Collecting Antique Tape Looms

Here is the most common form of a antique tape loom you will see for sale. A simple country piece, this was gripped between the knees and used to weave tapes. You might ask, what are tapes and why would you bother? Think back, way back to the early Colonial days. The Colonists did not have zippers and Velcro to hold their clothes together. And buttons had to be store bought with cash money, in short supply for most farmers. They used tapes, narrow strips of fabric to tie their clothes together, their shirts, pants, skirts etc. They also used tape to edge petticoats, and quilts and sometimes vests etc. Tape was usually woven at home by the ladies of the family. Tape looms were often portable, such as the one above so you could work were there was light, and you could carry them with you and visit with a friend while you worked. Tapes were usually made of linen or wool.

Here is a link to a darling video of a colonial lady weaving on her tape loom,
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/activities/media.jsp?itemid=7848&img=0

Here's another simple country model we had last year. Notice that one end is broken off, this is very very common to see. The wood is thin, and after time gets brittle. Notice also that this one has a brace across it. Again, it is very common to see these pieces broken and repaired. They were used hard and look how thin the slots are.

Again, looks like another simple country piece. But look below.

This one was covered with compass work, hearts, dates and initials. Someone loved this piece.

Here is a beauty, again a simple country piece, but this one has a great lollipop end, and a red wash. Made of chestnut, which is unusual. They were often pine, sometimes maple. Most are found in NE, and sometimes in PA. I've never seen one from somewhere south, but I'm sure they're out there. Notice if you can it has a brace at the bottom to hold the slits together.

Here we get into the realm of fantasy. There are some truly amazing works of art out there. This one has some old repairs, a figural form and a heart to boot. A lover's gift?

A small form, scratch carved, and dated. Swedish, I think.

Connecticut, c 1740, beautiful.

Pocket size, dated 1781, Scandinavian.

They made standing models too. Probably a little easier to use. I wish I could show you the one I had at Nashville, standing with a big heart shaped cutout. Sadly, no pictures. Sold too fast. I wonder why?

If you don't care for country, there are a few fancier models. Look at this one!

They also made table models as well, called box looms. These simple country forms are around.

Another box loom, this one in old paint. For some reason you almost never see tape looms in paint. Look at the love birds!

Here's a box loom on legs with treadles. Nice!

And if you want one to use, maybe a new one would be best. Craftsmen are still making them. I wonder how she wove that pattern?

I could not find a picture of the African ones that are now found on the antiques market. They're out there, they're very simple country pieces, with good color, but they are quite crudely made like the guy used a jack knife. They're old, but they're not American, so if you want one, don't pay too much.

How much is too much you ask. Simple country American ones sell for $300 up to maybe $800. Standing ones start at about $1,000. and go up. And add a date, a heart etc. and expect to pay more. For one of the truly unique finds I've shown, well you could buy a car instead. There was a beauty a few years ago covered in gorgeous chip carving and old blue paint, and I think it was about $30,000.

So there you go, everything you wanted to know about collection antique tape looms. Questions? You know where I am, so ask.

Wethersfield, CT Antique Show

Isn't this a charming entrance to the show? This late November show is in an historic area SW of Hartford called Wethersfield. A great place to visit historic houses if you are here in the summer.

I'm just posting  a few of my favorite booths at this very pretty show. Here is Steve Cirillo, The Paisley Pineapple Antique. Nice cupboard, no?

Another favorite, Jan and John Maggs, www.jmaggs.com That little joint stool could sure go home with me.

This great booth belongs to Carol Wojtkun www.carolsearlyamericanantiques.com  Amongst all the great stuff, I admire the way she made a group of all the same variety stone fruit in her compote, just as if you just came home from the market.

I don't know if I'd pick the highboy or the QA mirror, too many nice choices. This is the booth of Brian Bartizek, South Windham CT.

Isn't this just the best? I love the way they even decorate the ladies for the show. Makes a necessity a pleasure.

Wish I had time to picture everyone at the show, it was all great. If you can next November, come and enjoy.

Stone Fruit Pictures

OK, here's an open invitation. Or maybe I'm just begging here. Anyhow, send me some pics of your stone fruit collection. I want to post pictures of lots of stone fruit collections and displays, so we can all drool, and get some new ideas for display.

So to start off, here is a pic of J.M.'s collections in Kentucky, the pic above and below.

And if that's not enough, look at this great collection from D.P. in New York State.

So come on, send me your pics. Just a regular jpeg from your camera or phone, just something easy. I'll use your name, or go anonymous, whatever you like. But take a minute and send a pic to my email, bluedogantiques@gmail.com

Breathless in anticipation,

Judi

Updated 4/28/10

Look at this great bowl from S.K. in NY state. Love the variety of color and size, nice mix of darks and lights.

Hog Scraper Candlesticks

Here is a classic icon of American country style of decorating. What is a picture of a harvest table or painted dry sink without seeing a hog scraper candle stick on the top? You see them in all the books. But what are they? What are they made of, where do they come from, are there fakes out there and so on. Many questions for such a simple item.

The earlier hog scraper candle sticks actually were made in Europe, mostly in England, but also France and Holland. Most of the early lighting used in this country was made in Europe. This was partly because of the laws that prevented us from making our own, to protect the English manufacturers, and partly because our technology just wasn't advanced enough at the time. Hog scrapers, like much other lighting is made from tinned sheet iron, and it would take quite a force to make fine even sheets of iron, and then to mold the sheet of iron into the forms we love today. The first known patent for an American hog scraper was in 1853.

I think all the early hog scrapers had a hook extending from the top edge, called a hanger. This was to hang to candle stick from your chair back or a nearby shelf to get the light closer to your work or your book. Be careful, don't burn your wig! Actually, if you look you can sometimes see burn marks on the top slat of a chair or the the top of a settle. In the pic above on the right you can see a proper hanger. Hangers are always wider where they attach to the candle stick top. If not, see the bit about fakes below. On the left stick you can see where the original hanger was broken off. They often broke, partly I suppose because that part is fairly thin.

 Here is a pic of the base of the three main eras of hog scrapers. On the right is the earliest type, supposedly made in the 18th C. It has two "tabs" that come down through two slots in the base, and then are "cleated" or pounded over to hold the whole stick together. These 18th C sticks are the rarest on the market, as you might imagine. Maybe 1 in 50 hog scrapers are this early type. They also usually cost more. The middle base is from the classic form of hog scraper you usually see in pictures or in the market. They are made in the 19th C. still usually made in Europe. After the Revolution we began to make more of our own goods. This type has a nut that attaches to a screw that is inside the tube part, screwing it down tight to hold the whole stick together. Once in a while you see washers or other devices to hold the nut on tighter as it wore down from use. On the left is what is called the American hog scraper. These are generally considered to be made in the US. The metal is a little lighter, and you can see the ring that clips on and holds the whole thing together. So you see, if you look at the base, you can always date your hog scraper.

Here is the "donut" as seen on both the 18th and 19th C candle sticks.

Here is the ring that holds the American candle stick "tube" to the base.

Here is what is called the Wedding Band hog scraper. You can see the brass "wedding" band in the middle. Just a little glitter for that dark Colonial interior. Again these are fairly rare on the market. As you can imagine they cost more in the day, and fewer people could afford to buy them. Beware, beware! I can't find a pic to show you, but there are so many fake wedding bands out there. It is so easy to cut a hog scraper candle stick "shaft" and solder a brass ring in the middle. But if you look carefully, you can see the solder ring on each side of the brass one, which you cannot see in the old ones.

Here is a pic of a repro I copied off the internet. Note the long curved hanger. Even if this one had been left out in the rain and got rust and patina, even then you would be able to recognize it. Also, notice the donut is not made separate, but is one piece with the base.

References

Here a few good books I used and I recommend

Colonial Lighting                        Arthur Hayward  Dover

Candle Holders in American    Joseph Butler       Bonanza

Fire and Light in the Home       John Caspall         Antique Collector Club

Arranging your pewter cupboard

Welcome to my new blog. I want to write weekly about living with antiques, being an antiques dealer, and well, who knows? Any ideas out there?
Today I had a customer call wanting some ideas for her treen display in her open top cupboard. How to arrange? What to do?  I’ve included a pic of my pewter cupboard, where I just arranged some treen I own and some from the shop stock.  You can arrange cupboards many ways. One way is to look at it as an artist would look at a painting or sculpture, by putting your larger items here and there, and balancing with groups of smaller items. Don’t forget to balance your lights and darks,  and your colors. It would look really silly to put all the red items on one side, no? Also silly to put all the darker items on one shelf.
But the look I like the best is when you are trying to duplicate a harassed housewife putting away her things after a very long day. Who cares what it looks like, just put the darn stuff up so the dogs don’t step on it. My best inspiration are old, what are called genre prints. As an example, I have a small black and white print that shows a Rev War housewife defending her home with a rifle. On her mantle piece is a jug, a napkin or cloth and a stack of books. Nothing symmetrical about it. As far as I know, symmetrical mantle arrangements became popular in the early 19th C. when classical design was all the rage.
So have some fun with you cupboards. Take it all out and try throwing it in. You may just get a look you’ll love! And if you are in the mood for a little shopping, check out my website, www.bluedogantiques.com