Hi all,
If you own or are planning to buy a second hand sewing machine, the chances are you will hear the terms industrial, antique, vintage or even retro as part of the description.
The terms can be confusing and even misleading. Especially, if used incorrectly. The words tend to be interchangeable, used as key words or marketing devices to “sell” rather than describe an object accurately. Most of the time, this shortfall is due to a lack of knowledge rather than an attempt to deceive.
Sellers often use the term "industrial" to refer to older Singers and other brands with models pre-dating the 1960s. This description is based on the machines being heavy, built from iron and rock solid when you sew on them. This robust sturdiness gives them the persona of being tougher, stronger and more hardworking than today's modern equivalents.
Take this Singer 15-91 from 1952 for example. When I purchased this, I was told it’s a heavy machine, so it must be a heavy-duty industrial model, right?
Umm… no.
It’s a domestic machine. With a motor the size of a hamster.
An industrial would be a lot bigger, louder and probably sit on top of an oil tray. The motor would be closer to the size of a guinea pig.
Maybe even a groundhog. The point is, the motor itself is twice the size of your average domestic motor. For good reason! Industrial machines are purpose-built for factories and commercial use. Think 12 hour days, 365 days a year.
What sellers usually mean by using the term “industrial” with older machines, is being heavy, they will sew through anything. Which isn’t necessarily the case. Having some weight behind it, keeps this 15-91 machine from bouncing as you sew.
But. It’s still only a domestic.
Designed for home use and normal day-to-day sewing of home décor and clothing. Maybe 2-4 hours, every other day or maybe once a week. Most domestic machines will cope with a small amount of heavy use and even heavy fabrics. As long as you have the right needle.
None of them will do so for long periods of time. Not even if they were built in 1952!
Being heavy just means you don’t want to drop it on your foot.
Now we’ve cleared up the confusion between industrial and heavy, let’s look at the difference between antique and retro.
If you are looking for an older machine because you want a workhorse that will sew whatever you throw at it, within reason, then being antique, vintage, retro or even classic, probably doesn’t matter much. That changes if you want a collectible piece of history that may gain in value over time.
So, how do you know if a machine is antique, vintage or retro?
Well, the answer lies in the definitions of the different terms used to describe the passage of time.
Basically, anything tangible like furniture or artwork over 100 years old is antique. Antique dealers and collectors all use the 100 year benchmark to determine if something is antique.
Grandma at 108, fits the description.
My Singer Stylist from the 1970s doesn’t. Too young to be antique, she could be referred to as vintage.
This is where it gets a bit complicated.
Vintage is a term originally used to describe wine. The word comes from the French word “vendage” which means, “grapes picked in a season”. Over time, vintage has become a more vague term for objects from a by-gone age, from the past and old. But not old enough to be antique.
Now I always thought to be vintage an item had to be over 25 years old. I’ve no idea why. It’s probably due to an old car tax rule in the UK. Originally, cars in the UK were known as ‘classic’ cars when they reached the ripe old age of 25. Classic being another word for vintage. At 25, cars became exempt from car tax. We used to have a Series Two Landrover that was fast approaching this money-saving milestone… until it ceased to operate with a couple of years left to go. Why is that always the way?
Anyway, apparently, the qualifying age is 20. Who knew? Well, I do now! I’ve checked dictionary definitions and other blogs, they all agree on 20 years and older for vintage. One of the main reasons I love writing these posts, I learn something too!
With the age requirements now clear on both antique and vintage, both terms have something else in common. They both have to be old.
Retro on the other hand can be brand new. This term refers to something that may have been made a while ago and is now coming back into style. Or, is being pushed as something to come back into style. Like a dress from 1986 complete with 1980s shoulder pads for instance. Or a purple and bottle green dress from the 1970s. If either of those two objects actually become retro, I think I’ll cry. Just saying.
More often than not, retro is a new item based on a style from the past. This Pattern, Simplicity 9088 is retro. A modern take on a 1920s flapper dress.
Retro refers to the style, rather than the actual object’s age.
Another word you may hear if you’re looking at older machines is patina. A good indicator something is genuinely old, rather than a modern retro equivalent, is its physical appearance or patina.
Once again, it’s a word originally linked to age-related damage to copper and other metals. Over time it’s become synonymous with general wear on antiques and vintage items. Not only does it show an item is old, used and has been around for a while, patina also adds to the history of the item.
Whether it’s cup marks from a previous owner’s coffee on the woodwork, or chips, dints and scrapes on the metal body of the machine, patina becomes an important part of an older item.
I quite like the
signs of use on my old machines. Their patina speaks volumes about
their previous lives. How they were treated, how well they were used. I don't bother removing them, I take steps to prevent any further damage though. Like using a coaster!
Whether you are in the process of buying one of these beauties, or just thinking about joining the band of happy vintage sewing machine owners, this post should help you choose your new friend wisely. At the very least, it’ll take the confusion out of being industrial, antique, vintage or retro.
Bye for now
Olly
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