Flax or Saxony (Leipsic) wheel. Late 18th century. Turned legs. Eight spokes in the wheel. A machine on which the spinning and winding of the yarn are made simultaneous by means of a flier and bobbin attachment to the spindle. Made in Rhode Island. Was given in 1883, along with the Slater spinning equipment. No background information was given with the wheel. The letters "N E" appear on the wheel. According to the accession folder, a brass plate with the name B.H. Lawton is on the object
In the years before the Revolutionary War, patriotic colonists created new economic networks by forming agreements not to use imported British commodities, such as fine fabrics, furnishings, or tea. They hoped to influence British merchants and manufacturers and also to bridge social divisions among Americans. Colonial women spun linen using tools like this 18th century flax wheel from Rhode Island.
