Superba
Brand History & Overview
Superba is a French brand of vintage double-bed domestic knitting machines. Manufactured in Mulhouse, France by the company S.I.T. (Société Industrielle de Téléphonie) / Groupe Superba, these machines are highly regarded for their industrial metal design and unique electronic patterning features.[1]
Superba machines were marketed globally under a variety of localized brand names depending on the distributor:
- Superba: Marketed worldwide, notably the Superba S48 model.
- White: Distributed in North America by the White Sewing Machine Company (notably the White 1502 and 1602 models).
- Singer: Distributed in Europe (often referred to as Singer Memomatic models).
- Phildar: Distributed in France and Belgium (as Phildarmatic).
Sinker-less Double Bed System
Unlike Japanese flatbed machines (such as Brother or Silver Reed) which require a separate ribber attachment, Superba machines were designed as true double-bed systems built on a solid, anodized aluminum frame. They operate without claw weights or cast-on combs, using built-in presser rails on the carriage to hold down the fabric loops.
The Photocell Selection Box
Electronic Superba models (such as the S48 and White 1602) utilize a unique patterning system called the Selection Box:[2]
- Operation: The selection box contains a light-scanning photoresistor mechanism. It reads light and dark squares directly from gridded Mylar pattern sheets.
- Needle Selection: As the carriage travels across the bed, the photocell scans the grid and sends electronic impulses to select needles for complex stitch patterns (Fair Isle, tuck, slip).
- Maintenance Caution: The selection box contains delicate circuitry and lacks a cooling fan. Leaving the unit powered on when idle can lead to overheating and capacitor failure.
Superba
Superba machines[3], manufactured in France, are fixed double-bed machines. They are unique for their use of photoelectric "Light Box" patterning and "Pressure Pedals" rather than traditional weights.
Manual Models
- Superba S46 (Photoelectric single bed)
- Superba S44
- Superba S48
- Superba Double 80
Electronic Models
- Superba S47
- Superba S80 (Photoelectric scanner)
- Superba System 9000
Common Rebrands (Redirects)
- White 1402 (Superba manual)
- White 1602 (Superba S48)
- White 1502 (Superba S80)
- Singer 600 / Singer 700 (French Double-Bed series)
Accessories
Superba accessories must account for the fixed double-bed and "weightless" system.
- Superba Pressure Pedals: Plastic inserts for the carriage that hold the fabric down in lieu of weights.
- Superba Light Box: The photoelectric scanner unit used for the electronic models (S47, S80).
- Superba Intarsia Carriage: A specialized carriage for knitting pictures without floats.
- Superba Transfer Carriage: Essential for transferring stitches between the two fixed beds.
Machine Accessory Compatibility Matrix
The following is a dynamically generated list of Superba accessories and their compatible knitting machines, populated directly from the wiki's database:
| Accessory | Type | Compatible Machines | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superba Intarsia Carriage | Intarsia Carriage | Superba/Singer machines | |
| Superba Light Box | Patterning Tool | Superba electronic models | |
| Superba Pressure Pedals | Stitch Pressers | Superba double-bed models | |
| Superba Transfer Carriage | Transfer Carriage | Superba double-bed machines |