Rogers Series 4: Thread containers
Series 4. A mother-of-pearl thread winder with a carved design.
In the early 18th and 19th centuries, thread was usually sold by the skein or pound and then wound by hand on spindles that were stored inside small containers known as cotton barrels, which were in turn often part of a fitted workbox. Workboxes also sometimes contained small carved winders for storing thread, especially fine embroidery silks and skeins of cotton. Most surviving winders were made by skilled artisans out of various materials, including ivory, mother-of-pearl, and silver; however, sewers without access to other winders often made their own from paper. The majority of these homemade paper winders were fragile and did not last long enough to be collected, but there are a few in this series.There are five subseries in this series: thread winders, spools, cotton barrels, spool holders, and miscellaneous thread containers. The items are mostly English or American, but there is also one French winder and one German spool. Many pieces in the series were carved with decorations. Most items in this series are relatively small, except for one highly decorated thread container that holds 24 spools and is 51 centimeters high. The items date from c. 1790-1900.