The Moldacot Pocket
Sewing Machine Company Ltd

This web page was created by David & Lin BestŠ2006 - 2008 & David Best 2009, 2010 see copyright notice below

Moldacot: Serial No. 11593.

In 1886 The Moldacot Pocket Sewing Machine Company Ltd was formed to market a small sewing machine called The Moldacot which had been developed by A. D. Moll and J. C. Cottam, utilising the patent of S. A. Rosenthal. However actual production of the machine was sub-contracted to William Brown, 45 Brearley Street, Birmingham and James Holroyd, Tomlinson Street, Manchester.

The finished machine although ingenious and well manufactured was a stunning failure - it simply didn't sew particularly well and the Company seems to have made no efforts to correct its faults or increase the disappointing sales, which were less than 10,000 in the first year.

In 1888 the Company changed names first to The Moldacot (Colonial Foreign) Pocket Sewing Machine Co. Ltd then in March 1888 to the United Sewing Machine Co. before going into liquidation, leaving dissatisfied shareholders and vast stocks of unsold machines. So huge were these stocks that two years later J. Theobald & Co. were still selling them off on behalf of the liquidator at the reduced price of 5s 6d - the original machine having been priced at 10s 6d.

This machine was made in Britain probably in 1886, the main body of the machine is cast brass which is then Nickel plated.

It has the "open" hand wheel, there are two other types - some have a "closed" hand wheel, exactly the same but without a hole in the centre of the hand wheel (see below), others have no hand wheel at all and rely on a push action to generate the motion. The machine produced a lock-stitch utilising a tiny shuttle and bobbin and would have been clamped to a table during use.

This machine came complete with its tin which carries advertising for Horrockses Calicos and has the operating instructions printed in the lid. The hand wheel has to be removed from the machine before it will fit in!
As well as black these tins came in red, blue and green. The cheapest versions came in a cardboard box, the most expensive in a leather covered one.

Moldacot: Serial No. 122091.

Another example of the Moldacot, this time made in Germany, however the basic design is exactly the same as the versions made in Birmingham and Manchester. This machine was made in c1887 and it has the "closed" handwheel.

The plate has been stamped with the machine's serial number, name and that it was Patented in London, this has then been over-stamped Made in Germany and so appears to be an after thought!

The Nickel plating is pitted and worn in places. It has a "closed" hand wheel (below right). This example is missing the thread guide.

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