[ZombieArmy]

A revolutionary design back in the 50s, it was the first machine to operates through a gear driven motor and also the first to have a slant head. For women used to conventional black iron horses, say a Singer 66, this was the equivalent to an exotic sports car.

I never knew the history of sewing machines could be so rich.

[Arjay Bee]

I remember when my mother upgraded her sewing machine to a Necchi "Supernova Julia" in the late 60s. In mauve enamel just like this one and it had drop in nylon cams that did various set embroidery stitch patterns. And you could add cams to a bare spindle in order to create your own stitch pattern. I played with that one a bit as it had significant nerd value. Hard times in NZ at that time so my mum did dressmaking for extra money. Still has the same machine.

I never knew the history of sewing machines could be so rich.

Dig a little and all technology has its deeper history it seems. There are so many topics that come up through this forum that have enthusiasts that we get exposed to eh - tripods, tractors, torches, and non camera related equipment.

[pepperberry farm]

I never knew the history of sewing machines could be so rich.

tell my wife she has unlimited funds in a sewing shop and watch her eyes glaze over....

[cyberjunkie]

I noted this with my lens - it really allows the use of the preset (open to focus, then close to shoot if needed) - the worst preset I've found to use is the Helios 44-2. This Soligor's is the best, most userfriendly I've encounter; better than the takumar (talking about the preset function).

When I got it, I really thought it was a Tokina... but now I do not know. Apparently Tokinas are SN 17xxx (mine is SN 16xxx). I further read that it might be a Sun Optic lens (they did the early Soligors, again apparently).

I believe it is a Tokina.
All those with the serial starting with 1, a least those I have seen, were Tokina's.
Yours is a relatively early model, but not very early. The oldest ones have the Soligor brand name inscribed in a curved, characteristic font, and usually have the diaphragm and preset rings at the front.
I think your lens is from the "golden age" of Soligor. In general, newer lenses were not as good.

I have many Soligor lenses, unfortunately none of the fast, super expensive ones.
The most valuable ones are a trio of "P" lenses (all made by Tokina to the highest standards of the time), a nice Tokina-made 24mm in PKA mount, and a 35mm made by Kyoei (Acall) that happens to be extremely permeable to wavelengths outside visible light.
I also have a number of long teles made by Kino and Komine.
I have contributed with my personal findings to the thread on mflenses.com that reports on Soligor serials.
Usually the first number tells about the maker, the second about the decade, and third about the year.
Some lenses have the same first serial but are made by a different manufacturer. The length of the serial is different, though.

[Helios 1984]

I remember when my mother upgraded her sewing machine to a Necchi "Supernova Julia" in the late 60s. In mauve enamel just like this one and it had drop in nylon cams that did various set embroidery stitch patterns. And you could add cams to a bare spindle in order to create your own stitch pattern. I played with that one a bit as it had significant nerd value. Hard times in NZ at that time so my mum did dressmaking for extra money. Still has the same machine.

Dig a little and all technology has its deeper history it seems. There are so many topics that come up through this forum that have enthusiasts that we get exposed to eh - tripods, tractors, torches, and non camera related equipment.

My Grandma used to make clothes for her kids because it was less expensive. According to my Mom, she used a black Singer with a treadle up until the mid 70s.


Ps: Someday we'll have a talk about double-edge safety razors & wet shaving

[edom31]

Someday we'll have a talk about double-edge safety razors & wet shaving

I'll sit here waiting on that conversation - I have been on these for about 7 years - a great Edwin Jagger as my principal, and a smallish Merkur 1904 as my back up (got that one once when the top of my EJ went down the drain - it was rescued a few weeks later, as I was renting an apartment and couldn't just go into the plumbing myself).

I think the last time I purchased a batch of safety razors was in 2013 and I still got some left (Astra Superior Platinum). Mind you, I do not shave daily and usually sport a beard.

[Helios 1984]

I'll sit here waiting on that conversation - I have been on these for about 7 years - a great Edwin Jagger as my principal, and a smallish Merkur 1904 as my back up (got that one once when the top of my EJ went down the drain - it was rescued a few weeks later, as I was renting an apartment and couldn't just go into the plumbing myself).

I think the last time I purchased a batch of safety razors was in 2013 and I still got some left (Astra Superior Platinum). Mind you, I do not shave daily and usually sport a beard.

I came across DE on an unrelated forum back in 2012 and got hooked. I've started with a Merkur 34C and eventually purchased few vintage Gillettes. I've restored hundreds of those, It was a hobby of mine for a few years. I've sold and shipped razors the world over (Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Canary Islands, Slovenia, Turkey, Switzerland and so on).

[gaweidert]

My wife has an almost 40 year old Singer that she got new and still uses. She also has a Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic Embroidery sewing machine. These carry a list price of around $15,000. She also has a Husqvarna Ruby Embroidery sewing machine, a Husqvarna Huskylock Overlock serger sewing machine and some sort of Husqvarna just plain old sewing machine. She uses them all. Add in the spinning wheels and weaving looms and she controls about 50% of the floor space in the house as a "studio". She also does not even bat an eye when I buy a lens or camera because my hobby are so much less expensive than her crafts.



This beast even has Wifi capabilities. She can do a design on her laptop, upload it to the cloud and then access it with the sewing machine to embroider the pattern.

[edom31]

I have contributed with my personal findings to the thread on mflenses.com that reports on Soligor serials.Usually the first number tells about the maker, the second about the decade, and third about the year.Some lenses have the same first serial but are made by a different manufacturer. The length of the serial is different, though.

I think I've come across some of your posts over at MF then... great source of information.

BTW thanks for the info on my lens, it is always fun to know these little things, makes for great knowledge and conversation. 1967 (as per your SN conversion), it would make it, very likely, my most senior lens, as the Tak's are after 1970, and so are the Helios 44-2's...

[IgorZ]

I think I've come across some of your posts over at MF then... great source of information.

BTW thanks for the info on my lens, it is always fun to know these little things, makes for great knowledge and conversation. 1967 (as per your SN conversion), it would make it, very likely, my most senior lens, as the Tak's are after 1970, and so are the Helios 44-2's...

that's a baby lens then. My oldest lens is from 1952

[monochrome]

My wife has an almost 40 year old Singer that she got new and still uses. She also has a Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic Embroidery sewing machine. These carry a list price of around $15,000. She also has a Husqvarna Ruby Embroidery sewing machine, a Husqvarna Huskylock Overlock serger sewing machine and some sort of Husqvarna just plain old sewing machine. She uses them all. Add in the spinning wheels and weaving looms and she controls about 50% of the floor space in the house as a "studio". She also does not even bat an eye when I buy a lens or camera because my hobby are so much less expensive than her crafts.



This beast even has Wifi capabilities. She can do a design on her laptop, upload it to the cloud and then access it with the sewing machine to embroider the pattern.

My daughter-in-law, who teaches Family and Consumer Science (Home Ec), sounds like a junior version of your lovely lady. She has an ordinary sewing machine, a serger and a brand new embroidery machine of some sort - and an Etsy Store.

[Marcus Rowland]

I remember when my mother upgraded her sewing machine to a Necchi "Supernova Julia" in the late 60s. In mauve enamel just like this one and it had drop in nylon cams that did various set embroidery stitch patterns. And you could add cams to a bare spindle in order to create your own stitch pattern. I played with that one a bit as it had significant nerd value. Hard times in NZ at that time so my mum did dressmaking for extra money. Still has the same machine.

Dig a little and all technology has its deeper history it seems. There are so many topics that come up through this forum that have enthusiasts that we get exposed to eh - tripods, tractors, torches, and non camera related equipment.

I have a friend who writes demo programs and manuals for computerised sewing machines that cost thousands of pounds but are still in the realm of hobbyists rather than industrial machines - a couple of months ago her company paid for her to travel from the UK to a sewing convention in New Orleans and spend a few days just demonstrating the programming and talking to users. I think serious hobbyists can easily spend as much as serious photographers.

Re the razors someone mentioned, a while ago I got a job lot of photographic junk that included a weird little bakelite machine that turned out to be a razor blade sharpener. I think I sold it for more than anything else in the box, there are a lot of collectors out there - for shaving-related memorabilia, for bakelite, etc. etc.

Meanwhile my only new acquisition is a Sigma 18-50 3.5-5.6 AF for Nikon, I got it because I thought it was full frame but it turns out to be for APSc DSLRs only, also some internal dust which is probably the onset of fungus. Cost a tenner, I'll probably break even when I sell it.

[Helios 1984]

Re the razors someone mentioned, a while ago I got a job lot of photographic junk that included a weird little bakelite machine that turned out to be a razor blade sharpener. I think I sold it for more than anything else in the box, there are a lot of collectors out there - for shaving-related memorabilia, for bakelite, etc. etc.

If there is something that I learned over the years is that there are collectors of everything. Blimey! I was watching a collector TV show about a year ago (I forgot the name) and there was those guys collecting vintage washing machines. Once or twice a years they'd do a meet up at someone's house to wash clothes for the whole weekend.

[lesmore49]

Re the razors someone mentioned, a while ago I got a job lot of photographic junk that included a weird little bakelite machine that turned out to be a razor blade sharpener. I think I sold it for more than anything else in the box, there are a lot of collectors out there - for shaving-related memorabilia, for bakelite, etc. etc.
.

Quite right, there are a number of collectors who like old shaving equipment.

I'm not one of them, but after I retired I became interested in changing my shaving equipment from my electric shavers...which were fast and handy to use when I was working. I went onto a shaving forum, learned a bit about 'manual' (?) shaving and eventually changed my shaving habits.

I bought a German made Muhle double edged razor, tried out a number of different blades and finally selected the Japanese made Feather brand as my blade of choice. So there I am, shaving like my father and grandfather(s)...mixing a soapy solution with my shaving brush, in my shaving mug and shaving away each morning.

I find I really do get a clean shave. Takes longer, but I like the results.

I find it's not that easy to get shaving supplies for a double edged razor in town, so get my supplies and equipment from an online supplier, who has a vast inventory and caters to those who prefer the old time, 'traditional' shaving experience. Prices are reasonable, service is great and shipping is quick.

Reminds me of the current process when acquiring new Pentax equipment in my area. Everything has to be ordered from Pentax as new equipment is not available in my town...in stock..at any camera stores. But I still like to support my local camera store..also like to purchase their extended warranty...and order through the store.

[Racer X 69]

If there is something that I learned over the years is that there are collectors of everything. Blimey! I was watching a collector TV show about a year ago (I forgot the name) and there was those guys collecting vintage washing machines. Once or twice a years they'd do a meet up at someone's house to wash clothes for the whole weekend.

I have collected automobile license plates for over fifty years. Made contacts all over the world, and have plates from most, but not all countries.

I also have a sizable collection of diecast cars.

Although I haven’t acquired any for over 35 years I have a small collection of firearms, pistols, rifles and shotguns.

Real cars and other machinery have always been something that interests me. At one time I had 14 first generation Datsun Z cars, 240Z, 260Z and 280Z. I have a 1948 Ford 8N tractor and would have a couple more if Mrs. Racer 2.0 would let me.

I also collect experiences. I have an hour of right seat time flying a Mitchell B25 WWII bomber, sailed the Adventuress, a two masted schooner built around 1900, and operated heavy construction equipment and heavy trucks.