J. B. NICHOLS & CO., 



MANUFACTURERS OF 



HOWES' IMPROVED PATENT 



Figure 107. — Illustration from a brochure, marked in ink: "The National Portrait Gallery, 

 1855." Singer Archives. (Smithsonian photo 48091 -E.) 



Figures 107 and 108. — The Nichols and Leavitt sewing 

 machines. One of Elias Howe's earliest licensees was J. B. 

 Nichols. His machine, manufactured at first with George 

 Bliss and later alone as J. B. Nichols & Co.. was called 

 Howe's Improved Patent Sewing Machine. It was, however, 

 no more a Howe machine than any of the others produced 

 under the Howe patent. 



In July 1855 Nichols went into partnership with Rufus 

 Leavitt, and the company name changed to Nichols, Leavitt 

 & Co. In 1857 it was changed again to Leavitt & Co., and 

 finally in the mid- 1860s to Leavitt Sewing Machine Co. 

 By the 1870s, it was defunct. 



The Nichols-Leavitt machines can be dated by their 

 serial numbers approximately as follows: 



Serial Number I'ear Company 



1—28 1853 Nichols & Bliss 



29—245 1854 J. B. Nichols & Co. 



Serial Number Tear 



246—397 1855 



398—632 1856 



633—827 1857 



828—902 1 858 



903—1115 1859 



1116—1436 1860 



1437—1757 1861 



1758—2077 1862 



2078—2400 1863 



2401—2900 1864 



2901—3900 1865 



3901—1900 1866 



4901—5951 1867 



5952—6951 1868 



6952—7722 1969 



There is no record that the 

 after 1869. 



Company 

 J. B. Nichols & Co.— Nichols, 



Leavitt & Co. 

 Nichols, Leavitt & Co. 

 Leavitt & Co. 



Leavitt Sewing Machine Co. 



'ompany was in existence 



100 



