Manufacturer
WILLCOX & GIBBS
Portable Sewing Machine
Credit LineCollection of Museum London, 1975
Object number1975.028.023
Label TextThis is a Willcox & Gibbs portable sewing machine. The machine was known for its reliable, quiet, and affordable chain-stitch design, which was based on patents from inventor James Gibbs in 1856 and 1857. Partnering with James Willcox to form Willcox & Gibbs, the company began production in 1858. It introduced lighter, cheaper machines that were more accessible to the public than existing heavy models. The company hired Brown & Sharpe to manufacture the machines using the "American system" of interchangeable parts, ensuring precision and ease of production.
NameMachine, Sewing
