301 timeline

Updated 5/05

A number of 301 owners are eager to date their 301, as they have done with their other older Singers. Singer Customer Service  (1-800-4SINGER) does not have records of the date of issue of 301 serial numbers, as they do for other machines.

Below is a timeline of sorts, with both general and specific reports we have of original purchase dates for specific machines.  Specific dating is still very difficult, because you will note many breaks, some large, in the sequence.  Machines were not necessarily distributed from the factory, nor purchased, in numerical sequence!  Machines could sit in warehouses or Singer shops for months.  Generally, machines that include a Month and/or Day have written record of the original purchase,  while machines with a year only are reported according to someone’s memory. 

 

TIME/YEAR	MONTH/DAY	SERIAL #	COMMENTS
Centennial		NA000019  (BSB) NA000050  (BSB) NA000074  (TSB) NA000144  (TSB) NA000242  (TSB)  NA000278  (BSB) NA000522  (BSB) NA000732   NA000857  (BSB)	These machines all have very low serial numbers and Centennial Badges, 1851-1951.  Serial numbers for other Centennial-badged Singer models were issued as early as 1949. BSB=black short bed TSB=tan short bed
1948-1949		NA067500	This machine has a 301 BUTTONHOLER receipt dated 3/49.  No record for machine purchase.
		NA073802	The original owner remembers this machine as the first gift given to her by her new husband, probably around 1948 or 1949.
1950		NA108509	Reported to be a 1950 wedding gift from the groom to the original owner.
1951		NA160831	Has handwritten notes in the manual, notes are dated 1951.
October 1952			Noteworthy because Singer made a "Grand Introduction" of their revolutionary slant needle machine at this time.  To date, I have seen no 301 advertising that predates 1952.  The above machines would suggest some 301s were around prior to this date, but the reasons for this apparent sequence of events are still unclear.
1952		NA055572 NA104022 NA282558
1953		NA045686 NA222700
	5-19-53	NA073655
	10-24-53	NA097708	Paid $295.50 for the beige shortbed in a No. 40 cabinet.
	11-6-53	NA096787	Purchased for $227.50
	12-17-53	NA333745
1954		NA323593
	4-20-54	NA174651
	12-1-54	NA240309
	12-7-54	NA240741	Black longbed
1955		NA260882
	3-12-55	NA267485	This black machine sold for $271.50, including cabinet style 40 and sewing stool 100002.
	8-55	NA360058	Won as Grand Prize in a Singer Sewing Contest, Chicago, IL.  It's a tan longbed.
1956	3-15-56	NA307170
	8-31-56	NA403141
	12-15-56	NA433370
1957		NA433048
	12-31-57	NA453026
1958	1-2-58	NB006062	Purchased for $205.75
	7-58	NB050598

If you have accurate original purchase information about your 301, please email Joy for details on how to have it added to this data.