The Davis Sewing Machine Company, was established in New York in 1860 by Job A. Davis but in 1866 moved to Watertown. In February 1868 the company was incorporated as the Davis Sewing Machine Co. In 1886 the company agreed to move to Dayton, Ohio and the move was completed by January 1889.
The company manufactured a Vertical Feed machine which used a walking foot to move the material under the needle this design of machine was produced until the 1890's when a conventional vibrating shuttle machine with four motion feed was introduced.
In the 1920’s H. M. Huffman Manufacturing Co. undertook the manufacture of Davis machines and the Davis Sewing Machine Co. itself closed in 1924.
Davis Model T: Serial No. 1398067
This machine was manufactured by the Davis Sewing Machine Company in Dayton, Ohio in Great Britain were retailed by The Vertical Feed Sewing Machine Co, 52 Queen Victoria Street, London by 1883 and additional premises at 24 Aldersgate were later taken in order to cater separately for the retail and wholesale markets.
This machine is believed to be the Davis Model T which was probably produced c1915. It features the American Eagle with stars and stripes flag with the latin inscription 'E Pluribus Unum' which translates as "out of many, one". This is from the Great Seal of the United States of America and is a reference to the American revolution to many colonies becoming one nation.
Unfortunately the jappaning has "bubbled" I've never come across this before and can only presume that the machine has at sometime been exposed to extreme heat.