Loom, Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1885-1905. Maine State Museum, 82.95.1.
Loom, Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1885-1905. Maine State Museum, 82.95.1.
This is a water-powered loom used by weavers in the Knox Woolen Mill in Camden, Maine. Power looms, first introduced in the 1820s, produced fabric at a much higher rate than could be made on a hand loom. By the mid-1800s, fabric production had moved from the home to large textile mills holding hundreds of looms.
According to the Maine Department of Labor Report in 1892, male weavers made an average of $1.48 a day, while female weavers averaged $1.21 for a ten-hour work day.