Small spinning wheel or silk winder, the flat stand veneered in turtleshell, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ivory and walnut or rosewood, edged with boxwood and walnut, the working parts of turned ivory and turtleshell, almost certainly by Pietro Piffetti, Turin, ca. 1740-1750

A small spinning wheel or silk winder, made for use on a table or lap. the wheel and working elements of turned ivory and turtleshell, mounted on a flat stand with shaped outline, made of solid walnut veneered in turtleshell, mother-of-pearl, ivory and walnut, and with mouldings of walnut and boxwood. A separate arms holds a water pot of turtleshell and ivory and a distaff of rosewood and ivory.

The scene on the marquetry base shows the goddess of hunting, Diana, with Cupid and a hound. The rim of the wheel is decorated with hunting scenes.

The fine marquetry decoration was almost certainly made by the Italian cabinetmaker Pietro Piffetti in Turin, although the marquetry decorating the wheel is probably by a different (perhaps a specialist) maker, and is not of such high quality.

Given by the Hon. Mrs Carpenter

The wheel was a gift to the Museum but no information about its history was given at the time of donation in 1921. Between 1921 and 1913 the wheel was displayed and photographed with the parts arranged in an impractical way. The spinning wheel was re-assembled in what is probably the original way in preparation for the redisplay of the Europe Galleries (2015). The spindle, part of the original distaff, was reunited with the original distaff top and put back in its original position and a second distaff (probably a later addition) removed. Replacements for the missing bobbin and pulley whirl were fitted, and the spinning wheel was presented in going condition dressed with raw new Belgian flax on the distaff and spun flax wound around the bobbin. New drive bands of plaited flax were fitted to the bobbin and pulley whorl.

This spinning wheel was designed for spinning fine fibres, probably silk, or possibly flax, into thread. The orifice for the fibres is too small for wool. The fibres were attached to the tall distaff and fed by hand into the flyer. The small water pot was used to dip the fingers into, in order to dampen and smooth the fibres as they were spun. The rotation of the flyer twisted the fibres into thread, which then wound onto the bobbin (the original missing). A cord around the flyer whorl (original missing) connected it to the wheel, which was was operated by turning a handle. Small spinning wheels such as this one were used on the lap. The user would feed the fibres into the flyer with her left hand while turning the wheel with her right. The handle is always turned clockwise so that the flax is given an anti-clockwise, or 'S', twist, because flax fibres naturally have an S-twist.

Spinning flax on larger, wooden spinning wheels, for weaving into linen, was an essential rural craft. It was traditionally carried out by women, hence the adjective 'distaff' to refer to the female side of a family. For wealthy women, however, spinning on miniature, beautifully made spinning wheels became a popular pastime. In 1770 the Duchess of Northumberland, when staying in Paris, recorded in her diary that she had accompanied Lady Berkeley to the Boulevards, 'where I believe she had 100 Spinning Wheels brought into the Coach to chuse of' (Syvia Groves, 'The History of Needlwork Tools').

We are very grateful to David Bryant and Valerie Bryant, spinning wheel consultants, for their advice on the conservation and assembly of the spinning wheel in 2015.

The scholar Giancarlo Ferraris suggested in June 1992 that, although the base is probably by Piffetti, the elements of the wheel and the uprights were probably made by a specialist turner (note on departmental files)

Small spinning wheels and winders such as this were made in the 18th century to be used in drawing rooms. The fine marquetry decoration was almost certainly made by the Italian cabinetmaker Pietro Piffetti in Turin, although the marquetry decorating the wheel and working elements is probably by a different (perhaps a specialist) maker, and is not of such high quality. Piffetti's elelgant marquetry indicates that this one was as much for show as for use. Needlework was an important element in the education of young ladies and such equipment allowed them to show off their elegant hands to admirers as they practised their skill. The scene on the marquetry base shows the goddess of hunting, Diana, with Cupid and a hound. Diana might be thought to be an odd choice for such a delicate piece, but she was also the goddess of chastity and childbirth, both matters of concern to a good wife.

W.159:1 to 7-1921