Media Category: issue

Light wood U-shaped flyer with hooks, wooden bobbin. White yarn shows the path under the orifice, over the neck, around two hooks onto the bobbin. Unit comes from a wheel marked JO. Jérémie Ouellet (1845-1903), Quebec.

Light wood U-shaped flyer with hooks, wooden bobbin. Light blue yarn shows cross-lacing path, from orifice around hooks, then around other flyer arm to hooks, then bobbin. Unit comes from a wheel of unknown maker, place or date.

Dark wood U-shaped flyer with hooks, wooden bobbin. Lavender yarn shows the normal path from eye of orifice around hooks to bobbin. Unit comes from a wheel by Charles Regeimbal (1844 -1927), Quebec.

Part of the Henzie Collection displayed at Eclections: The Art of Collecting, LA County Fair, in 2011. Mounted on a dark red wall the objects are divided by geographic area. European on left side has boards holding small textile tools, shuttles and hand cards, hanging below them are two small table looms. A band loom is next to a pedestal that holds an upright wheel with a dressed distaff. Another pedestal holds a small tape loom. Hanging above them is a small tabletop wheel, a horizontal wheel, another upright wheel with a dressed distaff, an upright wheel with distaff and a horizontal flax wheel. A Turkish style wheel with an accelerating wheel hangs next to the Asian section. There are two hand cranked cotton gins hanging above a small bale of cotton. A book charka opened to show a skein on the reel. A wooden Japanese loom sits on the floor under a poster of a woman weaving on an identical loom.

Raw grain of wood showing the T. ELLIS mark stamped into the wood twice.

Table end shows raw wood at end of table, round piece set into side of table that holds accelerator head with wooden screws to secure the maidens. Spindle below accelerating wheel and pulley.

Three legs hold steeply angled table that is one long piece of wood. Mostly it is square but turned from the longer leg to the end section that holds a round piece on the spinner’s side. It has an accelerating head set into it. A turned post is set into the table and holds a flat rimmed drive wheel with ten spokes.

Small wooden table held by four slim legs, with stretchers in the form of an X, a treadle, and a footman. On top is a brass drive wheel, set into slot on top of table, is attached to a mechanism that reaches to a bobbin/flyer unit on the left side. A birdcage distaff is attached to the left side of the table. All the wood and brass have been polished.

Close up of top of table showing where the arm from the gearbox meets the bobbin/flyer unit and the crank handle.

In front of drive wheel, set on the table, is a round wooden gear box with a brass heart-shaped cut-out on top. It is attached by a metal rod to the bobbin/flyer mechanism.

Small wooden table held by four slim legs, with stretchers in the form of an X, and a treadle bar. On top is a brass drive wheel, set into a slot on top of table, is attached to a mechanism that reaches to a bobbin/flyer unit on the left side.

Detail of skirt on lower part of distaff in shape of a woman. Shows the skirt decorated with yellow plants with red fruit, with a cross-hatched area at the bottom and a narrow red apron or embroidered panel. There are blue decorations on a panel or ribbon at the front of the skirt. She wears black shoes.

Detail of upper part of distaff in shape of a woman. Shows her dark hair, distinct facial features with black eyes and eyebrows and reddish lips, red earrings and necklace with cross. Yellow blouse with red buttons and black belt.

The carved wooden figure of a woman has dark hair in a pompadour on top and a bun at the back. Her facial features are clear. She wears a yellow blouse with light color at her shoulders that may be a shawl. She has a black belt, the skirt has floral designs, and black boots.

Slanted table, on three legs, is narrow at drive wheel end and narrow at spindle end. Drive wheel has thirteen spokes. The wheel post is squared and set into the table with a mortise and tenon. Spindle post has screw tension, mother-of-all is asymmetrical with bulbous ends. It is longer on the spinner side. The small board across the bench between the spindle post and the vertical rolag holder is a feature unique to these wheels.

Wide drive wheel end of table of New Echota great wheel showing square wheel post set into table. Drive wheel rim shows where outside edge is thinner than the raised center portions.

Narrow end of the table of New Echota great wheel showing spindle post, square on bottom turned on top, screw going through to receiver that is turned at bottom and top. Asymmetrical mother of all, delicately turned maidens. Spindle not present. A board across the bench between the spindle post and the vertical rolag holder.

Stamped “Alfred Andresen & Co. Minneapolis, Minn.” on the drive wheel hub. Made in a factory in Moi and sold through Alfred Andresen’s importing business between about 1898 and 1912. Horizontal table on three turned legs. Treadle is curved. Secondary half table, on four short turned posts, holds the mother of all. Parallel rods go from half table to drive wheel support posts. Drive wheel had twelve turned spokes. Turnings more delicate than earlier Moi wheels.

No maker’s mark, but it is a Moi wheel. There is a carved date of 1844 on half table and a painted date of 1845 on drive wheel. Horizontal table on three turned legs. Treadle is curved. Secondary half table, on four short turned posts, holds the mother of all. Parallel rods go from half table to drive wheel support posts. Drive wheel has fourteen turned spokes. The name of the owner, Ingeborg Staalesdatter Versland [1826–1900], is painted on the drive wheel in the regional style by an itinerant artist.

Stamped RKSM on the spinner’s side of the half table. Made by Rolf Kristiansen Moi [1843–1928]. Horizontal table on three turned legs. Treadle is curved. Secondary half table, on four short turned posts, holds the mother of all. Parallel rods go from half table to drive wheel support posts. Drive wheel has fourteen turned spokes.

Norwegian-style spinning wheel. Flat lower table on three legs. Secondary table on left side holds mother-of-all and has turned rods going into posts on right that hold the drive wheel, which has twelve spokes. Treadle connects to footman outside of table. Bobbin holders on table on left. Made from a variety of woods, some dark.

Upright spinning wheel with a table set on three legs with two treadles between the front legs. Turned posts hold the mother-of-all about the drive wheel that has decorative half spokes. Both light and dark woods were used.

The wooden base has post on the left that holds a solid wheel with a handle. In the middle is a smaller post holding a smaller accelerating wheel. On the right end is a block that could move that has only one maiden so the wheel is incomplete needing another maiden and spindle.

Wooden base holds two uprights, between them is lower solid wheel with handle, upper accelerating wheel at top. Maidens with spindle on right-hand side of base.

Base with vertical board, large solid wood wheel on left side. Connects to smaller wheel on right. Spindle is attached to a moving arm.

Wooden stick has two half circles at top. Decorative markings on wood.

Five round wooden posts form the square footprint of this wheel. Two posts on the right hold the drive wheel with twelve spokes. The maidens and bobbin/flyer unit are between two posts on the left. Stretchers between the posts are on the sides and back. A stretcher across the front holds the distaff. Treadle attaches to footman within the frame.

Rearview of chair-frame wheel showing the footman within the frame and a better view of the stretchers. Also the birdcage distaff.

Close-up of drive-wheel hub showing the U-shaped axle crank that fits into a wooden screw in the rear drive-wheel post.

Wooden wheel with X-shaped frame, with large drive wheel on right hand side. Spindle arm pivots from accelerating wheel at bottom left. Paddle-shaped treadle controls the spindle arm.

Newspaper clipping from Ottawa Journal in August 16, 1895, reporting that Thomas Wright’s son tried to put him in an insane asylum and Wright is seeking damages.