Description
Rare Antique Treen Squirrel Cage Yarn Swift/Drum Swift Clamp Textile Tool C1900
A rare antique treen clamp-mounted squirrel-cage yarn swift, finely constructed in turned hardwood and dating to the late 19th or early 20th century. Textile tools of this type were used to hold skeins of yarn, thread, or cord while they were wound into balls or onto reels, allowing the skein to rotate freely during the winding process.
Examples of this cylindrical “squirrel-cage” or drum form swift are considerably less common than the later umbrella-style yarn swifts and are particularly appealing to collectors of antique treen and early textile tools.
- Type: Treen Clamp-Mounted Squirrel-Cage Yarn Swift / Drum Swift
- Date: Late 19th – Early 20th Century
- Materials: Turned hardwood, steel spindle rod, brass thumbscrew
- Length (clamp screw fitted): approx. 55 cm
- Length (without clamp screw): approx. 48.2 cm
This piece is constructed from well-turned hardwood components with two cylindrical cage rollers joined by a long central shaft. The device is fitted with a substantial wooden screw clamp allowing it to be secured to the edge of a work table during use.
One of the cage assemblies is removable and held in place by a steel rod and brass locking screw, allowing a skein or hank of yarn to be placed over the rollers before securing the mechanism. When in use, the rollers allow the skein to rotate freely so yarn can unwind smoothly while being wound into balls or onto reels.
Tools of this type were used in domestic knitting, lace making, and small textile workshops where skeins of wool, cotton, or thread needed to be unwound in a controlled manner.
The turned wooden construction, practical engineering, and sculptural form make this piece equally appealing as a traditional textile implement or as a collectible example of antique treen craftsmanship.
Condition
Good antique condition with wear consistent with age and use. Minor marks and age-related wear to the wood surfaces. The piece appears complete and retains the original clamp screw, steel rod, and brass locking thumbscrew.
Antique textile tools are increasingly collected within the wider field of treen, particularly examples with strong turned forms and original mechanisms. This piece displays very well and retains a pleasing patina from age and use.
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