Object Number 2015.0028.024

Object Name

Tool (for textiles) (Reed)

Category

Tools

Credit Line/Donor

Museum purchase with funds provided by Mrs. Jeanne L. Asplundh

Place of Origin

Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Origin Notes

Likely Berks, Bucks, or Montgomery County

Date

1850-1950

Materials

Reed; Cotton; Wood

Dimensions (inches)

5.5 (H) , 46 (L) , 0.5 (W)

Dimensions (centimeters)

13.97 (H) , 116.84 (L) , 1.27 (W)

Object Description

Web - 12/14/2016

This carpet reed is made of several hundred lengths of woody reed, sandwiched in place by two long, thin pieces of wood wrapped tightly with varnished cotton twine. When weaving, the reed separates each individual thread of a warp and keeps them at the proper spacing. It sits in the beater of the loom, and so is also used to compact the woven fabric as the weaver works. This particular reed is missing both wooden endpieces, where it would normally be marked. However, the individual reeds are widely spaced for carpet weaving.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Pritchard, M. E. 1954 A Short Dictionary of Weaving: Including Some Spinning, Dyeing and Textile Terms and a Beginner's Guide to Weaving and Dyeing. 196.
•