01
Fiddle-Base Casting
Features the iconic serpentine cast-iron bed inspired by Victorian Singer No. 12 and Saxonia designs.
Curio Gallery
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01 / 06Gritzner Fiddle-Base Transverse Shuttle Sewing Machine — photograph 1
Highlights
Why this object
still matters.
This antique Gritzner hand-crank sewing machine features a traditional cast iron fiddle-shaped bed and transverse shuttle mechanism. Mounted on a bespoke wooden cabinet bearing a brass plaque from Poona furniture maker Tria & Co., it retains its gear-driven hand wheel with a white porcelain handle. The machine displays authentic patina, exposed mechanical linkages, and twin top spool spindles.
02
Porcelain Crank Handle
Operated via a side-mounted hand wheel geared with an ergonomic white porcelain turning grip.
03
Dual Spool Spindles
Twin vertical steel spool pins mounted along the top of the cast iron arm for winding and threading.
04
Bespoke Poona Cabinet
Fitted into a hardwood base made by colonial-era furniture makers Tria & Co. in Budhwar Peth, Poona.
05
Original Maker's Medallion
Retains the circular brass Gritzner factory medallion fixed to the main vertical pillar.
06
Shell Brass Hardware
The front cabinet door is accented with a scalloped cast brass cup handle and period keyhole escutcheon.
Specifications
The useful facts,
clearly recorded.
Measurements, construction, identity, and seller-supplied details are kept together for direct comparison.
Reviewed · Curio catalogue
Maker
Maschinenfabrik Gritzner & Co. AG (Durlach, Germany)
Origin
Germany
Year
1895
Department
scientific-instruments
Packed shipment
4 kg · 40 × 30 × 25 cm
Mechanism type
Transverse shuttle (Singer 12 / Saxonia type)
Drive system
Side-mounted hand crank with internal gear drive
Bed style
Serpentine / fiddle-shaped cast iron base plate
Handle material
Glazed white ceramic / porcelain
Cabinet maker
Tria & Co., Furniture Makers, 595 Budhwar, Poona 2
Shuttle slide plate
Dual sliding metal inspection plates
Details
Close inspection,
recorded in photographs.
Detail № 01 · Gritzner Fiddle-Base Transverse Shuttle Sewing Machine — photograph 2
Detail № 02 · Gritzner Fiddle-Base Transverse Shuttle Sewing Machine — photograph 3
Heritage
A traceable life,
carefully recorded.
Provenance documentation was not supplied for this specific Gritzner Fiddle-Base Transverse Shuttle Sewing Machine; this listing is based on the supplied photographs only.
Colonial Trade
Bespoke Indian Cabinetmaking
Imported European sewing machine mechanisms were frequently cased by local Indian artisans, as evidenced by the triangular Tria & Co. brass plaque from Poona visible on the rich hardwood cabinet.
Industrial Craft
The Reliable Hand-Crank Mechanism
Built for households without electrical power, this Gritzner machine's heavy geared flywheel and smooth porcelain grip allowed precise, durable stitch control during everyday garment construction and repair. That specificity gives the buyer a traceable, emotionally resonant piece of Germany design history rather than a generic decorative substitute.
Timeline
An object in time,
one continuous story.
1872
Foundation of Gritzner
Max Carl Gritzner establishes his sewing machine factory in Durlach, Germany, soon becoming one of Europe's largest manufacturers.
1885
Transverse Shuttle Popularity
Gritzner achieves massive international export success with improved transverse shuttle models built on fiddle-shaped bases.
1910
Global Distribution
European sewing machines are widely exported to colonial India, where local craftsmen construct bespoke hardwood cabinets.
1931
Gritzner-Kayser Merger
Following a major plant fire, Gritzner merges with Kayser, transitioning production to modernized rotary hook models.
Condition
Honest wear,
documented clearly.
The cast iron sewing machine exhibits surface oxidation, finish wear, and age-consistent paint loss across its arm and base. The wooden cabinet shows minor surface scuffs, nicks, and typical wood aging, while the brass retailer plaque and shell drawer pull retain authentic tarnish.
✓
InspectedMachine Finish
Black lacquer on cast iron body shows significant flaking, wear, and patches of light surface rust.
✓
InspectedHand Crank & Mechanism
The gear assembly and crank show mechanical surface oxidation, while the white porcelain handle remains intact.
✓
InspectedWood Cabinet
Stained hardwood cabinet shows stable joints, light abrasions along edges, and intact panel construction.
✓
InspectedHardware & Badges
Brass Gritzner machine emblem and Tria & Co. triangular retailer plaque are intact with natural age tarnish.
Logistics
Inspected, insured,
door to door.
Step 01
Delivery
Inspected, photographed, and packed with its condition report.
Step 02
Shipping
Custom-fit protective packing with tracked, insured courier service.
Step 03
Returns
Return requests are accepted within fourteen days of confirmed delivery.
Step 04
Dispatch
Prepared for courier handoff within three to five business days.
Acquisition
Make it part of
your collection.
Contact the seller for more information or to discuss this object.
✓ Insured Shipping✓ 14-Day Returns✓ Condition Report✓ Reviewed Listing
Gritzner Fiddle-Base Transverse Shuttle Sewing Machine