Haid&Neu Sewing machine - Cast iron

Rare hand-crank sewing machine in cast iron with claw feet – 19th century – c. 1875–1885

The specimen stands out for its imposing entirely metal structure and, above all, for the particular shaped base with four claw feet, still decorated with traces of the original polychrome and gilded finish.

The machine features a curved body with a large side flywheel of three curved spokes, operated by a crank with a light handle. By lifting the upper bed, it is possible to observe the complex internal mechanism, consisting of shafts, gears, eccentrics, and levers intended for transmitting motion and for the stitching system.

For constructional and mechanical characteristics the specimen can be traced to the first European domestic machines with shuttle/lockstitch from the second half of the 19th century.

The particular conformation of the base, the flywheel, and the mechanics finds interesting comparisons with some German productions from the last quarter of the 19th century, including machines belonging to the Rhenania type. However, in the absence of a recognizable brand or factory number, no definite attribution to a specific producer is proposed.

An interesting object of the history of technology and of 19th-century industrial design, today particularly decorative as well as collectible.

No clearly legible brands or serial numbers have been identified.

The photographs are an integral part of the description and should be examined carefully to assess the condition.

Shipping:

Careful and professional packing, with special protection for protruding parts, the flywheel, the crank, and the cast-iron feet. Tracked shipping.