The history of the Mayville Spinning wheel, as it would later be known, begins at the Mayville Furniture Company in Mayville, Wisconsin. Prior to Frank Fells employment, the furniture company made and sold spinning wheels locally and across borders. Frank Fells involvement began with his employment in 1884 where he worked as a carpenter until the company changed course and no longer made and sold spinning wheels. In 1904, Fell purchased a large lathe from the Mayville Furniture Company and proceeded to make and sell his own spinning wheels from his home. Thus was the beginning of the Mayville Spinning Wheel. From 1905 to the 1930's, Fell was one of a very few to supply Mayville with spinning wheels.
Despite not being of German descent, his spinning wheels were important to the many who immigrated from Germany and settled in the Midwest at the time. For those who didn't bring wheels with them, Fells German-American style spinning wheels would feel a bit like home.
The John A. Salazar Seed Company among others, were regular customers for Fell and his spinning wheels. His wheels were made by him in his shop and then sold to and through the seed companies catalog. Here's an example of a listing for a Fell spinning wheel in one of their catalogs:
“This newly improved, extra strong and
IweU made spinning wheel has many advantages over others.
The fly wheel as well as all other parts
are well constructed of best hardwood:
Three spools go with each wheel and will hold a bobbin
of thread 3^ inches in diameter. Spindles
and cranks are of the best wrought iron.
Fly whee measures 18 inches in diameter.
The whole spinning wheel measures over
all in length 36 inches and in height up to
top of spool holders 82 inches, weight 15 lbs
It is just the machine for spinning flax and
wool and IS perfect in every respect.
Price $3 25”
At the height of Fells career, he was making upwards of 300 spinning wheels a year! However, as is so often the case, over time sales and therefore production began to decline and by the 1930's very Mayville Spinning wheels were being made and sold. Fell would eventually stop making them altogether and focus on all forms of wood working.
My very own German-American style Mayville Spinning Wheel was purchased at an estate sale in 2021. She came to me in excellent condition, needing very little to get her up and running. She came with all her bits including all three of her original bobbins! I don't know for certain her exact age, however, she shows very little signs of heavy use. There is some grease on the upright as well as on the bobbins and her flyer but otherwise she shows very little age or wear and tear. I needed only to replace her drive band, oil her "gears" and give her a good healthy coat of wheel oil and she was up and spinning again! There was a little laxity in the mother of all which i was easily able to tighten. She has been the easiest of the wheels in my collection to restore. I love her tiny drive wheel, easy responsive treadle and the exaggerated slope. I think perhaps my favorite part of her is the large J A Salazar Seed Co. stamp dead center of her! Perhaps she was a promotional wheel? She features 8 spokes rather than the six shown and was not drilled for a distaff assembly. I personally find wheels with small drive wheels to be the best for meditative spinning. They do not spin fast and therefore do not apply twist rapidly like their larger wheeled sisters! I feel, for this reason, she would also make a nice wheel for a new spinner. She would give inexperienced hands a little time to fiddle with treadling and drafting without much worry of excessive twist. All around she's a charming little wheel and I love having her amongst my collection. I hope to add a video of her in action, but in the meantime enjoy her photo's !
Blessings and Happy spinning!
Sources:
“Spinning Wheels and Accessories” Schiffer Books for Collectors, Michael B. Taylor, David A. Pennington
https://archive.org/stream/JohnA.SalzerSeedCo.catalog/JohnASalzerSeedCo.0001_djvu.txt
https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wmh/id/47551
https://archive.org/details/CAT31293134/page/132/mode/2up?q=spinning
Despite not being of German descent, his spinning wheels were important to the many who immigrated from Germany and settled in the Midwest at the time. For those who didn't bring wheels with them, Fells German-American style spinning wheels would feel a bit like home.
The John A. Salazar Seed Company among others, were regular customers for Fell and his spinning wheels. His wheels were made by him in his shop and then sold to and through the seed companies catalog. Here's an example of a listing for a Fell spinning wheel in one of their catalogs:
“This newly improved, extra strong and
IweU made spinning wheel has many advantages over others.
The fly wheel as well as all other parts
are well constructed of best hardwood:
Three spools go with each wheel and will hold a bobbin
of thread 3^ inches in diameter. Spindles
and cranks are of the best wrought iron.
Fly whee measures 18 inches in diameter.
The whole spinning wheel measures over
all in length 36 inches and in height up to
top of spool holders 82 inches, weight 15 lbs
It is just the machine for spinning flax and
wool and IS perfect in every respect.
Price $3 25”
At the height of Fells career, he was making upwards of 300 spinning wheels a year! However, as is so often the case, over time sales and therefore production began to decline and by the 1930's very Mayville Spinning wheels were being made and sold. Fell would eventually stop making them altogether and focus on all forms of wood working.
My very own German-American style Mayville Spinning Wheel was purchased at an estate sale in 2021. She came to me in excellent condition, needing very little to get her up and running. She came with all her bits including all three of her original bobbins! I don't know for certain her exact age, however, she shows very little signs of heavy use. There is some grease on the upright as well as on the bobbins and her flyer but otherwise she shows very little age or wear and tear. I needed only to replace her drive band, oil her "gears" and give her a good healthy coat of wheel oil and she was up and spinning again! There was a little laxity in the mother of all which i was easily able to tighten. She has been the easiest of the wheels in my collection to restore. I love her tiny drive wheel, easy responsive treadle and the exaggerated slope. I think perhaps my favorite part of her is the large J A Salazar Seed Co. stamp dead center of her! Perhaps she was a promotional wheel? She features 8 spokes rather than the six shown and was not drilled for a distaff assembly. I personally find wheels with small drive wheels to be the best for meditative spinning. They do not spin fast and therefore do not apply twist rapidly like their larger wheeled sisters! I feel, for this reason, she would also make a nice wheel for a new spinner. She would give inexperienced hands a little time to fiddle with treadling and drafting without much worry of excessive twist. All around she's a charming little wheel and I love having her amongst my collection. I hope to add a video of her in action, but in the meantime enjoy her photo's !
Blessings and Happy spinning!
Sources:
“Spinning Wheels and Accessories” Schiffer Books for Collectors, Michael B. Taylor, David A. Pennington
https://archive.org/stream/JohnA.SalzerSeedCo.catalog/JohnASalzerSeedCo.0001_djvu.txt
https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wmh/id/47551
https://archive.org/details/CAT31293134/page/132/mode/2up?q=spinning