I got this lovely old loom back in 1985 or so, spent months cleaning, derusting and refinishing it's poor neglected self.  I have woven on it ever since, I love this sweet old loom and, when I saw this group, I thought it might be interesting to find out more about it.  So, I looked on the internet to try to learn some history and I can find NOTHING!  All I know is it's a Structo Artcraft Floor Loom, it was built in 1921 for the first president of the San Antonio Handweavers Guild in Texas and she woven fabric for her doctor-husband's suits on it.  There's a small metal plaque on the front that lists 6 U.S. Patents with other patents pending.  Where could I find out more information about it?  Upon searching Weavolution and the WWW, I have found the most people are talking about the table-top looms and no one's got information or interest in my big old Structo.  I think this is a knowledgeable group and I am hoping that someone has some input about my dear old friend.  Thoughts?  Please see the attachment for a photo, and thanks so much for your time and consideration.

Comments

sally orgren

2015 Greetings!

I have been PM'ing fiberassociations with images from my 600 to help with her immediate questions. (I think she'll be up and running shortly!)

Gone

 

Hi folks,

Figured I'd jump in here to back up Cat's ownership of a very rare loom- Cat definitely has a structo, because I also have one. Mine has the same tag with the same patent dates which range from 1923 to 1933. I just acquired it the other day. It's in very good condition considering its age and seeming lack of use. It also came with a plain beam, the hexagonal beam with 19 spools on it (so it's definitely a Structo) and an extra sectional beam. Quite a package.

It would just be nice to find out some history as to when they manufactured these looms, how many were made and the years of manufacturing.

I've been in touch with Cat about this loom and she's been wonderfully helpful to me. There just isn't much information available. Perhaps Structo built them for special orders.  But these are well built looms and I'm looking forward to getting mine up and running - after its 'bath'.

Structo back

 

Ingie

For those who may be trying to join the Yahoo group, Nancy, the person who started and moderated that group passed away unexpectedly a year or so ago, leaving it with nobody to manage it. We've put requests in to Yahoo to assign a member of the group admin rights but to no avail. Nancy had started a facebook group shortly before she passed and her family was gracious enough to allow others to take over as admin of that group. It is currently named Structo Loom Owners and we have copied over as much as we can from the Yahoo group; however, we have not invested the time to copy over all the discussions from the Yahoo group - there are thousands of them! Please join us in the facebook group if you need help with restoring a Structo loom or need resources for parts, reeds, etc.

Susan_Fineberg

Cat,

Not sure if you ever found info on the patents for your wood Strutco loom...  Use Google Patents and viola, one came up for me.  I googled "Google Patents" which brings up the site or go to patents.google.com   Type "US 1445419" and a Strutco loom pattent comes up. I added the US because it came up with some foreign patents with the same number otherwise.  Here's first paragraph.  Good hunting!

"Feb. E3), 31923 L.. STROHACKER LOOM Filed May l5 1922 2 sheets-sheet l Feb. 13, w23.

L. STROHACKER LOOM , 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May lr Patented lFeb. 13, 1923.

ratsamy carica.

LOUIS STROHACKER, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STRUCTO MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOM.

Application filed May 15,

principal object is to provide improved harness actuating means, whereby the Work ot manipulating the harness may be greatly simplified. Another object is to provide individual heddle frame operating means."

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