Singer didn’t invent the first sewing machine, but the one he patented on this day, Aug. 12, in 1851, was the most practical ...

IN Cornhill, Boston, thirty years ago, there was a shop for the manufacture and repair of nautical instruments and philosophical apparatus, kept by Ari Davis. Mr. Davis was a very ingenious mechanic, ...

Sewing machines have a rich and fascinating history that dates back to the 19th century. The first practical sewing machine ...

The craftsmanship of the machines and the intricate woodwork and scrolling on the stands and cabinets that house them make vintage sewing machines, like this one owned by Marenthia Lagarde of New ...

This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's ...

Many of the stories that I share in this biweekly column are suggested by readers. These are related to a place or event I remember from growing up during the early baby boom years in the Berkshires.

We're relying on the experts to answer this one and who better than the folks from the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society? Historians of the sewing machine's early days can argue for ...

This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's ...