Machinery and other objects - from carding engines and looms to printing blocks and fabric specimens - tell the story of Britain's role in textile manufacturing from the Industrial Revolution onwards.
Textiles Machinery
1883
Lock stitch sewing machine head representing the final form of the Howe machine, by the Howe Machine Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States, 1883 model.
1871
Grover and Baker two-thread chain stitch sewing machine, 1871, an improved version of an 1851 model.
1701-1800
French spinning wheel, iron, 18th century
1879-1909
Wooden chest for lock stitch sewing machine, by Jones Sewing Machine Company, Manchester, England, 1879-1909
1896-1900
Six skeins and one spool of artificial silk made at Wolston, near Coventry, between 1896 and 1900.
patent 1853
Early lock-stitch sewing machine made in accordance with W.F. Thomas's patent of 1853
1745-1790
Portable spinning wheel, labelled 'James Webster, clockmaker, Salop', Mardol, Shrewsbury, England, 1745-1790.
1850-1970
Gibson 'Z' type industrial blanket whipping sewing machine.
Replica of floor standing distaff (half full size)
1750-1830
Textile printing block of irregular rectangular shape, boxwood faced design of ornate flowers and leaves. Made in England, 1750-1830.
Domestic chain stitch hand sewing machine, made either by the Guelph Sewing Machine Co. in Ontario, c. 1870, or the Charles Raymond Co., also in Guelph
1875-1892
Ward model A1 arm and platform lock stitch sewing machine, by Edward Ward, London, 1875-1892
1900
Table sewing machine made by Nothmann of Berlin, 1900. The machine is a close copy of the Singer Model 12 (New Family) machine. Compete with case
Spinning wheel, French
1888
No.12 lockstitch sewing machine head, by the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States, c. 1888.
1915-1920
Singer double-thread chainstitch glove sewing machine, c. 1917.
1883-1893
A leather driving belt and two sets of belt clips for a circular knitting machine, by W. H. Dorman and Company, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1883-1893.
Jacquard card hand operated hole punch, for making jacquard cards for the Coventry Ribbon Loom, by James Heywood, Coventry, England.
A wooden spindle with spun flax thread for Part 5.
1880-1890
Empress "I Move with the Times" lockstitch sewing machine, 1880-1890.
1857
Coloured drawing depicting Lombe's silk throwing machine, scale 1:16, made at the Science Museum, London, England, 1857.
1976
Relief moulded decoration made by methods used for textile printing blocks
1930-1940
'Jackson' rapid rug knitter, 1930s, used to make a hooked rug.
1000-1100
Two coptic fragments of white linen with red, green, black and gold motifs of dragons and interlacing designs across the middle of each, in glass mounts, Coptic, Egypt, 1000-1100.
1400-1500
Coptic textile quilted blanket of linen with motifs (blue, red and brown dancers), with blue/brown borders and remains of fringe, badly stained
1939
Bobbin box belonging to a Northrop single-shuttle 'S' loom with automatic bobbin insertion, 1939.
1910-1950
Child's chain stitch Singer model 20 sewing machine first introduced in 1910.
Closed spindle type bobbin winder for lace, with seven bobbins and a paper tape.
Textile printing block, boxwood face on wooden backing with a floral design, made in England, 1750-1830.
1775-1785
Arkwright's drawing frame, commonly known as a lantern frame, England, c. 1780.
1783-1784
Specimens of linen (on two sheets) dated 1783-4, with M.S. descriptions, 'Being patterns submitted for the duty of 15 per cent under the Act 24 Geo. III Chap. 40.' [Act no. 24 of George III, chapter 40] Of German and Flemish origin, unknown maker.
Model (scale 1:8) of a wool washing machine made by John & William McNaught, Rochdale, Manchester, England.
1750-1792
Distaff from the spinning wheel believed to have belonged to Sir Richard Arkwright (1732-1792).
Peg frame for knitting with a steel and a bone needle.
1908-1909
Model 66 lock stitch oscillating hook sewing machine,Branded 'Twentieth century', sectioned and mounted above a mirror, Singer Manufacturing Company, 1908-1909.
prob year of patent 1802
Model hand loom for weaving sacks (and so on) without a seam (scale 1:8), invented by T. Clulow in 1802.
1868
Head of a treadle, button-hole sewing machine, no. 1342, by the American Button-Hole, Overseaming and Sewing Machine Co., Philadelphia, United States, 1868. There is a needle and swinging hook both above and below the table. This means that the machine is two chain-stitch machines combined, enabling it to sew around a button-hole.
1770-1785
Stocking knitting frame by Cooper Corah and Sons, Leicester, England, about 1777.
1873
Model of silk doubling machine, designed and patented by Thomas Dickins, Manchester, 1873. Patent no. 1763.
1870-1880
Brass model of power loom (scale 1:4) with improved tappet plates, patentee Bennet Woodcroft, England, 1870-1880.
1885-1886
Bobbin of artificial silk, 1885-1886.
23 wood blocks for printing chintz and calico with English designs typical of the period, by unknown maker, England, 1750-1830. Each block consists of a mahogany or oak base with a thin face of more expensive boxwood. The pattern is drawn on reverse on the boxwood and then cut. By about 1900 block printing had largely been superceded by rotary printing.
1858-1862
One of five power loom shuttles, by J. Harrison and Sons, Blackburn, Lancashire, England, 1858-1862.
Dorcas lock-stitch domestic sewing machine, by Newton Wilson and Co., High Holborn, London, England, 1868
1601-1800
Bodkin, 17th or 18th century.
1833-1843
Model (scale 1:2) in iron of steam power loom, with tappet motion with spool of yarn and material in process, patentee Bennet Woodcroft, England, c. 1838.
1800-1845
Flax hackle used in Uppland, Sweden, between 1800-1845.
Lock stitch sewing machine head with step feed for sewing leather or other heavy work, made by the Howe Machine Company, New York, United States, 1888.
Thomas lock stitch sewing machine, patented 1853
Record hand knitter no. E24648, in box purchased Messrs Nicholson Ltd, St. Pauls Yard, London 8.11.54
