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.

Downstairs Bedroom

Your remember this pic right, the downstairs bedroom after we
tore out the wall between bathroom and bedroom. You can see on the ceiling where they took about 2 feet out of the bedroom and added it to the bathroom. Well, we put it back. I mean really, you couldn't fit a double bed in that little back bedroom. Charming room on the back of the house, window overlooking the garden, nice little fireplace, perfect bedroom right? Well, not if you can't fit a bed into it.

So here we're framing in the wall between bathroom and bedroom.

Looking backwards, here is the fireplace and wall between parlor and bedroom, all covered in lovely newish paint over the original blue.

Here I'm just starting to scrape off the newish paint, look at the weird hourglass symbol on the wall between parlor and fireplace.

Hey, some insulation and sheetrock to finish off the wall between bathroom and bedroom. Looking a little better?

Found 2 nice wide 18th C floorboards to replace those they took out of the bedroom, and put down linoleum and plywood in the bathroom. Yuck!

Cy hard at work.

Hey, I've been getting a little work done too! Here is the wall between parlor and bedroom in its original blue paint. Yeah!

Starting on the fireplace surround.

 

Another day's work.

 

Here's a funny story. I've been looking for an 18th C door to put here and replace the 1970's one that was there. We went to a sale up the road. There was a nice boxy 18th C cupboard with a perfect door, except it was already sold. Sighhh... But being me, I found the man who bought the cupboard, and he only wanted the back and side boards to build a table top. Hurray! $20 later and a little work with a screwdriver and I have a perfect fitting 18th C door. It was meant to be.

Another 3 days work. Boy this work is just tedious.

Another days work, the top of the door frame.

And here's a pic of my 2 best friends, a big old shop vac to eat up the paint dust, and a radio to relieve the boredom a bit.

That's all for now, hope to get this room done soon, but as you can see it's slow going, scraping away 1/4" at a time.

New Project! Upstairs Bedroom

 Here is a view of my next project. While I wait for Cy to plumb the bathroom, and hang the special sheet rock that goes behind the tub, I'm going to tackle the upstairs bedroom. This room was plastered and trimmed out I think about 1810. This simple 3/4 cape probably had more of an unfinished attic space up here. Later on they added the luxury of plaster walls and a door to this space. As you can see it has been repainted and decorated several times. But it retains its original horsehair and oyster shell plaster, albeit with a few cracks. It also has its original coat of buttermilk paint in light blue. I'd love to keep it, but later decorators have dripped so much white paint on it from various ceiling coats of paint. And then there is the extensive crayon decoration. I've tried scrapping off the white drips in various ways, but so far no luck.
Meanwhile I'm going to try to restore the trim. I've taken a heat gun to all the different areas to see what it was originally.

 Here is the inside of the door. I wasn't sure if it was the right door, but look at the matching light blue paint on the door.

 There is a piece of trim here with a few hooks for hanging clothes, I would assume. Hum, I've never thought about collecting clothes from the period. Hummmmm.

 Here is the light blue paint under the lovely pink paint.

 Here is the trim next to the door. Sort of a light brownish red underneath.

 Here is the trim on the floor, luckily it matches the door trim.

 Here is the trim next to the window, looks like the light grey from downstairs over the original reddish brown.

Here is the floor, another project. The original wide floor boards have been painted shiny brown, oh goodie!
As you can see I have my work cut out for me. Stay tuned!

Why the new bathroom is not getting done

Here is our future new old bathroom when last seen. Since then we've done a show everyweekend.
And not to mention dog shows almost everyweekend.

Here is a pic of the show at Waters Tavern in Sutton MA last weekend.

Then there were the delayed projects. Cy replaced this window last spring, but some reason I didn't get around to scraping and painting until now. Last minute, naturally. Winter is coming.

Look better now?

 We added these 18th C windows to the New Room in the spring. Do you think I could putty and paint then? Clearly not.

Look better now?

View from the inside. Wish you could see all the bubbles and blobs in the glass.

I centered one bubble over Freckles in the front yard. See it now?

Here is the real reason nothing is getting done in the plumbing department. This is Cy out west with his antelope. He is on a real hunting trip with his brothers. No I will not have antlers on my wall, but I will have meat in my freezer!
See you next month, hopefully I'll have more progress to show you.

Downstairs Bathroom Part 3, A Bathtub!

What an exciting day. While I was doing the Antique Show on the Green in Sutton, MA Cy drove down to Stonington, CT to attend a farm sale where we had seen teeny tiny pics of an old bathtub. While I am selling, chatting, buying and packing up at the show, Cy is waiting while they sell all the Victorian furniture. While I am locking myself out of my new minivan, and getting the charming Sutton policeman to unlock me, Cy is still waiting down in Stonington while they sell every last Victorian piece of china before they move onto the barn. Geesh! Don't they know I need a bathtub?

Anyhow, since I was otherwise detained with the van in MA, Cy decided to try and bring it home in the convertible with the top down. As you can see it was a success.

We had been considering building a Japanese soaking tub or buying a new spa type tub. Both required a lot more money and time. This tub is like the best of all worlds. Unlike most Victorian tubs it is straight up and down, and quite deep. No more cold shoulders. I'm not sure it was actually a bathtub. Maybe some farm thing. Anyhow, its a bathtub now. It is made of single cedar boards and is lined in old copper with just the best patina. All square nailed to boot.

Even the bottom of the tub is a single cedar board.

Now the fun begins.

Thankfully this new tub is narrower than a modern one, and shorter too. All of which is a good thing for our newly smaller bathroom.

Do I look happy?

Dear readers here is where I would like your opinion. Here is a pic of the tub across the back of the bathroom. You are standing in the keeping room looking into the bathroom. The copper bowl and plastic container are where the vessel sink/drysink would go.

Here is the other option. You are again looking into the bathroom from the keeping room. The bathtub is on your right next to the toilet which is thankfully behind the door. The copper bowl is where the vessel sink/drysink would go in the back corner. I like this option as it gives you more room to move around in. What I like about the first option is you see the old tub straight on, which is more dramatic. Anyhow, send me an email, or leave a comment and let me know what you think.