Flax Wheel, Made by James Gregg, 1800-1819

Spinning wheels come in a rich diversity of sizes and shapes depending on where and when they were made and the fibers they were intended to spin. This Saxony-style wheel, as its name suggests, was developed in northern Europe but was widely used in America. Intended for spinning flax fiber into linen yarn, these wheels often featured a built-in upright distaff to conveniently hold the raw flax fibers for the spinner.