16

In use from 1887 up to 1963

Recorded serial numbers: 2,146,514

Recorded factories:

Successor to the "Improved Family" or class 15, was the "Improved Manufacturing", which was given the class 16 designation.

The arm is longer than the "Improved Family", with more room for sewing.

Lock stitch oscillating shuttle, it generally came with knee lifter.

Industrial use, for clothing and heavier work in woven fabrics, shoes and other leatherwork.

Documented Machines

(What does it mean?)

Total n.: 18

Factories:

Documented Decals:

Documented years: 1887 - 1952

Table of contents

Factories

Factory	Tot. Machines	Decals	Years
Kilbowie, Clydebank (Scotland, UK)	1,924,682	Early 20th Century Industrial	1900–1963
	1,924,677	No known decal	1900–1963
	5	Early 20th Century Industrial	1900–1915
Elizabethport, New Jersey (USA)	218,831	Early 20th Century Industrial / Scrolls and Roses (Industrial Variant)	1887–1963
	218,825	No known decal	1887–1963
	4	Early 20th Century Industrial	1894–1900
	2	Scrolls and Roses (Industrial Variant)	1891
Montreal (Canada)	3,000	—	1900–1906

Decals

Decal	Tot. Machines	Factories	Years
Early 20th Century Industrial	10	Kilbowie, Clydebank (Scotland, UK) / Elizabethport, New Jersey (USA)	1891–1915
	5	Kilbowie, Clydebank (Scotland, UK)	1900–1915
	4	Elizabethport, New Jersey (USA)	1894–1900
	1	No known factory	1891
Scrolls and Roses (Industrial Variant)	2	Elizabethport, New Jersey (USA)	1891

Manuals and Lists of Spare Parts

Manuals

16

Directions for using the Improved Family Singer sewing machine
- Document with searchable and selectable text
(Code: 7129)
Published in 1891
Supersedes Form 7006
Instructions for using and adjusting Singer sewing machines of class 16 central bobbin
Instructions for using central bobbin Singer sewing machines (15K and 16K) for manufacturing
- Document with searchable and selectable text
(Code: K83)
Published in 1900

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Lists of spare parts

Model 16-188

List of parts for Singer 16-188
(Code: 8933)
Published in 1958

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About the data shown here

The information here about decals is based on “Documented Machines” currently recorded in our database. We currently do not have an official Singer source about which decals were in use where, when and on which machines.

The information about factories and serials, instead, is based on the official Singer factory records that survived, plus the “Documented machines” we could verify.

Our dataset is continuously growing as new machines are documented and shared by collectors and researchers. As a result, the details presented here should be considered indicative and may be updated over time.

Contributions are very welcome: if you own or know of a vintage Singer machine, please feel free to submit information via the form or contact us to help improve and expand this research.

Do you want instead to identify your Singer sewing machine age and/or model? You can use our Singer Serial Number Database Lookup.

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