Sample of raw China cotton fiber; Wonalancet Co.; 1913. RAW CHINA COTTON. Grown in the nothern section of the country and shipped from Tientsin: This cotton is shipped in press packed bales of varying weights, most usually however containing 3-1/2 piculs, the Chinese picul is 133-01/3 lbs. or about 475 lbs. to the bales. Cotton is characterized with extremely rough feel, staple varies from 1.7 mm to 2.2 mm, color is usually white, but occassionally spotted, some cottons being even tinged. This cotton is grown all over China. This type will answer for a good many. [per 1913 Accession folder information]
The cost and long supply chain of wool imports into the US (which did not produce enough wool to meet domestic demand during the heyday of the American woolen industry) led manufacturers to explore substitutes and additives. Specific strains of Peruvian and Chinese cotton were exploited for this purpose, as being "wool-like" in staple length and feel.
The Wonalancet Co. was incorporated in 1905 by Harry Harmon Blunt in Nashua, NH. The company imported cotton from Piura and Lima, Peru, and from China; it was in existence at least into the mid 1970s.
Photograph, black & white: Mending Room - Examining Finished Cloth. American Woolen Co., The National & Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. 1912.
One of a series of 71 photographs documenting the workings of the American Woolen Company's National & Providence Worsted Mills, part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, and fabrics by American Woolen Mills in 1912.
The Shelton Looms "Perwitzky" imitation fur fabric; 1914. Mohair pile, cotton backing. Panned (pile flattened) to produce a spotted effect. Colors: mottled brown and blue. Used for cloaks, scarfs, muffs, trimmings, etc. $4.50 per yard. Width: 48"-50". 2 samples. One of a group of pile fabrics given in 1914 (accessioned in 1915) by Sidney Blumenthal and Co., Inc, owner and operator of The Shelton Looms, one of the best known and most important American pile fabric producers., whose mills were in Shelton, Connecticut. Original fabric woven 48-50" wide
Photograph, black & white: Scouring Cloth (2). American Woolen Co., The National & Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. 1912.
One of a series of 71 photographs documenting the workings of the American Woolen Company's National & Providence Worsted Mills, part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, and fabrics by American Woolen Mills in 1912.
3 'books' of raw silk skeins; 2 large skeins in each book. Coarse, white; Reeled in Japan. Transfer from the US Dept. of Agriculture, sericulture display; Bureau of Entomology. July 9, 1912.
At various points in American history, from colonial times onward, people experimented with sericulture - meaning the raising of silkworms and reeling of silk filaments from silkworm cocoons. At first it was hoped that this silk could be shipped to Great Britain for use in its silk textile manufacturing industry. Experiments in the 1760s and after, into the early 20th century, hoped to raise enough silk to support an American silk textile industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts in California and other (primarily) western states were supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a display in the department's headquarters building in Washington, DC. The display also highlighted the imports of raw silk from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that most manufacturers used in their products. The contents of the display were transferred to the (then) U.S. National Museum in 1912, for exhibition in the Textile Hall, as educational background for the exhibition of silk textiles manufactured in the US.
American Woolen Company Zebiline Cheviot fabric sample, 1912. 17-ounce black wool twill weave cloth with long napped surface on a diagonal base. Coating weight. Produced by American Woolen Co.'s National & Providence Worsted Mills. The term "Cheviot" reflects the use of coarse wools such as those shorn from the Scottish Cheviot breed of sheep.
Produced by American Woolen Co's National & Providence Worsted Mills. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Sample length of Goodall-Sanford Inc. lightweight suiting known as "Springweave"; Tropical weight suiting fabric made of unique blend of wool, mohair, rayon, and nylon. Very narrow woven stripe pattern in black and gray.
Part of a gift of 14 fabric samples and 11 fiber samples by Goodall-Sanford Inc., Sanford, Maine, to illustrate "Fiber Blending for Better Performance", in September 1951. The Goodall Worsted Company (maker of the mohair and cotton blend fabric "Palm Beach Cloth"), and the Sanford Mills (maker of mohair and wool velvets, plushes, and imitation fur fabrics) merged in 1944 to form Goodall-Sanford Inc. Palm Beach cloth was a menswear summer staple, and was one of the first fabrics considered "easy-care", although both its components were natural fibers. This donation illustrates some of the company's other efforts at blending fibers, in this case natural and synthetic blends. Goodall-Sanford's sales headquarters were at 545 Madison Avenue, NY 22, NY.
American Woolen Company Fancy all-worsted fabric samples; Mill finish, piece-dyed, 1912. Bound with black tape by machine. A = Brown; B = Navy w/ red and white pin stripes; C = Very dark blue D = Black.
Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
American Woolen Co., all-wool frieze (a heavy woolen fabric, fulled after weaving) fabric samples, 1912. A. Charcoal gray; B. medium gray; C. green/gray. Sample edges are pinked. Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Fancy, all worsted fabric sample of black woven wool; Mill finished skein dyed; bound with black tape by machine. From American Woolen Company; Manufactured by the National and Providence Woolen Mills, Providence, RI.
The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Group of 13 American Woolen Co. all-wool suiting fabric samples, tweeds and twills; 1912. Sample edges of 2-6 are pinked, 1,7-13 machine bound with tape. Samples are: 1-Brown herringbone tweed; 2-Navy & brown; 3-Brown tweed; 4-Grey & blue herringbone; 5-Blue tweed; 6-Light grey; 7-Brown twill; 8-Brown tweed; 9-Black & white twill; 10-Black & grey twill; 11-Black & Grey tweed; 12-Brown twill; 13-Brown tweed with red and rust specks.
Manufactured by the National and Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Photograph, black & white: Welfare Work - Escalators - Moving Stairways (2). American Woolen Co., The National & Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. 1912.
One of a series of 71 photographs documenting the workings of the American Woolen Company's National & Providence Worsted Mills, part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, and fabrics by American Woolen Mills in 1912.
Embroidered Net Banding, Schiffli embroidered, conventionalized floral pattern of Indian origin executed with henna ombre guimpe on fine brown silk net by burnt-out process. Made after originals in the collection of the Brooklyn Institute Museum.
Part of a group of Schiffli machine embroidered trimmings, primarily for apparel, manufactured by Alpha Embroidery Co. of New Jersey, many of which imitated hand embroidered national and regional styles, including from China and parts of Europe. The firm's designers used the Brooklyn Institute Museum to research original examples, which were copied or from which they drew inspiration. The products were sold in foreign markets in competition with the native hand work, as well as in the U.S.
Arlington Mills worsted fabric process sample, 1940. Heathered (mixed color) wool; twill weave; Red and Green stripes in selvages. Process label reads: "Made from 1/4 Blood Wool". Good condition. [Originally part of an Arlington Woolen Mills process display board; dismantled, probably before 1980.]
Several of the process samples in this group are labeled with where the wool came from. "Territory" wool came from the American west; "1/4 blood" probably referred to the percentage of merino sheep bloodlines in the mix. Territory, also called Range wools, comprised a large and important segment of US wool-growing, but into the early 20th century the wools were often characterized as being badly sheared and packed, dirty and with a lot of plant material caught in the fleeces = Red and green stripes in selvedges.
Arlington Mills, successor to Arlington Woolen Mills, was one of the premier woolen and worsted companies in the US for many decades. The mills were in and around Lawrence, MA, and company headquarters was in Boston. American manufacturers of woolen and worsted yarns and of woven and knitted textiles relied on both American-grown wool and on imports of raw wool and partially processed wool fiber, called "tops", American growers never produced more than about half the raw wool needed by the American manufacturing sector.
American Woolen Company Boucle cloaking fabric sample, 1912. 20 ounce weight, in Navy. A cut and curled long pile weave in a diagonal twill. For women's winter cloaks. Produced by American Woolen Co's National & Providence Worsted Mills.
The Providence and National Worsted Mills, founded in Rhode Island in the 1870s, were originally two companies owned by Charles Fletcher, one a spinning and one a weaving mill for working with worsted yarns. Fletcher amalgamated the two companies into one in 1893, and then sold this company to the large Lawrence-based American Woolen Company in 1899. When the Lawrence mill workers struck against pay cuts in 1912 (the Bread and Roses strike), the American Woolen Company was one of the firms affected. The Rhode Island mills, however, did not strike.
Arlington Mills worsted fabric process sample, 1940. Gray wool; twill weave; Process label reads: "Made from 1/2 Blood wool". Numerous moth holes. [Originally part of an Arlington Woolen Mills process display board; dismantled, probably before 1980.]
Several of the process samples in this group are labeled with where the wool came from. "Territory" wool came from the American west; "1/2 Blood wools" probably refers to the percentage of merino sheep bloodlines in the mix. Territory, also called Range wools, comprised a large and important segment of US wool-growing, but into the early 20th century the wools were often characterized as being badly sheared and packed, dirty and with a lot of plant material caught in the fleeces.
Arlington Mills, successor to Arlington Woolen Mills, was one of the premier woolen and worsted companies in the US for many decades. The mills were in and around Lawrence, MA, and company headquarters was in Boston. American manufacturers of woolen and worsted yarns and of woven and knitted textiles relied on both American-grown wool and on imports of raw wool and partially processed wool fiber, called "tops", American growers never produced more than about half the raw wool needed by the American manufacturing sector.
Photograph, black & white: Dry Finishing - Finished Cloth. American Woolen Co., The National & Providence Worsted Mills, Providence, RI. 1912
One of a series of 71 photographs documenting the workings of the American Woolen Company's National & Providence Worsted Mills, part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, and fabrics by American Woolen Mills in 1912.
