Necchi Free arm
Version 3, 1960s
Serial number 5240043865
Acquired 2025
The Lycia is very similar in appearance to the Necchi Supernova, but it has some differences and the first most striking one is that it only came in this cream/white. The 522 model has no cam function. This 524 has the cam function. To see more of my Supernova machines follow this link back to the index.
Another machine I spotted on FB marketplace and only a ten minute drive away from me and only $30. Well I am running out of room to store my machines, which is one of the greatest dilemmas of the Sewing machine collector. It could be worse, I could collect cars. Anyway, clearly, I went and collected the machine. The owner was not the original owner, but someone who had been using the machine as it should be, just as a domestic machine. I was told to oil it and it will “go just fine”. When I got it home and tested it, they were absolutely right, the machine works really well.
Unfortunately, it has no attachments, but it did come with its case, cords and extension table. According to the Necchi Supernova Facebook group this machine will use the Supernova Julia cams, which I have somewhere, so I will be able to try the cams at some point. According to a Youtube this is the last and thrid production of Lycia as it has a small hole in the stitch adjustor plate which accommodates an attachment (which I don’t have).
Thanks to the wonderful facebook groups there are two free pdf manuals available for this machine. There are other manuals available in other languages, but for those you best join the above group. To download a free copy of the user manual you will need to download it in 2 parts. There is also a parts manual which I will also put here for free download from my google drive account.
Lycia 524 manual, Free pdf manual in two parts. Download Part one from here. Download Part two from here.
Free Lycia spare parts catalogue in pdf format can be downloaded from here.
Interesting to see your machine. I just found & bought the same machine. SN 5240043697 Not far off yours! Mine has the hole in the stitch adjuster plate too. Be good to date it actually. I know they were introduced in 1955, but not much else.
My first Necchi was a Lycia 522, bought July 2023 so I’m relatively new to them. Much impressed though, especially for the neat, white finish: ) My 524 came without cams/accessories also but I have a 535 (rotary hook) that has broken plastic gears (which are almost unobtainable) so the cams fit the 524 perfectly. (Got a nice Julia & SNU also: ) I’m a big fan of Necchi now!
I’ve got the part that fits in the hole in the plate, but it’s only for adjusting the needle position lever precisely between the 3 fixed slots. It extends the range of adjustment for some of the cams.
Anyway I was just intending to ask you if you have done much sewing on your machine yet? When they are good they are a real pleasure to sew on. Amazing for the period.
John.
Hi John, thankyou for your post. This machine, now at March 2025 is one of my most recent machine purchases. It is on my workbench as one my next projects to work on, but I have not used it at all. I intend to get it all up and working soon, but with so many machines on my workbench, I am not sure when that will be.
Luckily for me the seller contacted me two weeks after I picked up the machine and said he had found the accessories box, so I quickly collected that. Unfortunately, it did not come with the part that you mention, but that is o.k. Thanks for telling me what that part does, and it adjusts the needle position. It did come with extra stitch plates, so i am glad about that.
As you say the Necchis are wonderful machines and worth rescuing and restoring.
I am not a Necchi expert and much of what I do learn is from the Necchi Facebook group, but from what I understand from long time collectors and sewing machine technicians is they were ahead of their time when produced and won many awards in Italy. Kind regards Patricia