House Wright's Banner, by William Capen Jr., Portland, Maine, 1841. Courtesy of the Maine Historical Society.
House Wright's Banner, by William Capen Jr., Portland, Maine, 1841. Courtesy of the Maine Historical Society.
Men working as house wrights (carpenters) carried this banner in an 1841 parade in Portland, Maine. The Maine Charitable Mechanic Association staged the event to promote the value of mechanics (skilled craftsmen) from a variety of trades.
A house wright is an old term for a carpenter who builds houses. William Capen Jr. of Portland, Maine, painted this banner with tools of the trade. The upper left and lower right corner show different types of planes used to smooth boards. The banner also has a saw, a small hatchet, and a square and compass.