If you can say that you went out and purchased brand new Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines, then you are either really old, a really good liar, or really dead. Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines haven’t been manufactured since 1908 and that’s because they were bought out by a company named Singer. In their brief time, Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines were known as the best sewing machines that you could buy, and even though the newest one is over 100 years old, there are actually still some in use this very day because they are that good.
Wilson and Wheeler Set the Standard
When it comes to the modern sewing machines, you can thank the Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines that came before them. Wilson and Wheeler had a peculiar habit of naming their machines in the order that they were designed, and then also in the order that they were available. So sometimes what was known as the Number 5 machine also became known as the Number 2 machine, even though there was already a Number 2 machine on the market. It was their Number 9 machine that entered into America’s household – easy to use and with modern features, it was marketed as the best sewing machine for family use available, and it was.
Wilson and Wheeler Couldn’t Keep Up with the Retailing End of Things
Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines might still be around if they had been a complete business. In 1904, just fifty or so years after applying for their first patents and manufacturing their first machines, they had to sell off the retailing portion of the business to Singer. Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines were expertly crafter for their day, modern and ahead of their time, and Singer realized this. However, because Wilson and Wheeler were almost inept at the sale of their machines, it just ended up being their downfall. Singer continued to manufacture Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines until 1913, when everything just became Singer.
Today’s Machines Have Wilson and Wheeler to Thank
Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines and their design set the modern standard for sewing machines that are still used today. Certainly the modern sewing machine is electrically based or has a lithium ion battery, but the mechanics and the very styling and sewing ability that you get in the modern machine is thanks to the patents that Wilson and Wheeler came up with 150 years ago. Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines may only be in antique shops or your Great Grandma’s home, but they are an important part of history. You would not be able to wear the clothes that you are wearing today, have the shoes that you have today, or have the intricate stitching you see in modern clothes without the initial work of Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines.
Wilson and Wheeler sewing machines may have gone quietly into the night, but their legacy will always live on through Singer – keep that in mind the next time you see a Singer sewing machine.
