Singer Sewing Machine, 1881
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Before the sewing machine, making clothing was a time-consuming task. By hand, sewing a shirt took about 14 hours; with a machine, a little over an hour. Isaac Singer developed the first practical sewing machine for home use in the 1850s. Yet it was the Singer company's marketing strategies--an installment plan, advertising aimed at women, and foreign sales-- that would be its greatest innovation.
Before the sewing machine, making clothing was a time-consuming task. By hand, sewing a shirt took about 14 hours; with a machine, a little over an hour. Isaac Singer developed the first practical sewing machine for home use in the 1850s. Yet it was the Singer company's marketing strategies--an installment plan, advertising aimed at women, and foreign sales-- that would be its greatest innovation.
Artifact
Sewing machine (Equipment)
Date Made
1881
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Made in America
Object ID
31.765.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Dimensions
Height: 39.25 in
Width: 35 in
Depth: 16.75 in
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