Le-He Free Arm

## Helvetia Free Arm

#### **1959**

* August 16, 1959 - Sydney Morning Herald, p.32 - Earliest advert for Lemair sewing machines found in SMH. Large photograph and promotional text for "Lemair Pacesetter" (Le \_ Pacesetter [Br FZ-2]) and small line drawing and promo text for "Lemair-Helvetia Free Arm"

LEMAIR BRINGS YOU HELVETIA Free Arm; FAMOUS SWISS MACHINE; COMPLETE WITH BUTTONHOLER.; BACKED WITH FULL SPARE PARTS SERVICES; 10/6 WKLY. (66 GNS); TRADE-INS ACCEPTED

> *That earliest Lemair advertisement shows two machines, a rebadged Brother Pacesetter and the Helvetia Free Arm. Would it be drawing too much from this to point out that, whilst the new Brother machine, with a glowing description and big photo, is described as the "Lemair Pacesetter", the smaller line drawing, of what is obviously one of their older machines, is described as "Lemair brings you [the] Helvetia Free Arm; [The] famous Swiss machine"?*
>
>

> *Had they simply got a license to sell Helvetia machines from Switzerland, without their brand name on them and this Pacesetter was the first Lemair branded machine?*
>
>

#### **1960**

* Feb 14, 1960 - Sydney Morning Herald, p35 -    Lemair sewing machine advertisement for Lemair Aust. Pty. Ltd. from the Sydney Morning Herald. The Lemair Helvetia Free Arm, was one of five machines shown...

"Swiss-made, Free-arm is ideal for repairs, socks, sleeves, etc. Darns and embroiders. Sew backwards and forwards. Inbuilt light. Attachments include zipper foot, ruffler, etc. Foot control. With carry case. Now only.. 59 Gns; 9/6 Weekly"

* Jul 17, 1960 - Sydney Morning Herald, p33 - Identical to the advert placed in the Feb 14, 1960 Sydney Morning Herald, p35 (above).

## **The Base Design**

### **Helvetia Free-arm**

> *If you look closely at the graphics on the Lemair SMH adverts above, you’ll see that the machine illustrated has the distinctive light of the Helvetia Free Arm and doesn’t bear the Lemair logo. I have found no examples of a Lemair branded Helvetia Free Arm on the internet to date.*
>
>

* Nov 12 1954, Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser p.7 - Advert inviting ladies to see... "The World's Most Modern Streamlined Sewing Machine— Demonstrated by a Special Factory Representative... At Our Show Rooms To-day (FRIDAY, 12th)

SPECIAL SEATING WILL BE PROVIDED AND DEMONSTRATIONS WILL BE AT HOURLY INTERVALS. WILL YOU COME AND JOIN US? ENJOY A CUP OF TEA OUR HOSTESS WILL SERVE TEAS BETWEEN 10 & 11 A.M. AND 3 & 4 P.M.

* Mar 16 1955, Australian Women's Weekly, p39. Advertisement. NB that the ad is by the Swiss Sewing Machine Company (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., 10 Denison St, Bondi Junction, Sydney. This could be the basis for the line drawing in the August Lemair advertisement.
* Apr 13 1955, Australian Women's Weekly, p27 - Advertisement showing detail of attachments. NB The ad gives the NSW distributor as John Martin Pty. Ltd. Ebay auction.

**Examples**

* Rudolf Ramseyer has a very similar machine in his collection, designated the **Helvetia Portable Model 40-4**. For description, photos and **instruction manual**, see his website Rudolfcouture.com
* P-B has this model (right) in the Helvetia livery. Given that there is no evidence of this model with a Lemair logo on it, it could in all probability be one of the ones sold by Lemair.