Name/Title
Singer sewing machine, Model 99K c. 1932Entry/Object ID
1974.046.1Description
Portable, electric Singer sewing machine in wooden case. Serial # y8524634 c. 1932Context
This is a patent date. The use of this machine may have been slightly later.
This period was incredibly, terribly transformative for both Canada and the rest of the western world. By 1932, for example, between 70,000 and 100,000 Canadian individuals were homeless and riding the rails of the CPR in search of food and work with Vancouver being a known good spot for the weary travelers to find or search for work, food, and shelter, inspiring folk songs like "The Kettle Valley Line". This crisis lead to the creation of relief camps and consequent protests. It was the days of relief funds, the prairie dustbowl, and mass migration in search of basic sustenance which has spurred folk songs and stories, especially in BC. In media, it was the time period of Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath' (published 1939) as well as the beginning of the golden age of Hollywood. By the excellent condition of this machine, it would seem that it did not get much use or was kept very safe.
