I have acquired a small sewing machine. It may be a toy, or, as someone suggested, a salesmans sample. It is black, and appox. 9" long X 6" tall. It is manual (crank) and it does sew. On the bottom of the wooden base is says: Manufactured by NATIONAL SEWIND MACHINE CO. Belvidere, Illinois U.S.A.
I read that the company closed in 1953, but I also found a mention of the Damascus Model in an instruction at the Smithsonian web site, and they date the document 1890-1929.
Thanks all, have exhausted all ways I know of to get info.
interceptor