Reel

Object/Artifact

-

Windham Textile and History Museum

Click Reel: The image depicts an antique wooden hand-cranked machine featuring a gear mechanism. It includes a table or bench with four sturdy legs, supporting a horizontal rod with carved, symmetrical designs. Attached to the rod is a round, toothed gear, which appears to act as a central component of the device. A perpendicular arm extends outward, featuring two handles at different heights, which are likely used for manual operation. The wood has a rich, dark finish, indicative of age and craftsmanship, with visible grain patterns that add to its rustic charm. The machine rests on a light wooden floor, contrasting with the darker tones of the crafted device, and a light-colored textured wall serves as the backdrop, allowing the details of the machine to stand out prominently.
Click Reel

The image depicts an antique wooden hand-cranked machine featuring a gear mechanism. It includes a table or bench with four sturdy legs, supporting a horizontal rod with carved, symmetrical designs. Attached to the rod is a round, toothed gear, which appears to act as a central component of the device. A perpendicular arm extends outward, featuring two handles at different heights, which are likely used for manual operation. The wood has a rich, dark finish, indicative of age and craftsmanship, with visible grain patterns that add to its rustic charm. The machine rests on a light wooden floor, contrasting with the darker tones of the crafted device, and a light-colored textured wall serves as the backdrop, allowing the details of the machine to stand out prominently.

Name/Title

Reel

Entry/Object ID

2017.01.17

Description

Reel: snap, 4 arm, wood, first half 19th century. A rectangular table rests on four chamfered, splayed legs, that fit up through table. Two parallel uprights, fit through the table. A block of wood fits into center of table, secured by a in. A U-shaped slot in it holds the gear disk (40 count). The clicker is an L-shaped piece of metal attached to the table next to left front of the block. The threaded axle fits between the uprights and extends to the front. The four arms, with cross-bars at the end, are attached to the axle, secured by a pin. Cross-bars have lips at the ends, with the exception of one end of one bar (for removing the wound yarn). From American Textile History Museum.

Use

Winding yarn into skeins. Counting the number of rotations, and thus the length of the skein.

Context

Preindustrial textile-making technology.

Collection

American Textile History Museum Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Role

Carpenter

Date made

circa 1800 - circa 1850

Time Period

19th Century

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Reel

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Mechanical Devices

Nomenclature Class

Mechanical T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

ATHM

Other Number

1980.16.100

Dimensions

Height

37-1/4 in

Depth

29 in

Length

26 in

Material

Wood, Iron

Location

Location

Exhibit Room

Thread Mill Square

* Untyped Location

Main Museum Building

Category

Exhibit

Date

March 22, 2026

Provenance

Provenance Detail

Donated to Merrimack Valley Textile Museum (forerunner of ATHM) by Anne Platen Pixley of Claremont, CA, in 1980.

Role

Donor

Acquisition Method

Donation, ATHM

Acquisition Date

2017

Created By

[email protected]

Create Date

March 22, 2026

Updated By

[email protected]

Update Date

March 22, 2026