Flax Spinning Wheel; New York, 18th C.
Flax Spinning Wheel; New York, 18th C.
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- This Saxony-style flax wheel is fashioned of wood, with small leather parts. It was probably made in the 18th century, possibly in Genoa, New York. Family records trace ownership of the wheel as far back as Mary Shaw, of Genoa, who was born in 1813. However, a study of the wheel's construction indicates it may have been made before Mary was born. Mary Shaw died in 1903. The wheel was given to the Museum by one of her descendants.
- Spinning is the simple act of drawing out a few fibers and twisting them together to form a yarn. The process predates written history, and was first done by hand and with sticks. Spinning wheels are believed to have originated in India between 500 and 1000 A.D. By the 13th century, they were seen in Europe, and were a standard piece of equipment for those making fiber into yarn. By the 17th century they were commonly found in homes in the colonies of North America, where the production of fabric was a cottage industry. Spinning was generally seen as a woman's job. Women spun yarn at home, as well as with friends at spinning bees, where food was served and prizes might be given to the person who produced the most or best yarn. The industrial revolution brought mechanization to the textile industry, and eventually spinning was done on large machines in textile mills.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- Spinning Wheel, Flax
- Object Type
- hand tools
- Date made
- 18th century
- user
- Shaw, Mary
- Place Made
- United States: New York
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- leather (overall material)
- ID Number
- TE.T15611
- catalog number
- T15611
- accession number
- 296917
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. Laura E.C. Crow
- subject
- Hand Tools
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Textiles
- Domestic Furnishings
- Textiles
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Comments
We have little information beyond what is given on this web page for object T15611, However, the main platform of T15611 is marked with what appears to be a small "10" followed by larger capital letters "CFRIS" (but we have no information about a possible interpretation of this marking).
John De Jong
Thu, 2018-10-18 08:36
D. Kowalski
Tue, 2018-05-01 08:36