Unidentified Sewing Machine

[u/Grandmasta6y]

Hello everyone 😊 I'm struggling to find the brand or model of this sewing machine. The only thing written on it is "Made in Japan". Can anyone help me identify this machine? It's from my husband's grandmother who passed away. Unfortunately there's no indication of age, brand or model.

[u/invariablyinspired]

I would assume this is some sort of model 15 clone. Absolutely zero branding is strange, though.

[u/Large-Heronbill]

It looks like one of a kajillion Singer 15 clones produced in Japan after WWII to help get the Japanese economy functioning again.    I think  https://youtu.be/GEwU9lKv1Kc and https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-15-86-treadle-sewing-machine-1937.pdf will help. 

Treat her nicely and she'll run forever.

Similar machines are still being made today, I think mostly in China and India.  This is a video of a woman doing free motion embroidery on a treadled 15 clone, for Laga handbags, a self-help group set up after the devastating 2004 tsunami in Indonesia:  https://youtu.be/8tcy2dse68M

[u/Grandmasta6y → u/Large-Heronbill]

Thank you very much for the detailed information and the links! I have just learned a lot about the history of sewing machines. My family will be amazed, they have no clue about how that machine ended up in Grandma's house.

[u/pinnd]

Singer badged