Can anyone identify this item?

I think this is some type of spool or reel from a textile mill, but searching those terms I can't find any mention of it online. Does anyone know the correct use, function, term for these?

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q272/jreese46/Untitled.jpg

Thanks in advance.

2010-07-14T15:47:53Z

Thanks Doc. It's wood, about 18" tall, with a metal pin through the center. There is a pic online of some kind of 1900 era textile machine with a bunch of these at the bottom, if that helps. I'll google Weasel.

2010-07-14T15:50:07Z

Ok, I looked up a spinner's weasel. There are a bunch of these things, and none of them have any indication they ever had any kind of cross-bar between the spokes. It looks like whatever was wound on them was done down on the center of the spool.

Doc Hudson2010-07-14T15:39:00Z

Favorite Answer

Is it made of wood or metal?

It looks much like the reels that were used t reel up thread that was spun on a hand operated spinning wheel. I think it was part of a devise called a weasel.

After a certain number of revolutions, the weasel would give a popping sound to notify the spinner. The spinner could keep count of the pops and have a good idea how much thread was on the reel. From this popping sound came the old nursery song:

Round and round the mulberry bush
The monkey chased the weasel
Where it stops, nobody knows,
Pop goes the weasel!

If it is metal it could still be a real for thread fresh off a mechanized spinning wheel.

This is just opinion, I am not positive and am open to correction.

Doc Hudson

10

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