September 10: Elias Howe Patent for the Sewing Machine

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September 10: Elias Howe Patent for the Sewing Machine
September 10: Elias Howe is Granted a Patent for the Sewing Machine

While Elias Howe, a mechanic from Massachusetts, wasn’t the first person to invent a sewing machine, he made significant improvements and in 1846 he was awarded his patent for the first sewing machine to use the lock stitch. Isaac Singer had managed to copy the machine, however, Howe was successful in the five year court case and earned considerable royalties from Singer.

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It seems as though Singer didn’t wait long to begin his forgery, as an 1846 Singer machine went for $5,250 at auction earlier this year.

The International Sewing Machine Collector’s Society has a detailed history on this patent. They also hold an annual sewing machine auction for their members.

A Howe machine with an updated 1867 patent is currently listed for auction.