The Singer Manufacturing Company was founded in 1851 and to celebrate their 100-year anniversary Singer Sewing Centers across the country featured many specialty items in 1951. One of them was this collectible - a retractable tape measure. If you're really lucky, you might find one of these as it was originally offered -- stored in a small royal blue cardboard box with a teeny tiny alligator clip to mark and hold the tape open and in place.
The measuring tape featured here is how they are most commonly found today - royal blue plastic exterior, 1851-1951 commemorative emblem and white retractable tape. This will be a special collectible to have in your sewing box and makes a wonderful gift.