Briggs' Patent Teneriffe Lace Wheels
   Loom Type: Perpendicular
   Loom Mode:  Removable Pins

The Manchester School of Embroidery Issue No. 35 on Teneriffe Lace (First Series) was published in 1912, and contains instructions for using the Briggs' Patent Teneriffe Lace Wheels. Shown below are two advertisements for both brass and tortoiseshell wheels. The one on the right is later in date and adds an Aluminum wheel.

The equipment advertised for sale includes:

Briggs' No. 1 Patent Teneriffe Wheel (Tortise-Shell 9-1/2d., or brass 6-1/2d.)
Briggs' Patent No. 2 Teneriffe Wheel (Tortise-Shell 1/, or brass 6-1/2d.) Three-in-one for smaller insertions
Briggs' Patent No. 3 Teneriffe Wheel (Aluminum 6-1/2d.)
Briggs' 2d. Packet of Pins for use with the Teneriffe Wheel

The wheels are to be attached to a cloth cushion with pins, and buyers are warned that cushions made by Briggs can be identified by their trademark of two Roman brigs. I have not been able to find the 'page 15' reference to the cushions mentioned in the right-hand ad. A Briggs pillow has recently come up for sale on Ebay in a blue-green felt cloth marked "For Briggs' Patent Teneriffe Lace Wheel" on the underside (this pieces is not in my collection, and I am unsure of its present location). There is no sign of the trademark, so Briggs was no doubt fighting competition in the cutthroat Teneriffe lacemaking cushion industry.

Readers of the Manchester publication were also encouraged to make their own cushions - 4" square for small motifs, and 8" x 11" for insertions and larger motifs. They should be stuff firmly with bran.

The Manchester publication also says that Briggs produced patterns for Teneriffe lace on a durable green cloth, with dots to show where to place the pins, and with the weaving design drawn in. I have never seen an example of a pattern

Shown below are the tortoiseshell and brass versions of the No. 1 wheel; each a little short of 2-1/4" in diameter. I am much indebted to artist and collector Marty Jonas (http://www.marty jonas.com) for providing the photos of the tortoiseshell wheel from an example in her collection. The ads imply that the #2 tortoiseshell wheel is an imitation material - we might assume the same for the #1.
Also shown is the bow-shaped No. 2 'wheel' in brass. I have not yet located an aluminum No. 3 example.
The folder of pins is ~4-3/4" wide. Despite some damage, it is a nice piece. The pins themselves are 1-1/2" long. The lip is intended to be tucked into the front of the folder; I've opened it up for the photos.

The US patent is dated December 31, 1901, and is in the name of Ada Sykes Dixon. The device is called a 'holder for lace work', and only illustrates the small round wheel with two rows of holes. Click here for Briggs Patent. The patent is assigned to William Briggs & Co., Manchester. Instructions for these looms are contained in the Manchester School of Needlework publication.

Quesions:
1. Is Ada Sykes Dixon the same as the Ada S. Davies, the lecturer in embroidery at the Manchester School of Embroidery?
2. What other items did Briggs & Co. manufacture or publish? There is some mention of patterns for embroidery.

first posted 3/14/2009

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