This is The Elna Supermatic. For it's time, it was an absolute revolution. It used cams to make fancy stitches. The folded up silver bit is the knee lever, instead of a foot pedal.
This was the Transforma. The short of cash woman would buy this straight stitch model, and then save her pennies. When she was ready, she took her machine in and they added the cam mechanism. At that point, it became a Supermatic.
These were the first vintage machines I bought. They have a friction drive mechanism that can go bad, and the repair is simple. Actually, I have repaired both of them. But, like an idiot, I forgot to use them in the last few years, and so the drive wheel has gone flat again. I'm taking it as a sign. I have (gasp) too many machines. These are for sale, along with another Supermatic, as a herd. I miss them already! So green, so cute! So Swiss made. I have to not think about it too much, or I'll buy them from myself! ( I wonder if I would give myself a good deal?)
4 comments:
Sew cute! I've never seen either in the wild. Sorry you have to sell them.
I bought an Elna Transformer in a sewing cabinet for $15. It lived in a smoker's house for many years. I'm using the cabinet for my Elna SP (1969 vintage) and I cleaned up the Transforma and donated it back to the thrift shop where they sold it for $40. I had never seen one before and it's interesting how it became a Supermatic. good luck in finding these great machines a new home.
We have one of the brown Elna Supermatics. My husband considers it an heirloom since it was his grandmother's originally. I used it when my Singer Athena 2000 died and until I could afford to purchase my beloved Phoebe (my first Pfaff). The green ones are a little more attractive to my eyes but they are all workhorses.
My mother had a pea-green Elna with a ton of cams, got it as a wedding present in, let's see, 1952? Still a great machine. I am seriously tempted if you're really sure you want to let that Supermatic go.
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