Thanks so much for posting these pics and starting this thread. When I bought my house last year, I found an old Singer Treadle machine in a barn, near an open window. My cabinet looks similar. I have it stored in my sewing room, and plan to make it my summer project to get it running again. All the input here is so helpful....thanks to all for the encouragement. Restoring a machine this old and damaged can be a daunting task, but ya'lls words and wisdom make it seem possible.

And I agree with the other posters.....give restoring it a try!!

She is definitely a beauty and I really don't see much that would be hard to fix up on her. A lot of elbow grease, a little oil and I am sure that she will be humming in no time

It's absolutely salvageable. Just need to be gentle when cleaning it. I've heard of machines that were totally frozen and the head was placed in a bucket of kerosene for a week to loosen up the gunk. These machines were made to LAST. No plastic to worry about. It would make a GREAT project, and you'll get a wonderful feeling of satisfaction when it's finished. :)

Yes, those are bobbins. My mom's machine had bobbins like that. Looks like you have a challenge!

It looks like machine I learned to sew on and yes, those are the bobbins - cool, aren't they!

I tried posting pictures of my Free sewing machine, but for some reason they didn't post. My machine looks like a sister to yours. Not much info on it. I have all the attachments and they have patented 7-91 stamped on them. ( Can this be 1891? ).

I restored an old singer years ago she was rusty inside and out she was siezed up but I oiled her inside and out -it took a while and several cans of 3-in-1 oil but she is absolutely beautiful and I still use her for all my heavy quilting She was found in the trunk of a car in the junk yard. I replaced her cord with a new cloth covered cord and she purrs

How pretty!

that is really old but the cabinet would be great shined up.

OH MY GOODNESS!! I have a No5 FREE machine in a cabinet identical to yours. I have the original instruction book also. Mine belonged to my husband's great grandmother. It is in very good condition. I have sewn several things w/ it. So happy to hear someone else has one also. I'm not sure what year it is but am thinking it might be 1910-1915.