Fiddlebase
This Company was organized at Watertown Jefferson County, N.Y., in February, 1868, with a cash capital of $ 150.000, which capital stock was subsequently increased to $ 300.000. The Company's Works were very extensive; equipped with the latest and most approved machinery and worked by the best mechanical skill the country afforded. The demand for their machines was unprecedented and to provide for the rapidly increasing sales it was found necessary to invest an extra $ 100.000 in tools, machinery and stock and arrangements were completed to quadruple the number of machines in 1874, over the number made in 1873.
DATING DAVIS SEWING MACHINES
........................000 | machines | workforce |
1868 up to 15 / day 10
........................100
1869 up to 25 / day 60
........................400
1870 100
.....................1.000
1871 11.568 produced
...................12.568
1872 11.376 produced
...................23.944
1873 8.861 produced
...................32.805 + 7.195
1874
...................40.000 + 10.000
1875 175
...................50.000 + 20.000
1876 March 53.879
...................70.000 + 30.000
1877 November 96.839
.................100.000 + 20.000
1878 April 100.219
.................120.000 + 20.000
1879 July 129.201
September 135.092
November 138.414
.................140.000 + 42.000
1880 January 142.394
January 142.580
March 148.849
December 181.850
.................182.000 + 38.000
1881
.................220.000 + 40.000
1882
December 258.905
.................260.000 + 20.000
1883
.................280.000 + 20.000
1884
... Jan. ... 300.000 + 30.000
1885
September 327.754
.................330.000 + 30.000
1886
November 356.045
.................360.000 + 20.000
May 368.663
1887 July 371.765
.................380.000 + 30.000
1888 about 300 workers
.................410.000 + 30.000
1889
Oct. 30 425.662
.................440.000 + 50.000
1890
.................490.000 + 40.000
500.000 April-May
1891 August 514.922
..................530.000 + 30.000
1892
..................560.000 + 30.000
1893
..................590.000 + 25.000
1894
October 609.141
..................615.000 + 20.000
1895
.................635.000 + 20.000
1896
.................655.000 + 25.000
1897
.................680.000 + 25.000
1898 August 697.797
.................705.000 + 25.000
1899
.................730.000 + 70.000
1900
Taking over from the Free, Goodrich, and National sewing machine companies, the Davis company supplied most Minnesota brand sewing machines sold by Sears Roebuck & Co. from 1900 through 1912. Burdick was the first model made by Davis and sold by Sears Roebuck & Co.
1900 741.836 1900
780.429 October 1900
.................800.000 + 150.000
1901
.................950.000 + 200.000
1.000.000 March 1902
1902 1.003.876 Mar. 29, 1902
..............1.150.000 + 250.000
1903
..............1.400.000 + 200.000
1904
D 1.506.246 December 1904
..............1.600.000 + 200.000
1905
..............1.800.000 + 200.000
1906
..............2.000.000 + 200.000
1907 D 2.201.824 Apr. 29, 1907
..............2.200.000 + 150.000
1908
..............2.350.000 + 150.000
1909 2.414.588 July 1909
..............2.500.000 + 70.000
1910
..............2.570.000 + 70.000
1911
..............2.640.000 + 50.000
1912
..............2.690.000 + 40.000
1913 2.709.372 Jul. 08, 1912 ?
2.728.909 Oct. 25, 1913
2.729.701 Dec. 09, 1913
..............2.730.000 + 20.000
1914
2.746.257 Oct. 26, 1914
2.746.591 Nov. 1914
..............2.750.000 + 40.000
1915 2.756.169 Jun. 14, 1915
2.782.702 Aug. 04, 1915
2.786.326 Nov. 18, 1915
...............2.790.000 00.000
3.708.448 Sep. 1916
3.723.731 Jul. 06, 1917
3.735.183 Mar. 1918
3.736.719 Mar. 1918
3.753.601 Dec. 11, 1918
3.755.902 May 17, 1919
3.757.234 May 1919
1916 3.200.000 + 100.000
1917 3.300.000 + 100.000
1918 3.400.000 + 100.000
1919 3.500.000 + 100.000
1920 3.600.000 + 100.000
1921 3.700.000 + 100.000
1922 3.800.000 + 100.000
1923 3.900.000 + 100.000
1924 4.000.000
1925 last recorded # 4.200.770
note:
The dates in red are for bill of sale or warranty and not the production date.
After 1915 I am working on it.
to be continued
sources:
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.php?title=Davis
from The Encyclopedia of Antique Sewing Machines, 3rd Edition
A PARTIAL STATEMENT SHOWING NUMBER OF SEWING-MACHINES LICENSED ANNUALLY FROM 1867 TO 1876 INCLUSIVE.