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 Shakespear c1873     Agenoria  Serial No. 6909.
Manufactured by The Franklin Sewing Machine Company, Franklin Works, Birmingham.
Prior to 1875 The Franklin Sewing Machine Co. was taken over by Joseph Harris & Co. which continued to produce the Agenoria..
Joseph Harris & Co then purchased another Birmingham sewing machine manufacturer A. Maxfield & Co. and renamed the newly enlarged company The Imperial Sewing Machine Co. In 1877 this firm was taken over by the Royal Sewing Machine Company.
All these companies produced Agenoria machines, the Maxfield version however was significantly different in that it did not use the Harris & Judson patented movement and had a loose balance wheel.
What is unusual is no matter which company produced the machine the brass needlebar covers are, with the exception of the Company name and other wording, virtually identical and showing the same image of the deity Agenoria - Goddess of Industy & Silence seated next to a prone Lion.
 Franklin needlebar cover
This machine was probably produced c1870 and has the name Agenoria on the arm. On the brass needlebar cover a Registered Design lozenge for 24th February 1869 (we think!) appears centrally just beneath the machines name.
Engraved on the cloth plate is the company trade mark which we believe represents a bobbin with crossed needles with The Franklin Co. round it. The machine stands on a wooden base.



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