Fine and Rare Shaker Yarn Winder / Swift New Lebanon, New York, circa 1860 Provenance: The Dr. John Ribic Shaker Collection
26" H opens to 29" max •
sold
Original ochre paint, poplar and pine, with original tabletop clamp, adjustable / expandable arms
Provenance: The Dr. John Ribic Shaker Collection
At the top of the swift is a small, beautifully turned cup, which is said to have held a little ball of yarn as it was being formed. We turned to Dr. Isabella Rosner, textile historian extraordinaire, to learn more. Her hypothesis is that the size of a yarn ball this small may have been to form the specific amount of yarn that would be required to knit something equally small - a sock for example. A similar swift can be seen here.
