FRISTER & ROSSMANN

(F.B.)

Fiddle Base Sewing Machines

from 1870 to 1888

"Größte Auswahl von Singer, Grover & Baker, Howe, Zylinder-Maschinen,  Wilcox & Gibs, Lincoln und allen Arten hand-Nähmaschinen. La Silencieuse 12 Thlr."

translated:

Largest selection of Singer, Grover & Baker, Howe, cylinder machines, Willcox & Gibbs, Lincoln and all types of hand sewing machines.

FB 1   from  # 15.000 circa  (1870)

Therefore according to the above advertisement and the table that allows you to approximately date your Frister & Rossmann sewing machine, the manufacturing of "FB model", a copy of Singer Family 12, could have started since 1870. The company may have started selling this model as treadle machine in Germany.

The below website say to have a F&R with serial number

70.252 # 4.325 (4.252 ? )

FB 2   from  # 70.000 circa  (1873)

Assuming that this model was an improvement over the first model produced. This machine was sold by "sole agent" Hermann Loog at 128 London Wall, London.

Without shuttle ejector button

old style bobbin winder

A black painted fly-wheel

105.000 sewing machines  probably made at the end of the year  1875

FB 3   from  # 210.000  (1880)

Without shuttle ejector button

old style bobbin winder

A black painted fly-wheel

April 13, 1881              240.000   sewing machine were made

F&R introduces this new special device for automatically disengaging the bobbin when  it is reeled, and comprises a special arrangement of "Carter's valve " and guide frame for facilitating the introduction of the thread. In a short time a new version was made.  

August 6, 1881              250.000   sewing machine were made 

F&R for the occasion made some expensive special sewing machines.

FB 4  from # 224.600 (1880)   to   # 280.370 (1882)

Without shuttle ejector button

FB 5  from 313.732 (1883)   to   505.874 (1886)

With shuttle ejector button

FB 6  from 464.880 (1885 c.)   to   561.260 (1888 c.)

With shuttle ejector button

Hermann Loog was in charge up to the end of December 1886 . On January 1887, Samuel Loewe was the new company's agent, based in 127 London Wall. Last serial number badged 128 london wall is 540.177 and the first serial number badged 49 fore street is  539.711 . F&R may have stopped sending machines to Hermann Loog at 128 London Wall at one point but for sure they did not stop the production in Berlin ! How many of those machines in stock at 128 London Wall , badged or not badged went they back to F&R ?

550.000 sewing machines probably made ​​at the end of the year 1886

FB 7  from 561.276 (1888)   to   569.923 (1888)

With shuttle ejector button

white porcelain knob

F&R 569.923 # 317.923  is the last Fiddlebase sewing machine recorded. The difference is the luxury white porcelain knob.

If anyone has any F&R fiddlebase model with higher serial number, I would be happy to add it to my archive and the website.

FB 507.348 # 270.348

The above treadle was maybe one of those made for the special occasion of a total production of  500.000 sewing machines .

In England you could find mostly handcrank sewing machine with the treadle purchased separatly.

I dont know how many different decals were made for the german customers or exported but not to England.

F&R BADGES

1886

F&R 534.695 # 289.695  128 LONDON WALL .................................... last one

not records in between

F&R 539.711 # 293.711  49 FORE STREET ......................................  first one

1887

F&R 540.000

128 LONDON WALL  and  49 FORE STREET 

(possibly both addresses)

F&R 560.000

1888

F&R 561.276 # 310.276  49 FORE STREET ....................................... last one

not records in between

F&R 562.421 # 311.421  LOEWE 49 FORE STREET ............................ first one

Between 1887 and 1888, two badges were used on the English market. The first badge resemble the 128 London Wall  and the second similar to those made for the German market.