“Pinking” is a term used to describe the technique of cutting scalloped or zig-zag edges on a cloth for decorative purposes or to prevent fraying. While “pinking shears” were a common accessory for the home seamstress, more robust cutters were available to the trade. Early pinking machines were typically made of cast iron and powered via a hand crank. The Hannum Pinking Machine, patented in 1897, seems to the model upon which this pinker is based.
This is a vintage pinking machine manufactured by the South Richland Machine Company of Pulaski, New York. The machine is branded “CLEAN CUT” and is made of heavy cast iron with a wooden crank handle. The device clamps to the edge of a bench and is powered by turning the hand crank. When cloth is fed between the upper metal roller and the lower metal cutter, the cloth is cut. There is an adjustment screw on the top of the roller that controls the pressure. The cloth table measures about 2.75” x 3”, and the clamp can accommodate up to about 1.25” thickness. This device dates to the early 1900s. This machine is in Good Condition . The metal is intact with no cracks, and the crank works smoothly. This sewing machine was part of a sewing collection that came from a collection in Kansas.
Collection of Sewing Machines from Kansas