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 Smith & Egge Automatic of 1896

No wonder these little beauties are so collectible, sweet or what! Note the weird threading.

Although over 50,000 Smith & Egge machines were made around the turn of the 19th century, under various names, only around 500 are known to exist today. Let me tell you a little about these sought after American beauties.

William Smith & Frederick Egge started their company in 1873-4 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. However they did not start making sewing machines for many years. In fact the sewing machines were made in Department N at their Bridgeport works. So heaven knows what was made between A-M! They also had premises at 16 East 14 Street, New York, under the Smith & Egge Manufacturing Co. They made an automatic button hole attachment for normal sewing machines there.

At first they did not make sewing machines but locks for letterboxes and won several government contracts.

For nearly 20 years they made locks, keys and chains for the American Postal Service and sewing machine cases as well as other hardware.

Their chains were very popular including ones for sash windows replacing the rope that often rotted and broke. All sash chains were guaranteed for 10 years.

Smith & Egge were manufacturing experts and could turn their hand to almost anything from bicycle wrenches to sewing machine parts. After supplying parts to some of the sewing machines companies of the period such as Singer and Wheeler & Wilson, the writing was on the wall, why not make their own machines!

These plates were changed depending on which store was supplied.

It was not long before the successful partnership looked more closely at the humble sewing machine. Department N was born and for over a decade some real beauties came out of there.

The market was huge and millions were being made by companies selling a product that every household wanted. The sewing machine has been described as the greatest invention of the Victorian era.

Wheeler & Wilson, just up the road from Smith & Egge, was fast becoming the largest sewing machine manufacturers in America and a thorn in the side of Singers who later managed to buy their factory and level it! One way of removing competition I suppose.

Notice the fine differences of the models.

Patents were taken out for their first sewing machine on June 2nd 1896 and then further improvements on Jan 26th 1897 and Oct 19 1897.

The needle plates tell the dates!

Now, there were several varieties of basic machine, all chain stitch with loopers very similar to the Willcox & Gibbs one but of inferior casting. For those still with me, it is interesting to note that a Willcox & Gibbs needle works perfectly on the Smith & Egge machines. They also used a simple automatic tension that was lifted, each stroke, by the needle bar arm, hence the word automatic in their advertising.

The looper was very W&G and the needles also fit.

Smith & Egge were brilliant at marketing their little machine, they sold some as toys then changed track and sold them as adult machines. Macy's sold them as girls toys while others advertised them as adult machines. In fact they used a double edged attack, advertising their machines as not a toy but simple enough for children to use! Sneaky eh!

Smith & Egge Little Comfort sewing machine with chain drive

The 30oz machine was sold with vigour to many large stores and this is where names change on the basic models. All machines were supplied with a sweet clamp to attach it to a chair, windowsill or table, or wooden leg if you were a pirate, arrrgh!

The table clamps were small and sweet.

Note: The Wilcox & Gibbs chain stitch needles fit and work perfectly in the Smith & Egge Little Comfort machines.

The models I have seen so far that were probably all made by Smith & Egge are as follows:

Other Smith & Egge  Sewing Machines

Smith & Egge Automatic

Little Gem sewing machine

Cordova sewing machine

Peerless Automatic, (see picture below)

Automatic sewing machine

Baby Sewing Machine ( I'm nearly 100% sure this was made by Smith & Egge).

The Smith & Egge Little Comfort Automatic

Improved Little Comfort

Little Comfort Improved Mk II (rounded model)

Reliable sewing machine

Wanamaker, (large retailer in New York and Philadelphia)

Schwarz, (New York toy shop. Hey I thought it wasn't a toy!)

Spenser sewing machine

Perfection Automatic sewing machine

The Little Comfort, improved.

Also there are several other machines that look very similar such as the Spenser Automatic of Boston, Massachusetts and the Baby. 

By simply changing the front plate Smith & Egge could put whatever name you wanted on their machines.

We know that one of the most popular models was the Little comfort and as production at Bridgeport expanded sales rocketed. It was not long before they were boasting of over 50,000 machines sold!

The Peerless Automatic, same Smith & Egge manufacturer different badge.

The average price for the models around the turn of the century seemed to be between $2-$4 depending on which store you bought your machine from. Funnily, they just had to use chains (which they were so good at making) on some of their early models instead of shafts but they were soon replaced for simplicity.

The quality of there machines was undeniable and they produce a fine chain stitch through multiple layers of cloth. No wonder they sold so well.

The Spenser Sewing Machine was obviously a Smith & Egge clone

Due to the superb engineering the Little Comfort sewing machine by Smith & Egge became one of the most popular small machines of the era, out selling all competitors in the same price range. There boxes proudly boasted their phenomenal sales.

A standard Smith & Egge

I am not 100% sure when or why the company stopped making sewing machines but I am guessing the sewing machine side disappeared around 1910 but I would love to hear from anyone with any more information on this point. alexsussex@aol.com Frederick Smith died at the ripe old age of 88 in 1917.

Peerless Automatic Sewing Machine of 1896

Smith & Egge machines are very popular with collectors and prices rise and fall with the ever changing demand. Although many were made most have been broken, lost or simply thrown away over the last century leaving only a few hundred.

Value obviously depends on condition and extras, some fine ones have fetched over $650 and as they become older can only rise in value. 

They are sought after little pieces of history and look fantastic in any collection. I guess being made for such a short period so long ago they can only get rarer and more scarce so grab one while you still can!

The Smith & Egge Improved Little Comfort Sewing Machine, note the rounded edge to the plate and hand wheel mechanism. The Improved was the smoothest of all their models.

Well that's it, I do hope you enjoyed my work. I love to hear from people so drop me a line and let me know what you thought: alexsussex@aol.com

A brief history of the Smith & Egge sewing machine company 

By Alex Askaroff

Fancy a great read: Ena Wilf  & The One-Armed Machinist

Or a brilliant slice of 1940's life: Spies & Spitfires

Many of Alex's stories are now available to keep, click on the picture for more information.

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