THE BARTRAM & FANTON 

MANUFACTURING COMPANY

1867 - 1874

Danbury, county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut

 

Bartram & Fanton sewing machines were first manufactured in 1867 under the patents of W. B. Bartram, notably his patent US 60.669  January 1, 1867.

Three machines were exhibited at The Eleventh Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association in 1869 where they were awarded a bronze medal. They were compared favorably to the Willcox & Gibbs machine, which they resembled. Bartram received additional patents in the early seventies and also manufactured lock-stitch machines.

from The Invention of the Sewing Machine
from The Invention of the Sewing Machine
1868
1868
Eleventh Exhibition  American Manufacturers  Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association, Boston (1869)
Eleventh Exhibition American Manufacturers Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association, Boston (1869)

Bronze Medal at Boston Exhibition 1869

 International Prize: Paris 1867 Bronze 

 

 

 

Bartram & Fanton Manufacturing Company Band

 

 

 

 

BARTRAM'S  US PATENTS

 

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US 50.870                           Walker B. Bartram

Button-Hole Sewing Machine

...My invention consists of certain improvements attached to a sewing machine, to adapt it to making button-holes...

...The general construction of the machine to which my improvements are represented as being attached is that of the well-know in Wheeler & Wilson sewing machine...

Assignor to himself and Henry B. Fanton

November 7, 1865

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USRE 2.245                          Walker B. Bartram

Button-Hole Sewing Machine

The invention consists, first, in working by machinery stitches across an end of a button hole slit at right angles to its length, for the purpose of staying and strengthening said button-hole; second, in stitching by machinery button-holes having no rounded opening at the end of the slit cut in the fabric and in perfectly finishing the same at the ends of the slit and fastening the ends of the thread with out using a hand-needle; third, in devices which enable me to work button-holes with round ends; fourth, in the adaptation of devices for accomplishing these purposes.

Button-holes may be divided into two classes:

first, those which have round ends, such as are commonly made in garments constructed of thick cloth, in which it is also common to enlarge one end of the button-hole in the form of an eyelet, for the better accommodation of the shank of the button;

second, those which are made with square ends and commonly strengthened and finished by stitches which pass from one side over to the other in the form of a bar across each end. These are seen in garments of linen or other thin fabrics.

May 15, 1866

Specification forming part of Letters Patent

US 50.870                        November 7, 1865

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US 54.670                            Walker B. Bartram

 

 

May 15, 1866

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US 54.671                            Walker B. Bartram

 

 

May 15, 1866

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US 60.669                            Walker B. Bartram

 

 

January  1, 1867

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US 62.520                            Walker B. Bartram

 

 

March  5, 1867

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US 83.592                            Walker B. Bartram

Sewing Machine Guide

My invention consists in the combination and arrangement of a series of flexible metallic blades for holding and guiding two strips or pieces of cloth in such manner, in a sewing machine, that the under strip shall be fed along to the needle faster than the upper, so that, when the two are united together by the thread, the lower strip will form a series of gathers, securely attached to the upper strip by the stitches formed by the machine. 

November  3, 1868

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US  91.898                           Walker B. Bartram

Sewing Machine Attachment

My invention consists of a swinging braid-carrier, mounted upon the presser-foot and operated by the needle-arm and it may be applied to any class of sewing machines...

... Many sewing machines are now provided with what is known as the glass foot and this consists of a suitable skeleton-foot, with a glass centre, which may be readily removed and replaced with the hemming or other attachments. For the convenience of persons whose sewing machines may be provided with said glass foot, I can make my invention with the foot A fashioned to slide into the seat of the glass foot...

June 29, 1869

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US 104.247                         Walker B. Bartram

Sewing Machine

My invention relates to that class of sewing machines in which an eye-pointed needle and shuttle are used to interlace the threads and the invention consists in a novel construction, combination and arrangement of the shuttle and the mechanism for operating the same. 

June 14, 1870

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US 130.557                          Walker B. Bartram

Sewing Machine

My invention relates to that class of sewing machines in which a rotary hook is employed to take the loops of needle-thread and pass them over a disk bobbin or spool to interlace the two threads and it consists in certain novel combinations which have for their object to produce a simple and efficient rotary-hook machine...

August 20, 1872

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DATING

BARTRAM & FANTON Mfg. Co.

 

Using serial numbers, the company sewing machines may be approximately dated as follows:

     

0001....................................................

+ 2.958                                          1867

2.958....................................................

1868

3.958....................................................

1869

4.958....................................................    

1870

5.957....................................................   

+ 1.004                                           1871

6.961....................................................     

+ 1.000                                           1872

7.961....................................................

+ 1.000                                           1873

8.961....................................................

+   250                                            1874

9.211....................................................

 

 

1868 Demorest Magazine
1868 Demorest Magazine

source:

The Invention of the Sewing Machine   by Grace Rogers Cooper