Sewing Machine Stitchery Advertising Premiums.......Wow, that’s a mouthful, but what else could one call them?
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Author’s note:
I haven’t been able to find anything written about sewing
machine stitchery sample advertising. I
corresponded with
existing sewing machine companies asking about stitchery
samples and only Singer responded; telling me there was
nothing in their archives however, the Singer representative
added they were “probably made by independent dealers.”
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The first practical sewing machines were sold to the public
in the 1850’s. They were only the second
machine (the first being firearms) to use standardized parts, making manufacture
and repairs significantly easier than for non-standardized machines. In the early to mid-19th century many
people believed women would be unable to operate machinery. Marketing sewing machines required that
belief be countered. Showrooms were setup
in cities and exhibition halls with pretty, young women demonstrating the
machines, disproving the above fallacy about women and machines. Sewing machines were sold on installment
plans, the first household items to be sold that way; and trade-ins were
offered for older and competitor machines.
Trade cards became a popular advertising media during the 19th
century. This was fueled by a
scrapbooking craze of the era.
Advertisers competed to offer the most beautiful and interesting cards,
hoping their cards would attract attention and would be retained. Singer Sewing Machine, Davis, Howe, New Home,
Wheeler & Wilson, Domestic, and other major sewing machine companies all
created traditional attractive and novelty cards, but unlike trade cards for
non-sewing machine goods, some of the sewing machine cards depicted
“fac-simile” printed pictures of beautiful embroideries and costumes made on
their machines. A small number of cards
were even engraved with pictures of embroidery stitches that could be done on the
advertised sewing machine.
The next step was to put an example of the stitching
directly on the card, some with fancy embroidery stitches and others with trim
or ruffles sewn onto the card. This led
to cards being published with blank sections for embroidery (usually flowers or
hats) to be added. However, unless these
cards found their way into a collection (either an album or an emptied cigar
box), most likely these cards would be trashed.
During the late 1800s someone decided
that sewing machine advertising might be more effective if premiums were offered
that would be retained and perhaps used, serving as constant reminders of the
quality of their sewing machines.
I believe the first premiums were late
1800s doll bonnets. Each bonnet was shaped
and had attached ruffles, requiring much machine-work. I have two of these: a 7
X 3.75-inch one, stamped on the inside with “From the Standard Sewing Machine
Agency, 326 No. Wash. AVE., Scranton, PA” and a 6.4 X 4.3-inch one stamped
“Stitched on ‘No. 9’ Wheeler & Wilson”.
Standard was in operation from
1884 until 1929. Wheeler & Wilson
produced the No.9 Sewing Machine between 1887 and 1905. I haven’t seen any other sewing machine
advertising bonnets---perhaps because all stampings are on the inside or
because multiple washings may have obliterated those stampings; but I also
suspect that because so much work went into making each of these bonnets, their
original distribution was minimal.
Another popular premium, offered by
advertisers of many products, and especially popular before the advent of
electric fans, were cardboard hand-fans.
However, some of those advertising sewing machines had added sewn-on
embellishments. The two in my
collection: one made by “White Sewing Machine Company” of Cleveland, Ohio
(White moved to Cleveland in 1866.) and another by “Standard” have ruffled
ribbon edgings and bows. Due to frequent
use and weakened cardboard where embellishments were sewn-on, few of these fans
appear to have survived, although I suspect they were fairly common during the
turn of the century.
The most common (or perhaps, the most
saved) sewing machine sample stitchery advertising premiums seem to be
miniature (doll-sized: 2.7-inches to 6-inches long) aprons. These were made from at least the early 1890s
until about 1940. Davis, Domestic, New
Home. Singer, Shryock, Wheeler & Wilson, White, and perhaps other sewing
machine manufacturers, all offered these premiums. I have seen 16 of these, 13 of which are in
my collection. Most of these simple
little aprons are stamped or printed with Sewing Machine Company information,
although a small number are made with special Singer Sewing Machine logo fabric
and/or have business cards sewn into the waist or into one of the ties.
The last type of premium I have found
is an embroidered silk or rayon book mark of unknown date still attached to a
paper imprinted with “Made on the ‘White’ Sewing Machine with Shaded Corticelli
Sewing Silk” and “White Sewing Machine Co., Cleveland, Ohio”.
If you have any additional information on Sewing Machine Stitchery Advertising Premiums or examples to show I would love to hear from you!
