Author:White Sewing Machine Company(1858)

Category：Industry

Year：Late 19th century

Size:Length:50 x Width:27.4 x Height21.3 (cm)

Introduction：The White Sewing Machine Company was established in Massachusetts, US in 1858. As suggested by its name, the products of this company were mainly sewing machines, which reflects the historical prosperity of the sewing machine industry with many rising companies eager to enter the market.

In 1900, the main business of the company changed from the production of sewing machines to that of steam engines. Renamed White Consolidated Industries (WCI) in 1949, the company followed the industrial trend of automobile production. It still kept its sewing machine production business, but at a minimum scale. In 1986, the company was acquired by Electrolux with its sewing machine patents and technologies sold later to SVP, marking the end of its sewing machine production.

The sewing machine business transitions of the White Company from the company’s main business, to secondary business and then marginalized business, and finally to divestiture and acquisition reflect the rise and fall of the sewing machine industry.

(Research and Edit: National Science and Technology Museum, Cheng-Chung Huang, Researcher Assistant)

Accession Number:0004721

Place of Orgin：USA