After the Free Sewing Machine Company took over New Home some models were sold under both the New Home and Free names (as well as other badged names). New Home machines started to use letters in front of their serial numbers in about 1930. The letters represent the model type. This applied to all models, including those with a Badged Name. Free-Westinghouse Sewing Machine Type E Electric w/ Case & Accessories (3G5.31.J. Or Best Offer +$69.00 shipping. Watch; S p o n s o r e d. Antique Free-Westinghouse Vintage Sewing Machine Knee Pedal Working Extras Rare. Number of bids and bid amounts may be slightly out of date. See each listing for international.

National Reversew 'Rex' (Model RUSA)
With notes on the Reversew 'A' and Reversew 'B' This one takes a bit of storytelling. The executive summary is this: I'd been interested in the National Reversew 'Rex' for some time. Although I had made the mistake of saying that I wasn't particularly interested in Vibrating Shuttle machines, this one just looked so darn cute. Plus, it was partially made from aluminum, quite advanced for its time (Designed at least as early as 1935).

This machine was sold under quite a few names as National both built it for others, as well as badging it with several storied names from National's own past. As a result, this machine is quite common. I'd seen any number of them go by on eBay, but didn't want to pay shipping on a common machine so I was waiting for one to turn up locally on Craigslist or 'where ever'.

What I wasn't expecting was one to turn up badged 'American Beauty'; although I shouldn't have been surprised as American Beauty is a known National badge. So this machine embodies a convergence of two separate sewing machine interests: Its a Reversew 'Rex', and its badged 'American Beauty' so I went ahead and grabbed it even though my primary interest in American Beauties are the Birginal-Bigsby machines mostly made in Japan.

A sewing machine by any maker with a serial number of 500 or less would be considered early, desirable and pretty rare. Low serial numbers by more obscure makers would be even better. At the left is an example of a sewing machine called the Ne Plus with serial # 21. It dates from the mid 1850's. Note how different it looks from later sewing.
He told me when I submitted the machine's serial number (103022081 - stamped under the bed): The serial number under the bed indicates the machine is later post war and the nine digits indicates it is very late machine. Produced in 1953 or 1954 with a slight possibility of late 1952 as a 1953 machine. I put my money on it being a 1954.
That number is the Westinghouse's motor style number. The serial number of the actual machine can be a number of places. One would be on the bed of the machine under the motor. One is on the bed of the machine under the front slide plate. One would be on one of the slide plates (which often are lost and/or replaced without the serial number).

Zorba has scanned and made freely available a PDF of the manual (15MB). This is a 1936 version for the Reversew 'B', but is salient for the 'Rex' as well.

As it spans two pages in the manual, you may want to download this separate Machine Diagram to print out on A sized paper (764KB).

A kind reader, 'Mary' came forth with a scanned PDF of the 1940 Reversew 'A' (Treadled) manual (12.1MB).

As it spans two pages in the manual, you may want to download this separate Machine Diagram to print out on A sized paper (614KB).

From a 1936 advertisement:

REVERSEW. The reversew sewing head has a controlled reverse stitch mechanism enabling the operator to sew in either backward or forward direction. Makes a perfect lock stitch while sew- ing either backward or forward. Chrome finished bright parts, new invisible heatless direct to needle sewing lamp and a hinged pressure [SIC] foot for sewing over heavy seams.

With Dependable Motor and Built-in Electric Light.

Supplied with a walnut finished base and a leather-grained fabricold carrying case that holds all parts.

The streamline styling, attractive decorations, controlled reverse stitch mechanism, concealed sewing lamp and other modern features make this model an outstanding value.

No. 1126 - Complete with all attachments; shipping weight 52 lbs... $89.85

That was a SERIOUS amount of money in 1936! And that was NOT the rare bentwood cased version, which would have been more money.

Reversew 'Rex' badged 'American Beauty'

What I've been able to find out so far:

First, there is absolutely NO sense whatsoever in recounting the history of the National Sewing Machine Company here - there are several web resources that tell the story well. Suffice it to say they made a bazillion machines over their long history under a huge number of brand names ('badges'), both for themselves and others. I find their machines very interesting. I now also have a National 'Streamliner' and an 'Expert B.T.' in addition to this one!

As for the machine itself, I first applied WD-40 into the top of the needlebar as the machine was frozen up. It was an 'estate find' from a 90 year old woman in Ohio who passed - may the Goddess Athena bless her for keeping the machine in good shape overall. The case you can see behind is also in pretty good shape (It won't need restoring like the Singer 99K case did.), but had an eye watering musty odor that needed sorting out. I love the wooden bases these Reversews came in!

As for its age, I had 'Randy', an expert on all things NSMCo, advise me as there are no available serial number records like there are for Singers. He told me when I submitted the machine's serial number (103022081 - stamped under the bed):

The serial number under the bed indicates the machine is later post war and the nine digits indicates it is very late machine. Produced in 1953 or 1954 with a slight possibility of late 1952 as a 1953 machine. I put my money on it being a 1954. My other real late machines also have long serial numbers and most of them are 1954 which is the last year of production as far as ['Damascus'] Annie and I can tell.

['Damascus'] Annie's serial number records are from dates recorded on machine warranties which are sale dates. The possibility of the machines actually being made the previous year [ or two ] is great. But we go by the selling date. I have a Eldredge rotary with a warranty date of 1932 but it may have been made in 1931 or even 1930. So getting close is the best we can do since there are no factory records available. Like automobiles, sewing machines introduced new models in the fall as the next model year machines. And on rare occasions - even earlier in the year if they wanted to.

So there you have it, its one of the last ones made. The presence of molded wiring connectors also bears this out. Although the design is older (from 1935 or before), this particular machine is actually the same age, or slightly newer than my '52 Micro Bell!

Working on the Machine:

I broke the old girl loose, the needlebar, shuttle, etc are all operating. Then I got the presser foot/bar loosened up. Not surprisingly, they both were frozen at the bottom where their respective (steel) bars passed through the aluminum casing. No doubt from being stored for decades in the Ohio humidity!

I removed the bars, buffed them up, oiled everything and reassembled. A box of baking soda dumped in the musty case seems to have removed most of the odor - at least it isn't making my eyes water any more!

Presser bar (lying in foreground) removed.

Needlebar and its crank removed.

All re-assembled. Note the paint problem on the face plate.

After oiling everything in sight, I was able to power her up for the first time. She goes like crazy - but nowhere near as smooth as a more modern machine.

New overall picture.

A replacement faceplate with good paint dresses her up a bit..

Backside overall.

Wheel end with new bobbin winder tire.

Topside view. I don't know if these originally had a spool felt, but I like the look.

Yes, the same people that make the famous blenders..

Veteran NSMCO collectors told me all about these electrical connectors. Seems that early machines had connectors with screw terminals whereas the later production, such as mine, had the connectors molded onto the ends of the cords. Not good 60+ years later when the cordage becomes intermittent and no-one seems to make these connectors anymore. The replacements shown here, like the new faceplate pictured above, came from a donor machine. Bad for it, good for this one.

Nevertheless, I'll hold onto the molded connectors as they could be re-wired if s

Free Westinghouse Sewing Machine Serial Numbers