How old is my Pfaff 335?

[wonderland27]

Hi All,

I recently purchased a Pfaff 335 cylinder arm machine here in Canada, and I'm really curious about its age (out of interest). Three pictures are attached.

I checked out the serial number online and found two sites that dated it 1902. 

I question this though because it doesn't look that old. It also has a "Made in Western Germany" sticker on it which makes me think of a much later date.

What do you think? 

 

[Matt S]

West Germany existed between 1949 and 1990. Nice machine, they seem to be the mainstay of a lot of purse and bag makers.

[wonderland27]

Thanks! It runs beautifully.

So does the sticker trump the serial number? That's what's mystifying me. 

These two sites say 1902 ??? 

http://needlebar.org/main/dates/pfaff/index.html

http://ismacs.net/pfaff/pfaff_manufacture_dates.html

 

[mikesc]

;)

[jimi]

Look and see if the number is under the top plate where the thread spool sits? that´s where mine is.

this machine was originally black and has the older type needle bar and had a normal tension unit and it dates 1950. 

 

Edited May 12, 2017 by jimi

[KittenThrasher]

58 minutes ago, wonderland27 said:

Thanks! It runs beautifully.

So does the sticker trump the serial number? That's what's mystifying me. 

These two sites say 1902 ???  

http://needlebar.org/main/dates/pfaff/index.htmls

http://ismacs.net/pfaff/pfaff_manufacture_dates.html

 

I'm not sure that sticker is so old, clear vinyl type stuff with a very modern font, does not look in keeping with the machine at all, I'd say the metal plates are a much better bet. I think that sticker would have at least yellowed if it was more than 'some' years old.

[wonderland27]

25 minutes ago, jimi said:

Look and see if the number is under the top plate where the thread spool sits? that´s where mine is.

 

Opened it and there is nothing around the edge, but one of the metal parts inside says 10014 so that can't be it. It would be even older. 

11 minutes ago, KittenThrasher said:

I'm not sure that sticker is so old, clear vinyl type stuff with a very modern font, does not look in keeping with the machine at all, I'd say the metal plates are a much better bet. I think that sticker would have at least yellowed if it was more than 'some' years old.

Yes! Agreed. And that muddies things for sure.  I suspect it's a 30-50 year old machine - that is truly how old it looks - but that number plate is so odd. A mystery to be solved...

[jimi]

from that hammerite paint looks 1980`s to me??

[KittenThrasher]

Perhaps it's rebuilt and modified, I guess it's electric? see how old the motor mountings look, not likely an electric motor from a hundred years ago would work on our mains voltage I guess, interesting thing though.

[wonderland27]

56 minutes ago, KittenThrasher said:

Perhaps it's rebuilt and modified, I guess it's electric? see how old the motor mountings look, not likely an electric motor from a hundred years ago would work on our mains voltage I guess, interesting thing though.

It's possible. It has a brand new servo motor and is bolted into a new table so no clues to work with there unfortunately.

That number plate mystery persists! If it is not an original part of the machine why add it? Why make the machine look older than it is. Odd. 

[Hockeymender]

I had one that looked the same, the original selling dealer dated it to the mid 1960's. 

[wonderland27]

On 2017-05-13 at 8:11 PM, Hockeymender said:

I had one that looked the same, the original selling dealer dated it to the mid 1960's. 

The sixties seems about right. Did you have a serial number plate on the front?

[Hockeymender]

Yes, just the same as the one you have pictured. 

[GPaudler]

I have one just like it and haven't dated it but it's 1960s at the earliest and 1980s at the latest.

If I could only have one sewing machine, this would be it. Unison feed, 8mm (5/16") foot lift,

shortish stitches and smallish maximum thread size - probably 138, but very reliable and versatile.

 

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, GPaudler said:

I have one just like it and haven't dated it but it's 1960s at the earliest and 1980s at the latest.

If I could only have one sewing machine, this would be it. Unison feed, 8mm (5/16") foot lift,

shortish stitches and smallish maximum thread size - probably 138, but very reliable and versatile.

 

I know I will regret saying this but I have found that I get a fair bit longer stitch by removing the plate that is around the stitch length lever. I was warned by a mechanic that this may make something in the machine be able to go tooo far but 10 years later I haven't found it to be a problem.I can only say that if you do it check carefully by hand turning it over that there is nothing that touches and you do it at your own risk. Sincerely Brian

[dikman]

Brian, I found the same thing except I filed the bottom of the plate to allow the lever to touch the bottom of the frame slot (can't go any further than that!). I watched all the mechanicals to make sure nothing was touching where it shouldn't and everything works fine.

[GPaudler]

Brian and Dikman, I should have checked-back earlier. Thanks for the pointer, a longer stitch from this machine would be great.

 

[dikman]

You can squeeze a slightly longer stitch by doing this, as there's no other adjustment that I could find internally. But it all helps.