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Current Issue #55 - January 2007

When I began this newsletter fourteen years ago, the subtitle was "A newsletter about rare and unusual spinning wheels." In this issue we will discuss wheels that are unusual in a variety of ways, how they function, who made them, where they are located, and what size they are. We will also have updates on topics discussed in earlier issues.

A Bangkok Spindle Wheel
by Florence Feldman-Wood

While traveling in Thailand, Margaret Floyd came across a distinctive spindle wheel in a museum in Bangkok. The museum is located in the former home of Jim Thompson, who was the American founder of the Thai Silk Company.

Bangkok spindle wheel

Is This Queen Victoriašs Spinning Wheel?
by Laura Blumenfeld with Florence Feldman-Wood

When Laura Blumenfeld bought her unusually ornate spinning wheel, she was told that it had belonged to Queen Victoria. Although she didnšt really believe it, she wanted to find out more about this beautiful wheel and the man who made it, James McCreery of Belfast, Ireland.

Photo #1. Wheel marked MCCREERY & SONS

Photo #2. Makeršs mark

Photo #3. Royal seal

A Unique Spinning Wheel in British Columbia
by Els van Dam

Els van Dam is a spinner, and her husband, Otto, has built and often repairs spinning wheels. They were asked by the curator at a local museum to fix a unique spinning wheel with very strange and complex mechanisms. The story that came with the wheel was also quite unusual.

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Photo #5

A Giant Wheel
by Loralee Schultz

Loralee Schultz came across an incredibly large spinning wheel that she had to buy. It is a giant replica of a Norwegian-style double-table wheel. She has no information about who built it or why, but knows that it is awesome. Loralee Schultz of Mud River Angoras

The giant wheel

What Wheel Measurements Do You Take and Why?
by Michael Taylor

Always searching for different wheels, Michael Taylor was pleased to discover an extremely small wheel that is structurally identical to a Quebec wheel that he has. He raises the question "What wheel measurements do you take and why?" He presents his own answer to the question but wonders whether other readers use different dimensions.

Fig. 1. Large and small wheels marked J O

Updates

In the Update section, Helen Seguin provides more information on Seraphin Vigeant, one of the patent holders for the cast-iron spinning wheel. Frank White tells us about additional examples of accelerating heads with clear labels. Jeanne Asplundh explains why there are holes in the accelerating heads used on Nute and Hathorn tabletop spinning devices. Doug Elliott sent a photo of a label from a wheel head to confirm a name on our list.

Update #2 - Wheel head marked S. F. HOPKINS

Update #3 - Photo #1

Update #3 - Photo #2

Update #4 - Wheel head marked J. Z. RUST