Famous Barr Special
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 837
Famous Barr Special
I picked up this machine today, Famous & Barr was a local/regional department store headquartered in St Louis near where I live, and my grandmother worked in the millinery department there, maybe 100 years ago.
I don't know if it works yet, but it has the shuttle and bobbin and a needle still in it. The decals are in good shape, and the flowers are deeper purple.
Leon, the picture of the motor is for you. I though you might appreciate the bar mechanism connecting the bobbin winder to the motor such that when you push the bobbin winder to the machine the bar lifts the motor/drive wheel off of the hand wheel; there is an outer pulley to run a belt to the bobbin winder.
Janey, I'm sort of hoping you'll jump in and tell me who made this machine...please?? I'll start looking either way.
I don't know if it works yet, but it has the shuttle and bobbin and a needle still in it. The decals are in good shape, and the flowers are deeper purple.
Leon, the picture of the motor is for you. I though you might appreciate the bar mechanism connecting the bobbin winder to the motor such that when you push the bobbin winder to the machine the bar lifts the motor/drive wheel off of the hand wheel; there is an outer pulley to run a belt to the bobbin winder.
Janey, I'm sort of hoping you'll jump in and tell me who made this machine...please?? I'll start looking either way.
#2
Thanks JoeJr. I don't remember seeing a winder tied to the motor like that before. That's gonna take a bit of head scratching. FWIW the motor connections look like White, Westinghouse or later Kenmore. The spool pin being that far forward may be a clue to it's origin also.
#3
Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 11
A quick web search shows one of those worthpoint listings for sold machines. As I do not pay for it, all I was able to see was that they claim that it was made by Domestic. A quick way to verify it would be to look at the shuttle if it has one as Domestic shuttles are a bit different.
#4
Interestingly, the ISMACS needle list only shows "New Millard" and lists it as a White machine. Additionally, one uses 15x1 and the other 20x1.
Maybe Jon or Glenn will pop in and give some additional info.
Neat machine and interesting about the way the bobbin winder works with the motor. I like purple (as if you couldn't tell by my signature, LOL) and that would be neat to have a black machine with purple decals.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)
Last edited by OurWorkbench; 12-01-2020 at 08:09 PM.
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 837
Thanks everyone, and this looks just like the machine in the manual (including the motor/bobbin winder setup) and other post Janey linked. The shuttle looks different than a 27/127 but I haven't put them side by side yet, and I have a handy chart from another board to check the needle.
I have a Kenmore foot control, and the machine it belongs with, which I will try as far as fitting a connector to this motor.
I'll post a picture after it's cleaned up.
I have a Kenmore foot control, and the machine it belongs with, which I will try as far as fitting a connector to this motor.
I'll post a picture after it's cleaned up.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 809
#7
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 837
Well, my job is finished and the machine is off to one of my sister's to display. It sews stitches, although makes a lot of noise doing it; without thread it spins very smoothly and quietly. The light is on the back side of the machine now. The case isn't the best, but the neighbor with the wood working equipment was in a hurry...
Janey, the decal close up is for your enjoyment.
Janey, the decal close up is for your enjoyment.