Scandalous Sewing

It started with me wanting to know the age of my sewing machine. My aunt E. , who was a Home Economics teacher gave it to me more than 40 years ago. I’d taken sewing in high school back in the 1960’s. At one time I made most of my clothes.  In later years I do mostly crafts, alterations and repairs.

  This is my Morse sewing machine.  All metal parts, no modern bells and whistles, a little beat up from traveling with me through life but, it's perfect for what I want.

This is the accompanying array of feet and tools that came with the machine and kept in the pink and ivory plastic box. The feet you buy now have to be purchased individually. 

The Scandal

Philip Morse and his wife began their company in 1948.  At one time many sewing machines were made in Japan. Japanese companies  shipped their products through Morse’s shipping company, Mercury. Once in the U.S. the machines were distributed to various sellers who would brand the machines with their badge. Among them, Janome, White and Kenmore. Staying true, if a machine had “JA” inscribed it meant the machine was Made in Japan.

Morse began selling sewing machines also. BUT, he didn’t mark his machines JA though they  were Made in Japan.

Morse and his company Mercury would remove any information linking the machines to their Japanese origins. Instead,  he’d advertise and label his sewing machines as being  “Made in America with American parts.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) learned of his fraudulent claims and ruled against Morse in 1955 stating that he misrepresented country of origin and manufacturer. Obviously, this omittance was done to bolster sales.

If you'd like to know more about the Morse story go to Silver Bobbin .

 I decided to give my Morse sewing machine a facelift.  Before I could paint it I attempted to repair some of the rough spots.

I attempted to paint the inside but, the fumes of the spray paint were too strong even wearing two cloth masks.

                                          

I plan for us to be together for as long as possible.💓💓

That's it***