BikerRay
Very nice indeed! Scrolled faceplate, chromed balance-wheel, plain tension dial.. All the features I like on these the most. Its a pity our UK variants don't have the same toggle lamp switches on the base, although the castings do still have the hole for it.
I think my earliest is a 1951?
If you're thinking of sprucing-up your case, David McCallum's tips are well worth sourcing on YouTube. You only need "Mr.Scribbles" 3-D Paint to fill deep scuffs, a permanent black marker pen to colour faded areas, and "Kiwi" scuff shoe-polish. I tried black Leather Dye on one of my cases. That works too, but its potentially more messy.
I upgraded my most-often-used machine to have a modern LED Bulb. From 'The Featherweight Shop' USA. It doesn't detract from the look of the machine, and really makes a difference. Especially when sewing black fabrics with black thread on dark evenings.
I helped a friend with her modern plastic Brother Sewing Machine last week. Luckily it was only a bent needle hitting the bobbin-carrier. Anything else and I would have been out of my depth. And I thought I knew a fair bit about sewing machines. I asked her whether she oils it regularly. When she said "No", I thought "there's your problem". Luckiky, I read the manual first. It says [DO NOT OIL!]
