Alex has spent a lifetime in the sewing industry and is considered one of the foremost experts of pioneering machines and their inventors. He has written extensively for trade magazines, radio, television, books and publications world wide.

The Singer 30

 Chainstitch sewing machine

Singer model 30 sewing machine

Most singer sewing machines are well known but the Singer model 30 is one of the rare models in the Singer range where hardly any facts have come to light.

The super-rare Singer model 30k chainstitch

I first heard about the Singer 30 model in March 2001. My friend Graham Cresswell of Nottingham Sewing Machines, asked if I knew anything about the model. This sparked my interest as I had never seen one and knew nothing about these rare little gems. It turned out that they had been made for a very short time around the First World War. They were made to compete with the famous Willcox & Gibbs chain stitch machines. Besides this, I could find out very little information and no pictures of the machine came to light. I was intrigued.

The huge Singer factory at Elizabeth Port New Jersey USA circa 1900 made the Singer 24 not Singer 30 which was made in Kilbowie, Scotland.

Later at the ISMACS convention, in Winchester, there was a lovely machine on the sales table, looking sad, rusty and neglected, but what a beauty. I immediately fell for it and found out it was Graham who was selling it. It now made sense why he had asked about the model.

I came home with my first Singer 30.

Made in Kilbowie for a very short period around the Great War. I have only ever come across three Singer 30's and all were made in the year 1913. Also all had a serial number starting with F367****. One can guess that only a handful were made. They are so rare that until more information arises we may assume that they were only manufactured in that year. A prototype for sure.

It maybe obvious why the machine was made, to compete with the best selling chain-stitch of all time the Willcox & Gibbs. However we know that Singer made the super Model 24 chainstitch which sold to children and adult alike.

The 24 is almost silent in operation and very smooth. The 24’s were mainly produced in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA. The model 24 ran with few changes from late the late Victorian period right up to the 1950’s when even electric models were offered.

Here we see a Singer 24 being advertised for children to use in the 1920's

So now we go back to the question why did Singer produce the model 30? They had a perfectly good chainstitch already.

We can guess that the Singer 30 made at Kilbowie on the banks of the river Clyde in Scotland could have been to temporarily fill a gap in production at the giant factory that had to keep upwards of 16,000 workers busy.

Maybe a lull in production saw the opportunity to make a British Singer chain-stitch machine. What we do know is that it did not last long. In 1914 the Great War erupted and 20 million men went to their deaths. After the war the deadly pandemic, Spanish Flu, wiped out another 22 million. The Singer model 30 was simply forgotten, production ceased.

The Singer 30 just seemed to disappear. One day we may know why it ceased. However for a collector the Singer 30's are a dream. Beautifully made with superb craftsmanship the machine is a delight to sew with. Light and smooth it produces a simple chain-stitch perfect for costumes and hats. The large hand wheel is grooved to take a treadle belt so it could have been used on a bench if needed.

The Singer 30 takes the same needle as the singer 24 and many of the Singer toys which is a 24x1 code. It is a short, stubby flat-sided needle and nothing but the original will work properly.

The basic model was sold without the optional, base to be screwed or clamped to a table. However for an extra 15 shillings a cast-iron ornamental base could be added so that the machine was portable and did not need clamping to use. These are the rarest of the Model 30's.

Singer Model 30k Circa 1913 with optional extra base.

Values

Even back in the 1990's a decent Singer 30 could fetch over $1,500. They are a collectors dream, so if you spot one don't let it get away. Chances are it will be a long time before another turns up.

If you have any information to add I would love to hear from you: alexsussex@aol.com

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