Inkipedia
Advertising – Sewing Machine
| Categories | Advertising, Figural - Inanimate |
| Material | Cast iron |
| Markings | See Narrative |
| Manufacturer | Undetermined |
| Origin | Germany |
| Date or Era | circa 1912 |
| Measuring | 5” x 4 ¾” x 3 ¾” high |
This cast-iron double inkstand marked Haid & Neu” features a miniature sewing machine on a hinged lid that opens to reveal the two circular recesses for inkwell inserts (which are missing in the piece pictured). The inkstand was an advertising or commemorative piece produced by the German sewing machine company Haid & Neu.
- Commemorative Dates: The inscription “1860–1912” clearly suggests it commemorates a milestone, likely the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding in 1860, with the piece being manufactured around 1912.
- Advertising: These novelties served as decorative and useful desk items that doubled as subtle advertising, keeping the company’s name, Haid & Neu, and one of its popular model names, Excella, in front of customers.
The “Excella” Name
Excella was one of the many brand or model names used by the Haid & Neu company for their sewing machines.
- Haid & Neu frequently used different names for essentially the same machine, depending on the market it was intended for.
- The Excella sewing machine was a range of models manufactured by Haid & Neu in Germany, generally from the early 1900s into the 1930s. The machines were typically straight-stitch, oscillating shuttle sewing machines.
Haid & Neu Company History
Haid & Neu was a prominent German sewing machine manufacturer.
| Milestone | Date(s) | Details |
| Founding | 1860 | Georg Haid and Carl Wilhelm Neu established a sewing machine repair shop in Karlsruhe, Germany. |
| Manufacturing Begins | 1862 | They began manufacturing their own sewing machines, which grew into a major German brand. |
| Growth | 1881 | The company produced its 100,000th machine. |
| Major Success | 1898 | They reached half a million machines produced. |
| Millionth Machine | 1904 | Haid & Neu hit the one-million mark in production. |
| Post-War | 1921 | Two million machines had been produced. |
| Acquisition | 1958 | The company survived both World Wars but was eventually taken over by Singer. |
Sold for $66 in September 2025
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