Every Little Bit Helps!

When it comes to the history of

spool knitters, what
little information or scrap of paper
or even dilapidated piece of
cardboard box - no matter how
insignificant it may seem to some -
can be very important.

I found a box top which luckily
someone thought might be needed.
I am amazed that it wasn't tossed out.
Then again some would be amazed that
someone else would pay money for
something like this! .....
badly stained,
extremely old,
and very little to it but
surprisingly it would have
been quite a large boxed set.



Kindergarten Gems for the Little Tots -
by Milton Bradley Co. Springfield, Mass.
Number 4244.
This is a set which involved sewing cards as
well as a "toy knitter".

A little while ago I posted about a trade card from
Milton Bradley dated 1879
which had a similar illustration to the
one pictured here on the underneath of
the box top.


Look closely at each diagram of
the spool knitter and you
will see they differ slightly in shape.
Even though there is no date, I would
say that this set would have been from around
the same time as the trade card at 1879.
(Sorry it is not the best of photos.)

I would love to hear from anyone who
knows anything about this set - they
may have seen one or might have one
themselves.
But really it is a wonder that this
had survived at all.

>>--oOOo--<<

TRADE CARD DISCOVERY!!

Will Charm the Girls and Quiet the Noisy Boys.

Every now and then you get lucky and find

something significant in
spool knitter history.
The above trade card of the
English Needle Co. N.Y. and printed by
G. W. Averell & Co. is a fantastic
discovery and makes interesting reading
also.
The use of staples (called double
pins in the ad)
goes all the way back
to 1879 and possibly further as it
states this illustration of
G W Averell & Co. (illustrators
and publishers) was
patented on December
23rd, 1879!
The price of the Toy Knitter?
....... just 15 cents postpaid!
I cannot find further information
on the English Needle Co. N.Y. but
obviously it would have been the
U.S. branch of the company in the U.K.

Above - I found this vintage ad for G. W. Averell
on the internet.

Close up of the Toy Knitter - note
the "spiral guide" (spring) to
guide your yarn as you work.