Help dating/identifying maker of Montgomery Ward Sewing Machine

[sin]

Hello. Pinpointing the actual maker of this machine - and dating it, has been harder than I would have thought, considering I have the model number, the seller (montgomery ward), etc. However, my search so far has discovered Montgomery Ward used several well-known makers, all of which copied each others styles and identifiers and switches between old company and new company owner changes add more confusion. I thought I had it down to National, but then further research tripped me with reference to a Davies and an Eldridge. Also, Sears had it's Model A that they discuss in reference to this Model E. And too, the instruction book I have that came with the machine (a gift) has an S40 model number on it. Yet pictures of the S40 look like my Model E.  The motor on my machine has the words "Model E" on it, and unless someone before me replaced the original motor with this one, i must assume it is correct. Mass confusion on my part. I simply wish to know WHO made the machine, and when!  lol...I have included some pics, but if more info is needed, please say.

[waywardangler]

Sears and Montgomery Wards put their specs out for bids.  Different companies had the contract for different years.  Tools, refrigerators, sewing machines, stoves, etc. were all made by different companies and branded with the stores brand.  Still goes on.  Craftsman tools have been made by many different companies throughout the years the brand has been in existence.  The quality goes up and it goes down with the specs and the actual manufacturer.

Regarding your machine, I would look in the manual for a copyright or date code printed on the bottom of the front page(s) or last page(s).  Look for something like 5/56 which would be May, 1956.  This would ballpark your machine's age.

[sapphire]

Here's a few bits and pieces for you.

http://www.ismacs.net/national/from_eldredge_to_national_to_janome.html

Referred to as a Late Model Paveway....
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2042848020054936530WEtskY

Referred to as the Seamstress.......(an earlier Paveway can be seen further up the list)
http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals.com/173/InventoryPage/1797261/1.html?pageNo=1&catId=smmnational

Apparently the Paveway was just another name for the machine made by National for Regal.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/quilt/msg0821055918603.html

"It was made by the National Sewing Machine Company --Regal just sold it. Send me the serial number and I'll see if I can pin down a date of manufacture for it. Serial number will be found stamped into the bed of the machine under the front slide plate. Remove the plate and the numbers is at the end of the curved shuttle race."


Some information here, included in the response to someone's query about their machine.......

http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/collectibles/vintage-montgomery-ward-sewing-machine-218469.html

"If you flip the machine up from the base of it, you should be able to find some numbers, one of them being the serial number, that should be of use to you in finding further information about it.

I think that it's likely that you have a machine that was manufactured for Montgomery Ward by the National Sewing Machine Company of Belvidere, IL.

There is some interesting history about the National Sewing Machine Company.

The quote below is from the following site: American Sewing Machines

Quoting :
This machine was made by the National Sewing Machine Company of Belvidere, Illinois which was formed in 1890 by the merger of the Eldredge Sewing Machine Company (est.1869) and the June Manufacturing Company (est. 1881). The firm appears to have specialized in producing badged machines for retailers. In 1953 it merged with Free Sewing Machine Co. but was unable to compete with imported models and the National Sewing Machine Company closed in 1957.
A "badged" sewing machine is one that has been manufactured by one company and then sold to another company for the second company to sell with its own name on it, such as Montgomery Ward did.
I'm thinking with the references I've found Seamstress most likely is the 'name' of yours, as it was made for Montgomery Ward"

.......now on to finding a date

[sapphire]

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/sewing/msg0222085417647.html

Check out the postings starting at the fifth from last on this page......sounds like it might possibly be related
to your machine.

Need more caffeine here 

Here is the person that could likely answer all your questions. She is the one giving information on the above site and
she collects as well as uses Nationals

http://community.webshots.com/user/damascusannie

[sin]

waywardangler and sapphire, Thank you both for some great information and links. I will follow up on those tomorrow. Here is the serial number, yay, found it !  315204157

I wonder, then, how the S40 thing fits in. The instruc. manual is for this machine, all the accesories and parts and everything matches. The manual mentions that when ordering needles to be sure to specify the Eldridge F.S. or class C needles..and I think I read that National bought out Eldridge, so that fits.

You know, I don't even sew. If it needs fixing I superglue it (blush) yet somehow I've ended up with 3 vintage/antique sewing machines in the last two months.  

Thank you !

Waywardangler - in the back of the book is this number....Z964 3-52 B.  Could the 3-52 be month month and year?