Damascus Sewing Machine History
Antique Damascus Sewing Machine
Damascus Sewing Machine Serial Number Location
Damascus Sewing Machine Serial Number Location 1

Copyright 1925 BY MONTGOMERY WARD AND co. If your sewing machine, accessory, or ephemera has a name on it, this is the place to start. If we don't have a listing for the name, please use the search function to see if there is any mention of it on our site.

The Damascus Grand Rotary Sewing Machine, sold by Montgomery Ward, decades ago, remains one of the most beloved machines ever created. People around the globe still use, revere, and protect their Grand Rotary sewing machine.
A collector's item, this amazing machine at the time sewed about 1/3 quicker than all other models at the time and it became an instant classic. Every serious sewer and amateur sewer alike quickly learns the nuances of a machine and then becomes one with their machine. This machine is one of the few machines in history to become such an instant and enduring classic.
Even in today's society where convenience and speed are paramount, people enjoy and perfect their sewing skills. In fact, we often pay a premium to have people sew things for us as we appreciate the quality of good sewing. Those among us who have perfected the art of sewing will be quick to point out that it is as much about their machine as it is about their individual skills.
Whether creating a new dress or shirt, hemming pants, altering their favorite garment, attaching buttons or embroidering, the art of sewing is appreciated by all, yet mastered by surprising few. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in sewing that has led to an increase in popularity of collectible machines such as this one.
Collectors know the value of a great machine and all of its accessories including the needles, cases and even manuals. That's right, there is an entire market of people looking for, finding and selling owner manuals for popular machines such as this one.
As people look for the ultimate find in sewing, they often come online and research these classic machines to find the machines themselves, as well as the various accessories that are available for the machine.
We would be curious to learn if Montgomery Ward's thought for a moment that when they began to offer this machine nearly a century ago that it would become such an instant classic. Whether they knew it at the time or not, there is no doubt that this amazing machine has caught the heart and the attention of sewing aficionados around the world who love their Damascus Grand Rotary sewing machine. If you are serious about sewing, I highly recommend you get your hands on one of these machines.

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.

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

Damascus Sewing Machine Serial Number Location