WOOL CARDS! May 14, 1768 at the Colden Store, Coldengham, New York

Saturday May 14, 1768
Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.

Wool Cards

Stephanis Crist purchased a pair of Wool Cards from the Colden Store on this day, 250 years-ago. These wooden paddles with numerous small bristles were used to straighten woolen fibers in preparation for spinning into yarn.

Wool Cards. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

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This article is one in a series of a daily accountings of Colden Store transactions. Be sure you read the first installment for an introduction to the store. You should also read this article which appeared in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society.

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In the prior blog, sheep shearing, the first step in the wool processing, was discussed. The wool was cleaned and washed prior to carding. (See this short summary of the entire process of "Sheep to Shawl.")

Colden sold at least twenty-four pairs of wool cards over the fifteen months covered by the DayBook.  They were always sold in pairs and almost always for four and one-half shillings per pair. All but five pairs were sold in the months of August or September. Normally shearing occurred in the Spring, so one might think the carding occurred in Spring? Perhaps Wool Cards went on sale in September?

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