Morse Sewing Machine

[rp2813]

I saw a Morse sewing machine at Salvation Army today.  I'm not familiar with this make.  This one had soft leatherette bag rather than a hard carrying case.  From the looks of the bag, I'd place it at +/- 1970 vintage.  I did a brief search on line and found one mention of Toyota putting their badge on Morse machines.

 

Are they anything special?  How would they compare to other makes?

 

I don't sew, but know people who do and am wondering if Morse is a prized machine by hobbyists.

 

[danemodsandy]

Morse:

Was a machine for the budget-minded; it was an impressive enough machine in the hands of a skilled demonstrator, and it wasn't terrible or anything. You'd see them in smaller chains like W.T. Grant's or Rose's Stores and in independent "buy here, pay here" furniture stores.

No one who knew sewing machines ever went out of their way to buy one, though.

 

[norgeway]

Re Morse

I used to do the Sewing and vacuum repair for a store in Marion NC , Mrs Scott the owner was a Morse dealer for years, She said the company was owned by a man named Phil Morse, he evidently put his name on several different imported products, stereos were another big seller for Morse, and yes, I have worked on some of the older ones that had Toyota stamped on the internal parts...Great machines .

 

[athanasius80]

They're a Japanese machine of their period. They don't have the clout of a vintage Pfaff, Necchi, Elna... or even Kenmore, but they're competent. And I am biased toward a machine without plastic parts.

Do you intend to do a lot of sewing?

 

[retromania]

Morse

I collect vintage mags and Morse advertised a lot in the 1950's and 60's.