Many residents of Russia have seen advertisements for the purchase of old Chaika sewing machines. But few people know about the real value of this product, so they are often sold for mere pennies.
The myth about the sewing machine "Seagull"
A dozen years ago began a massive purchase of old sewing machines "Chaika". At that time, certain persons disseminated information about the high value of the goods, justified by the content of precious metals in the details of the mechanism. As a result of this deception, many people simply spoiled a valuable thing in search of a cherished treasure. There have been numerous cases of outright fraud, which consisted of a desire to acquire allegedly valuable parts from a typewriter. The scammers asked to take metal samples from a specific part of the mechanism. The shavings had to be sent by mail, attaching a small amount to the parcel for examination. Ultimately, the potential buyer, who embezzled the money, stopped communicating. This deception scheme became widespread with the development of the Internet in the post-Soviet space.
On average, a sewing machine "Seagull" with a foot drive costs from 100 to 1000 dollars or more. The cost varies depending on the working condition of the machine, its external condition, year of production and model.
Why buy sewing machines "Chaika"
In fact, the mechanism of the Chaika sewing machine does not and has never contained any precious metals. Today the wide demand for "The Seagull" is justified by the high quality and solid performance of the old Soviet typewriter. Considering that such devices are no longer available, many sewing masters purchase them for personal use at a high price. Sewing machine repair shops are engaged in the purchase of non-working mechanisms for the further removal of parts that have also ceased to be produced. Another reason for the purchase of these sewing machines is their ability to stitch even the densest and coarse fabrics with high quality, which is sometimes beyond the power of modern machines.
According to some reports, the Chaika sewing machine is so powerful that it can sew even a couple of dozen layers of aluminum foil.
In addition to purchasing for the removal of parts, sewing machines "Seagull" are purchased as a vintage decoration of fashion design studios for tailoring, theater props, museum exhibits or to decorate the interior of wealthy houses.
What are the sewing machines "Chaika"
Today you can find sewing machines "Seagull" of two types: with a hand drive and a foot drive. Hand-operated machines were most common in educational institutions for equipping labor workshops. Such machines are highly durable and easy to maintain: even today, you can find the use of such models in schools. As for the Chaika foot machines, they were an integral part of the homes of many Soviet families. Surprisingly, they continue to work regularly and sew great outfits today.
