My mother picked me up a present at a rummage sale this summer, and I finally got to see it when I visited for Thanksgiving.
This is the box I was presented with…
.. and its contents.
She called me from the sale to inquire whether the loom was worth the (low) price being asked, so I knew what it was, but not much else, just that it appeared to be in good shape. Mom is not a weaver, so she didn’t even know how to describe what she saw.
It’s a rigid heddle loom, all wood except for the metal heddles, and with hand-cut cogs on the beams. The only thing that needs repair is one of the corner posts, which has split.
Included in the box was a small piece of woven cotton, possibly the only cloth ever to come off this loom.
The remaining warp was still on the beam, but was rotten and had to be removed.
The loom fits so well that I think the box might be original. If so, the loom took a sea voyage in 1956.
on Dec 4th, 2008 at 1:23 am
What a beautiful old loom! I look forward to seeing it warped up.
on Dec 4th, 2008 at 7:53 am
What a great present!
I like how the warp is tied at the bottom of the cloth.
Any chance you will blog about how to warp a rigid heddle?
I have an old one…still in the box..from the 60’s..no instructions on where to start!
on Dec 4th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Cyndy, I plan to write about warping that rigid heddle. With a cloth beam and a warp beam, it will warp up much like any other loom. How is yours set up? Do you have a photo of it online anywhere?