Great Wheel

Object/Artifact

-

Windham Textile and History Museum

Great Wheel: The image depicts an antique spinning wheel, a traditional device used in the past for spinning fibers like wool or cotton into thread or yarn, typically consisting of a large, rimmed wheel connected to a spindle, as seen here with its wooden construction and intricate craftsmanship enhanced by the warm lighting of the room, which suggests its placement in a historical setting or museum display, offering a glimpse into historical textile production methods and the technological advancements of that era, where such tools were vital for creating materials necessary for clothing.
Great Wheel

The image depicts an antique spinning wheel, a traditional device used in the past for spinning fibers like wool or cotton into thread or yarn, typically consisting of a large, rimmed wheel connected to a spindle, as seen here with its wooden construction and intricate craftsmanship enhanced by the warm lighting of the room, which suggests its placement in a historical setting or museum display, offering a glimpse into historical textile production methods and the technological advancements of that era, where such tools were vital for creating materials necessary for clothing.

Name/Title

Great Wheel

Entry/Object ID

2017.01.18

Description

Great spinning wheel (a.k.a., wool reel). Made of wood, iron, and leather. Turned splay legs. Amos Minor's Accelerating Head (i.e., wheel-heads manufactured according to patents 1803/1810, owned by Amos Minor from upstate New York). There is evidence that there was a label on the head. The two leather straps to hold the spindle look new. Crude nails hold the leather thong.

Use

Great wheels were most often used to spin wool.

Context

Preindustrial textile technology.

Collection

American Textile History Museum Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Role

Carpenter

Time Period

19th Century

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Wheel, Spinning

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Textile Manufacturing Equipment

Nomenclature Class

Textileworking T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

ATHM

Other Number

78.34

Dimensions

Height

56-3/4 in

Width

20 in

Length

74 in

Material

Wood, Iron, Leather

Location

Location

Exhibit Room

Thread Mill Square

* Untyped Location

Main Museum Building

Date

March 22, 2026

Condition

Overall Condition

Usable

Date Examined

Mar 22, 2026

Provenance

Provenance Detail

Donated by American Textile History Museum in 2017.

Created By

[email protected]

Create Date

March 22, 2026

Updated By

[email protected]

Update Date

March 22, 2026