in search of information on my treadle
 

Hi,
I just purchased a Bartlett treadle sewing machine,
need information on this machine. Or even where to look
for information. I did get a partial manual with it, would love
to find a complete manual. Thanks for the help

The Bartlett name doesn't ring any bells. Can you provide a picture of it. There are many "clones" or machines with store names on them. A picture would help to get you the correct manual from another machine name.

Ok I will try to post a picture tomorrow. Sure hope it helps with getting information.

I'm almost positive Bartlett is a badged National. Could make a positive ID with pictures.

Did a bit of searching - Some are badged "the Bartlett" and later are Bartlett and Bartlett Rotary.

The interesting item - some of "The Bartlett" are the National "Seamstress" model, this is the one that looks a lot like a New Home on the outside. This machine has a top tension leaf. Then there is another that is very similar with a tension knob, but it has a wide throat plate like Free and Singer, however the attachments show they are not the style that fits Free or Singer. Interesting - will be looking forward to seeing pictures of yours.

This is the one with the wide throat plate and knob tension. I'd lean towards this one being made by National also, looking at the underside and what shuttle it take would help.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Bart...3D221554849580

And this has the top leaf tension and the narrower throat plate (this one I'm sure in teh National Seamstress model, I own one like it).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Bart...item51a8b647da

Looked on Needlbar and found a National made machine very similar to the first. The tension is on teh front (like Singer 15) instead of towards the user.

http://needlebar.org/cm/displayimage..._display_media

many moons ago I did have a Bartlett, this summer I saw one for sale that didn't look anything like the one I had. So I did the search, every thing ( pic's) looked more modern.


I think it's needle bar has a list of who made what.

Smithsonian says this ....

Bartlett Sewing Machine Company
New York, New York 1870-1876
1866-1870: Goodspeed & Wyman, Wichendon, Massachusetts
The Bartlett Sewing Machine Company featured pictures of sewing machines powered by
hand and foot.

If it looks like a "modern" sewing machine, it's going to be a badged machine. I've seen a few real Bartlets and they look like the kind of machines SteveH likes to collect. Like with many Names, when the old company went out of business, one of the existing grabbed the name and started using it.

I've seen so many listings where the seller thinks they have a really old machine because of this - but they have a newer "Badged" machine using the now defunct company name. I've about given up trying to educate sellers - once in a while they are glad to know, most of the time they're rather rude about my letting them know they don't have a valuable machine.