L2015.1042.021 C Gear; overall
  • L2015.1042.021 C Gear; overall
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Tool (for textiles) (Gears)

  • Category:

    Tools

  • Creator (Role):

    J. Horter (Maker)

  • Place of Origin:

    Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

  • Date:

    1750-1880

  • Materials:

    Linen; Tow; Reed; Wood

  • Museum Object Number:

    2015.0028.029


  • Complete Details



Object Number

2015.0028.029

Object Name

Tool (for textiles) (Gears)

Category

Tools

Credit Line/Donor

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

Creator (Role)

J. Horter (Maker)

Place of Origin

Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Origin Notes

Likely Berks, Bucks, or Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Date

1750-1880

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Mark; Endpiece of reed; "J. Horter"

Materials

Linen; Tow; Reed; Wood

Dimensions (inches)

7.75 (H) , 54 (L) , 6 (W)

Dimensions (centimeters)

19.685 (H) , 137.16 (L) , 15.24 (W)

Object Description

Web - 12/15/2016

Warping up a loom, or preparing it to weave a new fabric, involved pulling several hundred threads through the heddles and reed. Instead of dismantling the entire warp after finishing a project, weavers saved time by detaching the reed, heddles, and a portion of warp fabric from the loom. They kept this assemblage, called “gears,” until they wove that cloth again. This way, when the weaver wanted to revisit a pattern, they simply had to put the gears back on the loom, tie each new thread to the end of one of one of the old ones, and pull it though to the proper place.

This particular set of gears is prepared to weave a coarse linen cloth known as tow. Single-spun linen threads would be woven in a basic tabby weave on a two shaft loom. The reed is marked "J. Horter."

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.

[Book] Worst, Edward F. 1974 Weaving with Foot-power Looms. 275.

[Book] White, George. 1846 A Practical Treatise on Weaving by Hand and Power Looms: Intended as a Textbook for Manufacturers by Hand and Power Looms and Power Loom Engineers. 362.