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Brown's Wool Mat Mc (Manufacturer)

A Brown’s spring-action rug-maker. Found by the donor in his father's shed in Ashburton, Devon.
This is a Brown’s spring-action rug-maker, a type of hook used in making rag rugs out of pieces of wool. It consists of a long, sharp metal spike and a spring grip set in a wooden handle. It was used to push the pieces of wool through the backing of the rug and knot them together. This hook is stamped ‘Browns Patent’ on the spring. It was found by the donor in his father's shed in Ashburton, Devon, while clearing it out after his father's death in 1983. It is one of a number of objects found in the shed by the donor and donated to MERL (object numbers 83/98-83/128).

1 hook: wood, metal

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Recorder: JMB // Date: 13.12.83 // Description: A metal spike with a spring-loaded holder set in a wooden handle and finished with a brass ferrule. // INSCRIPTION: BROWN’S // PATENT // MADE IN ENGLAND // Dimensions: Length: 17.0 cm // Associated information: This tool is used for rug making. See Hemeon collection for similar rug hooks.’, MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) 74/131/1 – ‘The method of use: Take 2 pieces of wool and double them, catching the four ends between the thumb and fingers of the left hand. Take the rug hook, push it through the loop made (without opening the hook) and push the hook under two left threads of canvas in the bottom right hand corner next to the border row. Now press the thumb on the spring and open the hook, put extreme ends of looped wool in the mouth of the hook, close the hook and draw the ends through together. Release the spring and repeat.’, Letter, MERL to Roger Plumb, 10 October 1983 – 'Dear Mr Plumb, // Thank you for leaving the boxes of items at the Museum recently. We have kept some of the objects, one (the telephone) has been passed on to the Science Museum, the rest, being of no interest, we have discarded. // Yours sincerely, // Roy D Brigden // Keeper, Museum of English Rural Life'

Wood, Metal