Singer S1

[briguy]

Well... it finally followed me home

I returned & bought the Singer this morning. Turns out that it is an S-4 model. However some interesting things I find about it are that it has the lady at the sewing machine on the logo. Also it is the pinkish buff color. Dave do you know if they went back to the original color & logo on the later models? I am really excited to have it in my collection.I wonder were there anymore S models after the S-4?

I haven't had time to give her the spa treatment yet, but I wonder about laundering the bag? Good idea or not?? It has some oil spots & watermark stains on it. Also want to try & convert to paper bags.

I am posting pics of it that I shot quickly to show you guys. Here's the head to toe shot:

 

[briguy]

Hood Shot:

 

[briguy]

Singer Lady logo:

 

[briguy]

Serial Number Plate:

 

[electrolux~137]

That's really in lovely condition. IIRC, it's kind of a noisy bugger isn't it? But it's a real find, and at what I'd consider a reasonable price. Congratulations!

 

[arh1953]

$50.00 for that?

Is cheap! What a beautiful Singer!

 

[briguy]

It is a great find I think. Charles it its a noisy thing, actually noisier than I expected the little thing to be.
And the price was definitely right.

It's gonna be a favorite in my collection for sure.

 

[aeoliandave]

Beautiful machine in great cosmetic condition!

Golly, Brian, I didn't know they made an S-4 even!
Which begs the question, how many years did Singer make the S? And what was the next Singer upright that followed it and when?
Since it debuted in 1949, did they raise the S model number each consecutive year?
I've only seen it in grey (S2 - mine is an S-2) or pink (S-1 and now, S-4). My reference picture files show an S-2 in beige-y pink and an S-3 in grey...so you could have your S in either colour but what is the meaning of the number designation? Curious minds want to know...
Other than colour and logo plate I've noticed no other changes or improvements to the basic machine.

Anyone in Vacuumland with a Singer S, it would be helpful if you would tell us your model No, colour, and serial number to aid this timeline research. I'll be doing the same with any other S I come across or know where they are.

Handwash the bag an a sink, or tub, with a mild detergent, after turning it inside out and vacuuming and detaching from the exhaust fitting. Hang to dry. It will come out cleaner than before but some stains will be hard set forever - mine has a stain line at the bottom.

And then there's this General Electric Twin Power slimline that appears to incorporate the same principals but lacks a cordwinder and adds a Saran outer bag with disposable paper liners. It appears to fill the bag through a rotating nozzle connection platform the bag rests on rather that a direct attachment at the rear exhaust like a Hoover or the Singer. Claimed to be a half inch slimmer. It has the style of the very late 50s and as far as I know no one has posted a picture of one in their collection.

Anyone have one?

 

[ohio_tuec]

I wish I did. I get the feeling they are rarer than hen's teeth, I guess most people bought G.E. canisters at that time. The only place I know that has one is the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in Missouri.

http://vacworld.org/slideshow

 

[portable]

Just to throw a monkey wrench into the works....I had an S-4 that looks EXACTLY like Brian's, but mine took paper bags!
All of the S-4's I have seen are that color scheme. I have only ever seen one S-series that was grey, and I don't know what the "number" part of the model number was. And we thought Hoover was confusing!

 

[briguy]

Dave, I thought you would find the S-4 an interesting model in the lineup. I want to know more about the history of the entire line as well if anyone of you Vacuumlander's out there have any details or pics.

John, I would like it if mine were to take paper bags like yours did. However I may try to convert mine as Dave did if I can do so without destroying it! We'll see...

Now I need to get giving her the spa treatment & make my first Youtube vid.

 

[aeoliandave]

Keep throwing those monkey wrenches and eventually we'll

The paper bag option must have been introduced after the S-1 and was possibly a retrofit any Singer vac shop could do to a 'bagless' model. Only after examining a great number of Ss could one reliably come to a conclusion as to which had what and when. My grey S2 shows no signs of being anything other than a single cloth bag arrangement.
I bagged it simply enough, based it on the Hoover top-fill paper bag idea with the paper 'proboscis' extension. Found a corrugated tube that would fit snugly inside the short inside black cloth baffle and stepped on it to shape it into a slim oval with a J curve at the bottom. I did this to avoid bending and choking the uptube while creating a minimal profile bulge showing through the outer bag when collapsed. Rubber banded the cloth collar on the new uptube. The paper bag with the top fill trunk I used was the right width to fit the narrow Singer bag, so it creates no unsightly bulge there either.

Thanks for the info, Karl. I found the Museum picture and that's another reason - as if I needed another - to try to get there sooner than later.