The machine illustrated is marked "Greenman and True" and bears the serial number 402; it was probably manufactured early in 1860. (Smithsonian photo 48216-N.)]
[Illustration: Figure 92.--GROVER AND BAKER SEWING MACHINE. The Grover and Baker machine was one of the more popular machines from the 1850s until the early 1870s. The company produced iron-frame machines, fine cabinet models, and portables (figs. 35 and 36). Their machines may be dated by serial number approximately as follows:
1-500 1851 501-1000 1852 1001-1658 1853 1659-3893 1854 3894-5038 1855 5039-7000 1856 7001-10681 1857 10682-15752 1858 15753-26033 1859 26034-44869 1860 44870-63705 1861 63706-82641 1862 82642-101477 1863 101478-120313 1864 120314-139148 1865 139149-157886 1866 157887-190886 1867 190887-225886 1868 225887-261004 1869 261005-338407 1870 338408-389246 1871 389247-441257 1872 441258-477437 1873 477438-497438 1874 497439-512439 1875
(Smithsonian photo 45513-B, an engraving of a Grover and Baker sewing machine from an advertising brochure of about 1870.)]
[Illustration: Figure 93.--HANCOCK SEWING MACHINE, 1867. One of the many inventors who turned his talents to inventing and producing a mechanically simple and cheaper machine was Henry J. Hancock. His 1867 machine is only about six inches wide; it uses a tambour-type needle, pulling a loop of thread from below the stitching surface. (Smithsonian photo P63197.)]
[Illustration: Figure 94.--HANCOCK SEWING MACHINE, 1868. Hancock in 1868 received both a design patent and a mechanical patent now using the eye-pointed needle and a hook to form the chainstitch. The design was an open framework circle with a mirror mounted in front of the table clamp. The purpose of the designated "looking glass" was decorative only. The Hancock machines were only manufactured for a few years. They measure 10-1/2 inches in width, slightly larger than the earlier machine. (Smithsonian photo 48328-M.)]
[Illustration: Figure 95.--[A.C.] HERRON'S PATENT SEWING MACHINE, 1858. The manufacturer of this machine is not known, but the machine was based on the patent of Abial C. Herron issued August 4, 1857. All the machines carry a small heart-shaped plate just above the needle descent bearing the patentee's name and the patent date. The patent covered an improvement in the method of making the chainstitch. The machines were provided with a hand crank, but were also meant to be operated by a belt and treadle. No records of the extent of manufacture of this machine have been found. This machine head measures 14 inches in width, about standard size. (Smithsonian photo 48329-J.)]