5:55 PM


Hello and welcome back to my blog.....

Recently,  I ran across the ambrotype while surfing Ebay. It is called an occupational- Let's call it, "Young tailor with a 1856 Watson Paw Foot Sewing Machine." It is a great image, but is it 1850s?



  "Buyer Beware." 
Dealers, on Ebay or at a flea market will tell you about the photo & realize they might be right or they might be wrong and that's where you need to check the facts.

At first, I worried if this was 1850s or not.


LET'S GO OVER THE CLUES
Clothing
So, I looked for clues. At first I looked at his clothing and thought he might be wearing a tie....but then I remember what Joan Severa said in a recent posting that the caveat could be loosely tied and realized it was loosely tied and was tucked into his coat which might be an occupational hazard for a tailor.

What do I already have in the subject of clothing?
I do have a Button Salesman already in my collection- A picture of a young man who has a sewing machine would add enhance my occupation images.


I do have a bonnet factory


Can I find out more by googling????

In seconds I was a site called Meeker's Mechanical Nature Antiques page for Early American Patented Antique Sewing Machines- and the sewing machine is 1856!!!!


As I scrolled down, it reads
"1856 Watson Patent Paw Foot Sewing Machine  The Watson patent sewing machine is a nice example of one of the earliest patented American sewing machines having a patent date of 1856.  The machine sports a small brass plaque with the patent info, date, and Watson name on the main cross arm.  The firm was located in Bridgeport CT according to Carter Bay's book on the subject." 


The machine has been japaned (painted black) and decorated with a flowers. The gold scroll detail may have been a stencil.




Now, I go back to check the sewing machine in the image to see if the feet match and they do.




Although we can't see the color, we can see the design matches the machine above.




And we get a chance to see the underside


In the end, I am satisfied and this image has became part of my collection. I invite you to find a photograph and begin looking for clues and seeing what you can find out googling.  Good Luck!