Figure 72. — A. Bartholf sewing machine. 1853. Abraham 

 Bartholf of New York began manufacturing Blodgett & 

 Lerow machines (see fig. 20) about 1850; the style and 

 mechanics of these machines, however, were primarily 

 those of the Blodgett & Lerow patent as manufactured by 

 O.C. Phelps and Goddard, Rice & Co. For this reason they 

 are considered Blodgett & Lerow — not Bartholf — machines. 



The true Bartholf machine evolved when the manufacturer 

 substituted Howe's reciprocating shuttle for the rotary 

 shuttle of the Blodgett & Lerow machine, continuing to 

 manufacture the machine in his own adapted style. Bartholf 

 manufactured reciprocating-shuttle machines as early as 

 1853, and his was one of the first companies licensed by 

 Howe. 



All Bartholf machines licensed under Howe's patent carry 

 the Howe name and patent date. They are sometimes 

 mistakenly referred to as Howe machines, but they are no 

 more Howe machines than those manufactured by Wheeler 

 & Wilson. Singer, or many others. 



On April 6, 1858, Bartholf was granted a patent for an 

 improvement of the shuttle carrier. He continued to manu- 



facture sewing machines under the name '"Bartholf Sewing 

 Machine Co." until about 1865. 



Using serial numbers, Bartholf machines can be dated 

 approximately as follows: 



Xo record of the number of machines produced by Bart- 

 holf after 1859 is available. 



The Bartholf machine illustrated bears the serial number 

 128 and the inscription "A. Bartholf Manfr, XY — Patented 

 Sept. 1846 E. Howe. Jr." This machine is in the collection 

 of the Baltimore County Historical Society. Xote the close 

 similarity between it and the 1850 Blodgett & Lerow 

 machine manufactured by Bartholf. (Photo courtesy of tin- 

 Baltimore County Historical Society.) 



