SOLD - 1957 Cyldon Vulcan Minor Toy Sewing Machine, FWO 100% Complete With Box & Manual

1957 Cyldon Vulcan Minor Toy Sewing Machine, FWO 100% Complete With Box & Manual

Description

If you're unfamiliar with Cyldon products and are seeing a Vulcan Child's Sewing Machine for the first time, you might be wondering if it's actually a modern vintage-style toy and the packaging is an ironic joke. If you are familiar with them, you probably looked first at the plastic disc fitted behind the tension washers.

Both responses are entirely understandable. The packaging is so very, very mid-1950s that it seems too of its time to be true - especially that whole "she sews as she grows" and "for the lucky little lady..." business (which, interestingly, was omitted from the updated Countess model only two years later, suggesting it was a bit embarrassing even then); and the disc is made of an especially brittle type of plastic which very rarely lasted a month, never mind 66 years as this one has.

Cyldon was a brand name owned by the Sydney S Bird company, which was founded in Enfield but relocated in 1953 to Poole. Miniature sewing machines were a mainstay of the business; the first model, named the Cyldon Mk1A, went on sale in 1948 and was very much a simplified, miniaturised version of full-size sewing machine manufacturer Singer's own miniature Model 20, as were those made by rivals Grain and Essex.

The Mk1A was rapidly replaced by the Mk1B - similar to its predecessor, but considerably cheaper to make, and this was very much the story of Cyldon - whereas Singer, Grain and Essex continually improved their miniature machines (we sold a lovely Essex recently, roughly contemporary to this one, which was so good that when it was new it was marketed as an affordable alternative to a full size machine rather than as a toy), Cyldon made the Vulcan machines cheaper and cheaper so that, by the time this little Minor model appeared in 1957, it could only loosely be called a proper sewing machine at all - though the slightly larger Junior and Senior models were a little better (but were curiously dropped from the range before the Minor, to be replaced with the Classic and Countess).

Nevertheless, though, it has bags of charm, even without taking a look at the packaging: it's only 17.5cm (7 inches) long by 14cm (5.5 inches) high, the space age graphics are cast into the metal rather than the fragile decals of the Mk1 and are picked out in yellow look fantastic against this red body - far more so than against the pink version. The main part of the body is cast metal, while a backing plate of pressed steel protects the inner workings, and for all it was clearly produced as cheaply as possible it does in fact work.

In fact, this one still does, and surprisingly well - there's a little stiction in the mechanism due to little use over several years, but it must have been carefully looked after for the majority of its life because everything turns without getting stuck and produces only a little noise; if properly lubricated, it would be as ready to sew doll's dresses, pram sets, table-runners, school shoe-bags, doll's undies and all the other things listed in the manual as it was back in 1957.

This one is, overall, in pretty decent condition, and it's 100% complete. The paint is a little scuffed here and there but actual paint loss is very minimal. Being made of mazak (known as zamak outside the UK) there is some evidence of zinc pest crystals as is typical for diecast toys of this age but less so than is commonly seen, suggesting it has been stored in a low-humidity environment. This is further borne out by the box which, though showing plenty of age-related wear and tear around the corners, panels and inner lid, is entirely free of mildew and rot. All in all, there are better examples of this model around, but they're becoming increasingly hard to find.

Due to the nature of this item it is not always possible for us to identify any missing parts.
For this reason we ask that you please check the pictures carefully, as these show everything that is included.

Further Details & Enquiries

This item has been very kindly donated to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

100% of the money raised from this sale will go to the charity.

Our sales team do their best to check each item and ensure that the description and pictures provided are as accurate as possible.

Feedback is extremely important to the charity so if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase please give us a chance to resolve any issues by contacting us prior to leaving feedback.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via eBay messages, we will make sure that your message is responded to promptly, usually within three working days. Messages sent over the weekend will be responded to on the next working day.

If this item is not quite what you were looking for but you would still like to help our cause, please consider providing us with a donation which can be done via our eBay Charity Profile linked below.

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Payment

We only accept payments made through one of eBay's many approved methods. Please make sure to complete your payment within 96 hours of winning an item. Once your payment has been received we will dispatch your item as soon as possible, usually within two working days.

Delivery

Delivery times are calculated in working days (Monday to Friday). If your order is placed after 1pm, the next working day will be considered the first working day for delivery. In case of bank holidays and during the Christmas period where delays are more likely, please allow an extra few days for delivery.

Domestic Delivery

We aim to dispatch orders within two working days. If for any reason there is an unexpected delay in dispatching your order we will make sure to inform you of this as soon as possible.

We use Evri to deliver the majority of our parcels. If you would like to specify a preferred neighbour, or safe place for the parcel to be left, please leave the details in a message when placing your order.

Some low-value items will be sent by Royal Mail 2nd Class. Some items of higher value are sent by Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery, which require a signature. If you are not present at the time of delivery, a card will be left instructing you to arrange a redelivery, or to collect your order from the local sorting office.

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For full details please see the following eBay help page: Buying internationally with the Global Shipping Programme.

Collection

Items can be collected from our Retail Hub at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, Eastern Counties Leather Industrial Estate, Pampisford, CB22 3EE during our opening hours of 10:00 to 16:00, Tuesday to Saturday. If you would like to collect your item please contact us in advance to arrange this.

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Returns

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity uses the eBay Returns system to make the process as easy for you as possible. For full details about the process, and for information on how to begin a return, please see the following eBay help page: Return an item for a refund.

Change of Mind

If when you receive your order you are not completely satisfied, you may return the items to us within 30 days for a refund. Returns will be processed within three working days once the goods have been received by us.

Items must be returned to us in the same condition as they were received by you. This includes, but is not limited to: original packaging, original boxes, packaging materials, manuals, blank warranty cards, accessories and documents. We reserve the right to refuse a return or deduct an amount for lost value where the item is returned in a different condition.

We strongly recommend that you fully insure your package that you are returning, as well as using a carrier that can provide you with tracking information or proof of delivery.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will not be held responsible for returns lost or damaged in transit.

Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the customer to cover any delivery charges for returning an unwanted item.

Incorrect/Damaged Goods

We try very hard to ensure that you receive your order in pristine condition. In the unlikely event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please contact us via eBay immediately, this will be given special priority and you can expect to receive a response within 48 hours, Monday to Friday. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will cover the cost of domestic return postage for any incorrect or damaged items, subject to the cost of the chosen return method being reasonable. Please contact us before proceeding if unsure.

This one got away