Tool (for textiles) (Textile printing block)

Description

This textile print block was created in Lowell, Massachusetts by stamp and stencil manufacturers Parsons & Gibby. The print block has raised letters, formed out of copper strips set on base, affixed to a wooden base. The letters spell out “Kenosa Still Mill,” “40 In. / Fine,” “Family Cottons.” The text appears in reverse so that the letters will be oriented correctly when printed. This block was probably used for stamping on bolt ends or fabric samples, to identify the product and manufacturer, rather than as part of a printed pattern for consumers to use in their sewing projects. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.