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fabrics.net

Vintage Fabrics  - IN SEARCH OF WARP ENDS
By Joan Kiplinger
Join Joan's Vintage Fabric Discussion List!


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July/August, 2001:

Vintage Thread Chart & Photo Gallery

Limited to Wooden, Foam, Plastic and Other Type Spools and Thread-Related Items up to 1972

This is an ongoing project; we welcome your contributions to thread spools, manufacturing history and photos.

Picture Galleries:

Thread Chart:
(updated 7/09/05 in red)

American Thread Co.
Label Pictures
In 1898 the English Sewing Co. purchased Willimantic Linen Co. [Connecticut] and the Merrick Thread Co. to form a thread trust , American Thread Company [ATCO]. It was the largest thread manufacturer in the world at that time. In the mid-1900s, ATCO was lured by southern incentives and moved some of its operations there. By 1985 all operations were moved to North Carolina..One of its brannames Aunt Lydia is now owned by Coats & Clark Co. All all brands listed individually.

Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Willimantic  Willimantic Linen Co.        Wood     Silk           1871 or earlier. Eastern Connecticut was a great silk thread producing region.Willimantic is one its historic textile towns. Willimantic is Algonquin for land of the swift running waters 
      6 cord     Wood     Cotton             
Aunt Lydias  American Thread Fall River MA  Name on paper label; strong, smooth  1-3/8" D x 2"  Wood, dyed red     Cotton     Button, carpet  Parallel     
Hercules  American Thread  Name on paper label; special service; fast color; will boil  1" D x 1-3/8"  Wood     Cotton  40  Mercerized  Parallel    
      For strong sewing  1-1/8" D x 1-3/8"  Wood     Cotton  36          
Intrinsic  American Thread Co. , Willimantic CN   Engraved; top label Glacé Finish left twist; 4-cord. Bottom: Star logo  1-3/4" D x 2-3/4" Wood     Cotton 12   Waxed     
Kismet  American Thread  Name on paper label  2-1/2" L  Wood     Cotton  00  Mercerized  Crosswise    
Liberty  American Thread Co.    1" x 1-1/4"; 1-1/4" x 1-1/2"  Wood     Poly          
Spun Dee  American Thread  The Anything Thread  5" L  Wood     Poly  50  Parallel       
Spun Dee  American Thread Co.  Paper; top, red & S and D logo with Spun Dee logo design in center; bottom, Spun Dee* the anything thread* 100% polyester - wording circles label, American Thread and Star logo in center   1-1/2" D x 1-3/4"  wood; plastic  Clear plastic with SD all- over logo covers thread only  Poly  50          
Star  American Thread  Name on paper label; sewing cotton   7/8"D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized  Parallel    
Star  American Thread  Name on paper label; 6 cord  1-1/8" D x 1-1/2"  Maple     Cotton  50          
Star Twist  American Thread Company  Name on paper label; will boil, 6 cord  7/8" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized  Parallel    
Star Twist  American Thread  Name on paper label; will boil  1" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Star Mercerized  American Thread  Paper label; will boil  1" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized  Parallel    
Star Deluxe  American Thread  Paper label; will boil  7/8"D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  30  Mercerized  Parallel    
      Paper label; will boil  1-3/\/8" ‘D x 1-7/8"  Wood     Cotton  60  Mercerized  Parallel    
Star Twist Deluxe  American Thread  Paper label; 3 cord   1-1/2" D x 2"   Wood, bow tie     Cotton  00  Mercerized  Parallel    
      ATCo stamped  7/8" D  Cardboard bobbin     Cotton  C  Buttonhole twist  Parallel    

 

Misc Threads: Atlantic, Ashworth

Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Atlantic           Wood     Cotton           1871 or earlier 
Ashworth           Wood     Cotton           1871 or earlier 

 

Belding – Lily – all brands listed individually
Label Pictures - Belding Corticelli Richardson

Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Lily  Lily Mills Co. [1954]  Name on paper label; 3 cord, lint free   7/8" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Cotton  50     Parallel    
Lily     Name on paper label; boilproof 7/8" D x 1-1/8", 1-1/4" D x 1-3/4"  Wood  metal hole reinforcement  Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding –Lily     Name on paper label; extra strong  1-3/8" D x 1-5/8"  Foam     Cotton     Button, carpet  Parallel    
Belding-Lily      Name on paper label; colorfast  1-1/2" D x 1-5/8"  Foam     Cotton  50  Mecerized       
                                

 

Belding Bros – Corticelli – Richardson-Heminway operated as companies in various combinations. For less confusion, all brands are listed individually.
This is a very puzzling group to sort. Thanks to Shirley McElderry who provided founding and merger dates. However dates when companies dissolved is not known.
Label Pictures - Belding Corticelli Richardson

1832 North Hampton Silk Co. in Massachusetts founded

1845 Purchased by Belding Heminway and renamed Nonotuck Silk Co.

1849 Heminway & Sons founded

1857 Belding Bros & Co. founded. Corticelli was selected as a brandname to compete with desireable Italian Silks.

1863 Belding Heminway Corticelli formed.

1888 Heminway Bartlett founded

1900 Kitten logo adopted by Belding Bros. and appeared in advertising

1902 Richardson Silk Co. , founding date unknown, appears in advertising
1918 HKH Silk Co. is successor to Heminway & Sons. Co.

1922 Belding Heminway officially named Corticelli Silk Co.

1926 Heminway & Sons merged with Belding Bros.

1932 Corticelli joins above group.

1933 Richardson Silk Co. doesn appear in ads. Possibly may have merged or reorganized under another name.

1997 -- Shareholders of Belding Heminway Company, Inc. approved the sale of its Thread Division and a change of the company's name to Carlyle Industries, Inc. The purchasers, subsidiaries of Hicking Pentecost PLC, a British thread maker with significant operations in the United States, also acquired the Belding Heminway name in the transaction.
Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Belding’s Spool Silk  Belding Bros. 201 W. Monroe St. Chicago IL   Name stamped on spool     Wood     Silk  A     Parallel  Est. 1873 
Belding  Belding Bros.  Name stamped on spool; Belwaxed; fast to boiling  1-3/8" D x 1-3/4"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding  Belding Bros.   Named engraved on spool; hand sewing  1-1/8" D x 7/8"  Wood bobbin     Silk  A          
Belding  Belding Heminway  Name engraved on spool;  1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Silk  A  pure silk       
Belding Corticelli  Belding Heminway  Name engraved on spool; Bel-waxed   1" D x 1-1/8"  Maple     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding  Belding Corticelli   Name engraved on spool; fast to boiling   7/8" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding  Belding Corticelli   Name engraved on spool; Bel-waxed, fast to boiling   1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding  Belding Corticelli  Name engraved on spool; Bel-waxed; fast to boiling  1-3/8" D x 1-3/4"  Maple with sealer coating     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Belding  Belding Corticelli  Name engraved on spool; Bel-waxed  1" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Polybond              
Belding  Belding Corticelli  Name stamped on spool; extra strong  1-5/8" D x 1-7/16"  Wood     Cotton     Carpet, button  Parallel    
Belding  Belding Corticelli   Name engraved on spool; pure silk   1" D x 1-1/8", 1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Silk  A          
Belding  Belding, Corticelli Richardson B&A  Name engraved  1 " D x 5/8"  Wood, bobbin     Silk     Buttonhole twist       
Belding Corticelli  Belding Corticelli  Name engraved; fast to boiling  1-3/8" D x 2   Wood     Cotton  A [50]   Mercerized       
Belding, Corticelli Richardson  Belding, Corticelli Richardson B&A  Name engraved on spool; fast to boiling  1" D x 1-1/4", 7/8" D x 1-1/8"   Wood     Cotton  A  Mercerized       
Belding, Corticelli Richardson  Belding, Corticelli Richardson B&A  Name engraved on spool; Sew with silk; all silks, woolens & rayons   1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Silk  A          
Belding, Corticelli Richardson  Belding, Corticelli Richardson  Name engraved on spool; pure dye silk  7/8" D x 1-1/8"  Wood bobbin     Silk  A          
Corticelli  Corticelli  Name on paper label   1-3/8" D x 2-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  00-X  Mercerized  Parallel    
Corticelli  Corticelli  Name engraved on spool;   7/8" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Silk  A          
Corticelli  Corticelli  Name engraved on spool; use Corticelli.   1" D x 3/8" bobbin  Wood  Pointing fingers emblem  Silk  EE  Buttonhole twist, embroidery       
Corticelli  Corticelli  Name engraved on spool in blue & red; established 1838; Manufactured at Florence, Mass.  1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood  Kitten & pointing fingers emblem  Silk  A  Machine twist, best twist       
Corticelli  Corticelli  Name engraved on spool;  5/8" D x ¾"  Wood     Silk     Darning       
Richardson Silk  Richardson Silk Co.  Name engraved on spool   1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Silk  A     Parallel    
Richardson Sewing Cotton  Richardson Silk Co.  Name engraved on spool;   fast to boiling  1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Richardson Silk  Richardson Silk Co.  Name engraved on spool; Sew with Silk; all silks, woolens and rayons  1" D x 1-1/4  Wood     Silk  A          
Heminway     Name stamped on  1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Rayon     Darning  Crosswise    
      Name engraved on spool; fast color   7/8" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Nylon  A          
Paragon   Heminway and Bartlett  Engraved in blue     Wood     Silk  A       
Paragon   no Heminway listed   Engraved both ends: Warranted 50 yards     Wood     Silk  A  Pure dye     
Pilgrim  Belding Hemingway  Name engraved on spool  Standard  Wood    Silk  A, 50  Pure dye     

 

Misc Threads: Barbours, Barstow, Berkshire & Becket , Bird of Paradise, Brooks, Cartier Bresson, Carlisle, Chadwick’s, Clapperton, Climax Spool Cotton, Clover, Conso Donna

Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Barbour’s Linen Thread  Barbours Lisburn, Ireland  Name on paper label; 3 cord [red boxes]   1-1/4" D x 2"  Wood     Linen  30     Parallel  Est. 1784 
      2 cord [blue boxes]                         
      Carpet Hanks [green, red and blue boxes]              25-84          
      1-3/4" D x 2"   Wood   Bow tie           
Barstow 6 Cord   G.E. B
Alex King 54 Leonard St. NYC
sole agents
 
Paper label end of spool; see photo     Wood     Silk     Hand, machine  Parallel  1895 or earlier  
Berkshire Best Silk   Berkshire & Becket Silk Co   Engraved in red; Bountiful and Best Made; Made in USA   1 D x 1-1/4   Wood     Silk  A  Pure dye     
Bird of Paradise     Name engraved on spool; 3 cord, fast color guaranteed  1" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized       
Brainerd & Armstrong  Brainerd & Armstrong Co.  Name on paper label; aviation & crocheting   1-3/4" D x 2-1/2  Wood  Maple  Silk     Pure dye     Mfg. knitting & crochet silks 
    Engraved red and blue either end; Best in the World, Full Size and Length  1D x 1-1/4   Wood    Silk         
Brooks  Jonas Brook & Bros 19&21 Thomas St. NY   Name on paper label; 3 cord  7/8" D x 1-1/8"  Wood     Cotton  50  Waxed  Parallel  1871 earlier 
      Name printed on rim  7/8" D x 2-5/8"  Cardboard cylinder     Cotton  basting  Mercerized  Crosswise    
Brook's Prize Medal  Jonas Brook & Bros 19&21 Thomas St. NY   Top label red & blue: Spool Cotton blue bottom: glace finish red bottom: soft finish    Wood     Cotton  6 cord       
Carlisle            Wood      Cotton           1871 or earlier 
Cartier Bresson  Cartier Bresson  France Couleur Solide
C B logo
 
1-3/8" D  Wood     Cotton  50  Variegated  Parallel  Made in France 
Chadwick’s  UK  Name on paper label; 6 cord     Wood, bow tie      Cotton  6     Parallel    
Clapperton           Wood      Cotton           1871 or earlier 
Climax Spool Cotton  G. Hall Jr. Co. So. Willington CT  Name engraved on spool;  1-58" D x 2-5/8"  Wood     Cotton             
Clover  Clover Corp.   Name on paper label; 3 cord   7/8" Dx 1"   Wood     Cotton  50  Waxed  Parallel    
Conso Conso Products Co. NY Top rim: Conso VF110; Bottom: no lettering 2" D x 2-1/2" Wood cylinder   Cotton Comparable to 50   Crosswound  
Conso Consolidated Trimming Corp., NYC Bestso Twist Dressmaker size Wood   Cotton 00/3 mercerized Parallel  
Conso Donna  Conso  Name on paper label; 3 cord  1-5/8" D x 2  Wood     Cotton     Carpet  Parallel    
      Name on paper label; washfast  1"D x 1-3/8"  Wood     Cotton, mercerized     Heavy duty  Parallel    
Irelin Brand Linen  Conso Products  Paper label: made of finest imported linen heavily waxed #85000    Wood     Linen  3 cord  Carpet thread      

 

Coats – J&.P Coats – Clarks – Coats & Clarks – John Clark Junr.
Label Pictures - Coats & Clark
These threads have their origin in England and Scotland. The Clarks were weavers and to combat the shortage of silk hand-sewing thread during the Napoleonic Wars, Patrick Clark twisted together serveral cotton yarns which proved superior to silk thread. In 1812 the Clarks the first cotton thread factory. A few years later the Coats family established a thread mill under the name J&P Coats. ring hand-sewing thread. By 1840s both families had relatives in America and by 1860s they established plants there.

In 1866 George Clark invented the first-ever thread that could be used in sewing machines. He named it ONT for Our New Thread. George A. Clark & Bro. in New York were the sole agents in America for Clark's ONT thread. Coats and Clark were consolidated in 1896 but retained separate identities. Two years later the Spool Cotton Company became the sole selling agent. In 1953 J&P Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark Inc. Information on thread label shows that Clark Thread Co. was successor to John Clark’s Mile-End brand. Some of the brand threads they own today are Talon and Anchor as well as their own Coats, J&P Coats and Dual Duty Plus. Coats & Clark is now a craft company of Coats North America which is a division of Coats Viyella headquartered in Great Britain.

Brand   Company   Label Information  Spool Length, Diameter &   Spool Shape, Type of Wood or Substance  Scrollwork/
Decoration Est. Age
 
Fiber  Size or Count  Type of Thread  How Wound  Comments & History 
Blossom  Coats  paper label, extra strong   29.5 cm D x 39.5 Wood     Cotton  50  Mercerized      
Clark’s Mile-End  John Clark Junr. & Co. Clark Thread Co. successor  Name on paper label; 6 cord thread; spool cotton  1" D x 1-3/8"
Wood, bow tie     Cotton  8 to 100     Parallel    
         1-1/4" D x 1-5/8"  Wood     Cotton  50          
         1" D x 1-1/4"  Polished maple     Cotton  70          
         7/8" D x 1-1’8"  Wood     Cotton  50, 60          
         1-1/4" D x 1-1/2"  Wood, dyed black     Cotton  8          
Premier Twist  John J. Clark  Name on paper label   7/8" D x 1-1/4"  Wood     Cotton  50  Silk finish  Parallel    
Clark’s ONT  Clark Thread Co.  Name on paper label; best 6 cord   1-3/8" D x 1-1/2"  Wood, green dyed     Cotton             
Clark’s ONT  Clark Thread Co.  Name on paper label; 6 cord  1-1/8" D x 1-7/16"  Wood     Cotton  40, 50, 60          
Clark’s ONT  Clark Thread Co.  Name on paper label; best 6 cord spool cotton  1" D x 1-1/4;  Wood     Cotton  40, 50, 60, 70, 100   Mercerized       
         1-1/8" D x 1-3/8";  Wood     Cotton  8          
         1-3/8" D x 1-1/2"  Wood, green dyed                   
Clark’s ONT  Clark Thread Co.  Name on paper label; marking cotton   ¾ " D x 1"  Wood, bow tie  scrollwork at one end  Cotton             
Clark’s ONT  Clark Thread Co.  Name on paper label; extra strong  1-1/4" D x 1-5/8";  Polished maple     Cotton     Carpet, button       
         1-1/4" D x 1-3/4"  Plastic, early