From Sewing Machines we have had with manuals (from which you can get a date) to data collected via the Internet here is a very rough guide you can use to estimate the age of your Jones Sewing Machine. Jones originally in or around 1880 started with a simply numeric list of serial numbers for all their machines. 'Free Sewing Machine Company.In 1895 the Illinois Sewing Machine Co was founded using assets from the former Royal Sewing Machine Co of Rockford, Illinois. Free became the president by 1910, and organized a parent company - the Free Sewing Machine Co. Production continued in Rockford until 1958, when it relocated to Los Angeles, California.
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Company Information
History from 'The Growth of a century: as illustrated in the history of Jefferson county, New York from 1793 to 1894' by Haddock (1894) describing early Davis history and reasons for leaving Watertown.
Davis Serial Numbers
Dating Indications List collected and provided by Jon Helig
100,000 machines sold in 8 years (dated 1878)
| SERIAL | DATE | MODEL | OTHER INFO |
| 96839 | 11/15/1877 Bill of Sale | LAVF | Baker & Eberly, Mount Olive, Virginia |
| 255354 | 1882 | Type 2 | Watertown |
| 129201 | 7/10/1879 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 135092 | 9/29/1879 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 138414 | 11/7/1879 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 142394 | 1/14/1880 Bill of Sale | LAVF | eBay |
| 142580 | 1/14/1880 Bill of Sale | LAVF | eBay |
| 148849 | 3/25/1880 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 153284 | 4/29/1880 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 159041 | 6/22/1880 | LAVF | B & E |
| 181850 | 12/20/1880 Bill of Sale | LAVF | B & E |
| 258905 | 29 December 1882 | VF1 | |
| 265578 | 5 May 1883 | / | Smithsonian |
| 327754 | 26 September 1885 | ||
| 356045 | 13 November 1886 | VF1 | |
| 368663 | 26 May 1887 | VF1 | |
| 425662 | 10/2/1889 Warranty | VF1/New High Arm | Watertown |
| 506031 | 5/7/1891 | VF1 | Dayton |
| 514922 | 20 August 1891 | VF1 | |
| 530537 | 1892 | VF | Dayton |
| 549905 | 21 August 1892 sold 9/20/1893 | VF1 | sold 20 August 1893 |
| 564883 | 2 June 1893 | VF1 | |
| 609141 | 11 October 1894 | VF2 | |
| 671835 | 29 Dec 1900??13 Feb 1901?? Warranty | Underfeed or Manufacturing | Dayton (eBay) |
| 687896 | 2/8/1897 Warranty | VF2 | Craigslist |
| 693138 | 9/1896 8/1897 | VF2 | Quilting Board |
| 697797 | 11 August 1898 | ||
| 762942 | 6/7/1899 | VF2 | |
| 780429 | 19 October 1900 | ||
| 1014371 | 10/25/1902 Warranty | VF2 | |
| 1033080 | 29 December 1903 | VF2 | |
| 1048371 | 12 August 1904 | ||
| 1065173 | 10/18/1905 | VF2 | |
| 1086386 | 5/10/1907 | VF2 | |
| 1089317 | 9 August 1907 | No.25 | cost $65 |
| 1139638 D | 5 December 1908 | Minnesota | |
| 1231283 D | 20 October 1905 | Minnesota A | |
| 1258110 D | 27 April 1906 | Minnesota A | |
| 1299428 D | 7 September 1907 | Minnesota A | |
| 1506246 D | 9 December 1904 | Minnesota | |
| 1053443 | 1905 | Type 4 | Dayton |
| 2201824 D | 29 April 1907 | ||
| 2414588 | 27 July 1909 | VF2 | Sales Receipt |
| 2728909 | 25 October 1913 | NVF | |
| 2729701 | 9 December 1913 | NVF | |
| 2746591 | 5 November 1914 | NVF | Warranty |
| 2782702 | 4 August 1915 | NVF | |
| 2786326 | 18 November 1915 | NVF | |
| 3652732 D | 2 February 1912 | Minnesota A | |
| 3655873 D | 10 April 1912 | Minnesota A | |
| 3708448 | 11 September 1916 | NVF | |
| 3735183 | 3/18/1918 | NVF | |
| 3736719 | 27 March 1918 | NVF | |
| 3655902 | 17 May 1919 | NVF | |
| 3757234 | 23 May 1919 | NVF |
Vertical Feed Machines
Serial #681615
Courtesy of Crystal
This is a High Arm Vertical Feed (the fourth type developed). Made in Dayton, OH. It has rounded corners, a spool pin to the center of the arm with manual tension facing the operator instead of mounted on the arm. Underneath the machine VF is cast into the base.
Vibrating Shuttle Machines
Serial No. ?
Courtesy of Billy
Badged as The Marathon No. 3. Typical Davis bobbin winder, treadle belt groove on outside of hand wheel, Tree of Life carvings on case. No motor, hand crank or treadle belt holes in base. Model to be determined.
Pfaff Sewing Machine Serial Number Database
Davis Underfeed Model Reference
Courtesy of Jon Helig
Source: 1908 Excelsior Supply Co. - Manufacturers & Jobbers of Sewing Machine Supplies
Davis Parts Catalogs
Courtesy of Jon Helig
Brother Sewing Machine Serial Number Database
Model D
Models E, H & G
Model J
Models L & K
Models M & N
Model T
Model ME
Model Davis Rotary