might be much lower in value than
either number used in earlier years. The larger number is believed to
have been a record of total production while the lower number may have
referred to a machine of a particular style. The Singer company records
can shed no light on the meaning of the top (or lower of the two) serial
numbers. Generally, in the earlier machines, the difference in the two
numbers will not affect the dating of a machine by more than one year.
Since dating by serial number can only be estimated, the two numbers do
not add an appreciable variable prior to 1873. Only the larger number,
however, should be considered in dating machines after 1873.

_Serial Number_ _Year_

1-100 1850
101-900 1851
901-1711 1852
1712-2521 1853
2522-3400 1854
3401-4283 1855
4284-6847 1856
6848-10477 1857
10478-14071 1858
14072-25024 1859
25025-43000 1860
43001-61000 1861
61001-79396 1862
79397-99426 1863
99427-123058 1864
123059-149399 1865
149400-180360 1866
180361-223414 1867
223415-283044 1868
283045-369826 1869
369827-497660 1870
497661-678921 1871
678922-898680 1872
898681-1121125 1873
1121126-1362805 1874
1362806-1612658 1875
1612659-1874975 1876

Since records of annual production from 1877 to the turn of the century
are not complete, it is difficult to establish yearly approximations.
Using the machines submitted as patent models, and thus known to have
been manufactured before the date of deposit, however, has provided us
with the following date guides. By 1877 there had been 2 million
machines manufactured, 3 million by 1880, 4 million by 1882, 5 million
by 1884, 6 million by 1886, 7 million by 1888, 8 million by 1889, 9
million by 1890, and 10 million by 1891.

[Illustration: Figure 122.--SINGER "New Family" sewing machine.
(Smithsonian photo 58987.)]

[Illustration: Figure 123.--STANDARD SEWING MACHINE of about 1870. This
chainstitch machine is believed to have been made by the company that
later became the Standard Shuttle Sewing Machine Company, when they
began manufacturing lockstitch machines about 1874. This machine is
marked with the name, "Standard," and with the dates "Patented July 14,
1870, Patented