Teneriffe Equipment

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Koppo Cushion
   Loom Type:  Perpendicular
   Loom Mode:  Removable Pins

From the patent information, this item can be dated to the mid 1950's (pat date June 19, 1956). The inventor is Koppo Saito, from Tokyo, Japan. I don't know if this is a man or a woman, but whoever it was operated under the name "Koppo Institute" in Tokyo. The patent references the earlier Proctor and Dixon (Briggs) patents and claims to substantially improve these earlier designs.
Click here for Koppo Cushion patent

The Koppo Cushion was produced both in English and Japanese versions, although it appears that production took place solely in Japan. According to the patent it has a "lightweight substantially non-compressible wood-packing filler" base. The top is formed of a "tough leather or equivalent", and it certainly looks like blue stained leather to me. There are some differences between the English and Japanese versions. The English base appears to be a red silky material, the Japanese base is a rougher cloth. The names of the two devices are different. The Japanese version is labeled "Koppo's Teneriffelace Work Koppo Cushion", and has a patent number (the patent number 396060 on the cushion is not the same as the No. 2,750,761 on the American patent. It maybe from a different country). The English is labeled "Koppo" Daisy Winder Koppo Cushion Made in Japan, and does not have a patent number. The English version has a numbered reference line drawn down the center, the Japanese one has a line, but no numbers.

Below I show examples of both the Japanese and English versions below. The box and instructions are in the appropriate language. The Japanese example came with two needles in a plastic wrapper, but I don't know if these are original to the piece. I also don't know if pins came with the original items.
Click here for Japanese Instructions
Click here for English Instructions

For the very few people who have actually managed to find a Koppo Cushion, it proves to be a very effective design. It has a slightly domed shape, and the anchor point at the center which accepts a pin to orient the web, is a nice feature. There is also a clip on the side to anchor the starting thread. It is a natural development in the series of patented Teneriffe looms; doing away with the separate metal or plastic template. My only criticism is that the pinholes in the cushion will probably wear away with use. In my examples, pins are tightly held by the wood base material, but who knows how long this tension will last.

Questions
1. Who is Koppo Saito and did he/she have any other products?

first posted 9/13/2009