(from the Introduction) "The sewing machine made available to millions of people, more and better clothing at a fraction of the cost. Men and women everywhere use and wear articles made b the sewing machine. It has made possible the mass production of countless items and emancipated women of all lands as nothing else in history...Old sewing machines, especially those manufactured before 1870, make a first class collectible. Besides being decorative and functional, they represent an excellent investment...This guide...gives realistic values to collectible sewing machines."