1950's Kenmore Sewing Machines

Kenmore Sewing Machines

1950 - 1954

The 1950's saw big changes in sewing machines and manufactures. It may be the best place to get hold of a little rhyme and reason when it comes to Kenmore machines. The first machine of the 50's that Sears & Roebuck continued to sell was old the Franklin designed Kenmore. First introduced in the 1933 catalog it didn't sell well and was re-introduced in 1938 as the "Kenmore" hoping that if Sears applied it's trusted Kenmore name to the machine that it would give it some prominence. Sales proved this to be the case and it was continued to be offered until the end of the fifties.

 This angular crinkle-finish machine was sometimes called simply "The Kenmore" sometimes The Kenmore Rotary, and sometimes the word Deluxe is mixed in, but it all begins with the Franklin and it keep this shape throughout.

As the decade begins Sears relies on The White Manufacturing Company of Cleveland Ohio to to provide sewing machines. Between the Domestic, Kenmore, Imperial and White labeled sewing machine lines White had become the second largest sewing machine company in the US.

The "Football" or 117.959 model barely makes it into the fifties. The most significant change with the football is probably the color. The model began in the same near black crinkle finish as The Kenmore, and then it was offered in a light gray and green tinted finish.

The Kenmore 'long shuttle' is another White made machine that is sold until the mid-fifties. The easy identifiers here are the bell shaped service door on the front above the tension dial and the shuttle winder.

So here we have (for the most part) three very distinct shapes of mostly dark colored machines. The Kenmore (Franklin), the Football, and the Long Shuttle. Changes in paint color: a football in light gray, or a Kenmore in green or copper brown... hints at the 50's era since these new colors were added near the end of the model life.

The other color Sears & Roebuck sold in sewing machines with the Kenmore label came from The New Process Gear Company of Syracuse New York.  They provided a different look to the Kenmore sewing machine line with  smooth bodied, light-weight and sleek looking machines made from from aluminum in a color other than black.
They were almost always a shade of blue-green metallic, and the manufacturer designation prefix would be: 120.

These machines are interesting in that they utilized nylon/plastic to replace the brass races on the shafts of the machine. Combining the aluminum body with the much lighter bearing races provided a very portable sewing machine. The only real issue is that the races eventually wore out and there wasn't a fix. If the machine survived until today, there's good reason to be cautious of it's ability to sew well into the future.

I should also mention the Kenmore 117.97 although I have yet to find a photo of a survivor.

It too was made by White and offered in the early 50's.

Any variation of one of these 5 shapes of sewing machine was the extent of the Kenmore line until 1955. 

One color paint jobs are indicators, and each machine is a straight stitch only unit.

1955

Although some of the models being made in the early fifties will continue to be made, 1955 has one important change in the Kenmore line-up. The Kenmore Zigzag Automatic.  The ZZ machine was being provided by White, but was actually made in West Germany by Gritzner-Kayser. It is one of three machines to be exceptions to the manufacture number. The Sears number says "117" assigning it to White - but it is not a White built machine.

 The Kenmore Zigzag Automatic. 

White did offer another model in 1955. It resurrected its old FR Rotary machine, renamed it the Commander 30. It appears to have been sold by Sears under the 'Commander 30" moniker between 1955 and 1956.  From what I can gather from references it appears as if the 1955 Commander 30 was a White manufactured machine, while the 1956 model may have been made in Japan.

The Commander 30

The other odd-ball for 1955 is this model: the Kenmore 116.531. 

This is a machine that seems to have escaped the history books. It appears at first to be of the same color and manufacturing style as the New Process Gear machines, but has several White-like features as well. It was a one-year only portable machine. (See blog entries entitled: I've got the Yoyo & You Have the String?)

1956

The deal between White and Gritzner-Kayser continues as they introduce the 117.740. The most notable change is the that it's the first decorative cam machine ever offered by Sears - and also a high shank machine.  Never mind the fact that the bobbin door isn't all that ergonomic, that gets fixed some time in mid production with the addition of a second slide plate. Some models were blue, some green, some in between.

1957 

The zigzag White/GK machine becomes two-toned, and labeled the 117.840.  it's not alone now as the only zigzag machine available because the 148 and 158 manufacturer designation begins this year with a host of new machines.

Before going over more new offerings, I should take the time to explain a subtle change in nomenclature which is hinted at in the above manual cover.  The manufacturer's number on the serial number plate does not change in 1957... nor does the number orientation. There's still a 3 digit number indicating the maker, then the decimal point and a number to the right indicating the model. The 117.841 is still a White provided model 841. What changes is the way that Sears & Roebuck identifies the model to the consumer. As seen in the owner's manual above, Sears literature now refer to the machine as a Model 84.

Here's another example:

The model above (not from the 50's) is officially known as a Kenmore 148.520, but instead of just leaving it as that, Kenmore decided to refer to the machine in advertising and printed materials as "The Model 52". The number 52 being the first two numbers of the number set on the right of the decimal from the ID plate. 148.520. Eventually they would run out of first two numbers and go as high as the first four numbers.

Up until the now Kenmore had not done this. This was new. They never tried to sell the old Franklin/Kenmore machine (117.52) as a model 52. This "new" way of identifying the Kenmore machines may have made things easier for the consumer of the 50's... but now, years later, it may add some confusion.

Which 52 are they talking about?

This is not a model 52 it's a 117.52

This is a model 52, it's a 148.520

The owner's manuals have this new "model" treatment. Once you begin to understand that if the sewing machine in question has a manual that claims to be a model number on the cover, chances are the machine was made after 1956.

To be more specific, if the manual cover claims a model number in a way like the manual above, then the machine was made after 1956 and provided by either White (117) Gritzner-Kayser (516) New Process Gear (120) Maruzen (158) or Soryu (148).

Introduction of the Japanese Kenmore Machines.

The first Japanese manufactured Kenmore labeled machines enter the line in 1957.  Many of these were zigzag models and many are referred to as 'automatic'.  The new prefix number would include both the 148 and the 158 numbers. The later 158 number is identified as Jaguar or Maruzen while the 148 belongs to Soryu.

148.270 & 148.271 Commander made by Soryu.

Soryu Models for 1957 also include the "Model 39"

The Model 39 will include the Kenmore ID numbers
148.390, 148.391 and 148.392
A Class 15 machine with *Kenmore Deck

*Many Kenmore machines will only fit in a cabinet built for a Kenmore
the deck is square-cornered instead of round-cornered
and the machine deck is usually 19 inches wide instead of 14.5.
What it means is that the Kenmore machine probably will not fit
in another sewing machine company's cabinet.

Maruzen models new to 1957 include the model 35, 37 and 44.

The Model 35 includes Kenmore ID numbers

158.350 158.351 158.352
The Model 35 was the third zigzag and second pattern cam machine available from Kenmore
The cams are small and black and there as many as sixteen where the GK model only had nine.
The Model 35 is a class 15 High shank with Kenmore Deck.

 

The Model 37 includes the Kenmore ID numbers

158.370 158.371 158.372
This is another Zigzag with pattern cam machine and the same cams fit the model 37 as the 35.
A class 15 High shank with Kenmore Deck and I have to say
one of my favorite colors of the 1950's.

 The Model 44 (158.440) made by Maruzen
A Zigzag machine on a round cornered deck.


1958

According to some references 1958 is the year that White lost it's contract to supply Sears & Roebuck with sewing machines. This may be true, but the standard Kenmore (Franklin) would be offered throughout 1958 and records include the machine in 1959 with the identifying 117 prefix. 

This didn't mean that Gritzner-Kayser didn't continue to supply Sears with machines. It meant a new manufacturer's number was again added to the list (516) as GK provided new and revamped version of last years 840. The machine was awarded the most interesting name:  The Lady Kenmore. This German made Kenmore machine would be sold in 58 and 59 and perhaps as late as 1962.

The Lady Kenmore Model 89 (516.891)
Zigzag and decorative stitch but now with a built in cam stack.
Class 15, Kenmore Deck


Soryu would again offer the Model 39 in 1958 (148.392)
and introduce the Model 27 and Model 86

Kenmore Model 27 Challenge
What really does appear to be a Kenmore 15 clone.
I would guess a class 15 bobbin straight stitch.
Designated as a 148.270, 148.271, and 148.272

Kenmore Model 86 (148.860)


  Maruzen would continue to offer the
Model 35 (158.351 & 158.352)
Model 37 (158.372)
and
Model 44 (158.440 & 158.441)
as well as add the following:

Model 45 (158.450)
*Haven't found any image of a Model 45 yet.

Model 46 (158.460)
Zigzag with decorative cams
Class 15, Kenmore deck

Model 47 (158.470)
Zigzag with decorative cams
Class 15, Kenmore deck

1959

As the era ends Sear & Roebuck are still selling:

The Kenmore (Franklin) by White

120 designated machines from The New Process Gear Company of Syracuse New York 

The Lady Kenmore (Model 89) from Gritzner-Kyser

Soryu continues with the 27 and 86 models (148.861) 

Maruzen supply models from 1958 as well and "new" Model 35 (158.353)

and Model 44 (158.44)

This wraps up the 1950's when sewing machines changed considerably as well as the manufacturers that provided the machines - especially the Kenmore line for Sears. What I find interesting about these machines and the decades to follow is that so many of them were rather well done. Both the Necchi BU and the Pfaff 30 that I rescued from the same time period were machines that were nearly frozen and it took days to loosen them up. Even the recent experience with a Pfaff 130 that was quite stiff - took a lot of time and oil to get the machine back in operation.

Oddly, none of the Kenmore machines that I've worked on from this era ever took as long to get back to running. I've never had to rewire a Kenmore motor and still to this day, it was a Kenmore made in Japan that made such a perfect stitch that I still miss it. Perhaps Kenmore machines aren't as exotic or cutting edge, but so many of them have stood the test of time and continue to function on a daily basis. Maybe they weren't made for boat sails or horse saddles... or advertised by an Italian Actress... but it doesn't mean they weren't a quality product. To me, the Kenmore line is over-looked. It is perhaps the best deal around when it comes to a good, durable vintage sewing machine that's a lot of fun to use. They usually sew well - and isn't that what a sewing machine should do?

When it comes to identifying a Kenmore it's difficult to narrow down a decade with the black or almost black machines at a glance. Chances are that a dark colored machine was built prior to 1956. If, however, the machine is of a bright color or two-tone in salmon, yellow, beige, light green or blue - then you have entered the decade of 1956 or younger. The bright colors and two-tones spill into the early sixties making this period of electric Kenmore sewing machines pretty easy to identify.

*I should note that I am not a historian, and I'm sure there are mistakes in this presentation. Hopefully I will be able to correct and add pictures and facts and they become available. (ie: Please let me know!) Needless to say I will be updating this page and consider it a work-in-progress. Maybe it can give the vintage sewing machine fan a starting point in identifying Kenmore models of the 1950's. Or better yet, maybe some one will reading this will consider a vintage 50's Kenmore as a new addition to their sewing room.

Edits to follow.