is on the base of the machine, just below the arm on the PL side. In front of the arm on the base of the machine is the machine's light switch toggle and the bobbin-winding thread guide. There is a gold colored stamped Singer Manufacturing plate just above the base on the arm of the machine. Above this is a vertically oriented silver stitch length regulator lever. The arm extends over the base, with a light, stamped [SINGER] in gold above the work area. The feed lever is threaded with yellow thread and there is a small piece of blue fabric with yellow stitching resting between the base of the machine and the presser foot.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place made
Elizabethport, Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Tools and Equipment-Crafting-Artistic-Image-making
Type
sewing machines (equipment)
Topic
Black Enterprise
Business
Craftsmanship
Fashion
Local and regional
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gaston L. DeVigne, III in memory of his parents Gaston L. DeVigne, II and Yvonne B. DeVigne
Object number
2014.272.1.2
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f090b0ec-c1c1-48b9-a146-84f001a742fd

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

Share this page