Chicago Sewing Machine Co.,
The Defiance Sewing Machines, 1900, Illustration of Defiance No. 4
On this day in 1790, the first patent for a sewing machine was granted. With its invention, sewing machines contributed to the Industrial Revolution and transformed the textile industry.
At the National Museum of American History Library, a 1900 catalog from the Trade Literature Collection features Chicago Sewing Machine Co.'s very own Defiance Sewing Machine (pictured), which was patented Oct. 25, 1898. Complete with such features as a self-threading needle and automatic bobbin winder, the Defiance Sewing Machine was "constructed of the best material in use, every bearing, without an exception, being of steel or case-hardened."
If you are interested in learning more, the Smithsonian Libraries has a digital collection of sewing machine-related trade literature available.
—Mary Jinglewski
One Comment
SI Scholarly Press recently published Smithsonian Contributions to History and Technology, No. 54, by Barbara S. Janssen. This is a two-volume index sorted four ways of the patent models housed at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. There are quite a lot of sewing machine models listed. The center section of each volume has lots of great color photos. Searchable PDFs can be downloaded for free via SI Scholarly Press’s website: http://www.scholarlypress.si.edu.