This appears to be complete and have no missing parts. I know that the bench is original and the brass stamped plated on the site reads the title of this post. i have doen som reasearch and it would appear this is a pre-Michigan Chicago loom. i am just looking for information on the loom. i will possibly be listing this for sale somewhere, but i have no clue what it is worth. i hope that you nice people can help me!

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Fri, 09/25/2020 - 21:36

Nowood Fan

I've seen reference to Norwoods built as early as 1936 in Chicago. Looms from Chicago were often personalized, but not often dated, so it's difficult to asy with accuracy when the loom was built.  However, the brass plates can give some hint as to their age depending on who they reference as the manufacturer; Marglad, Gladys Rogers Brophil, Inc, or Norwood Loom Company, or some variation of one of these.

 

Marglad was a partnership between Mary Bottlemy ("Mar") and Gladys Brophil ("Glad").  In Jan 1948, shortly after they began publishing Warp & Weft Magazine together, they incorporated and became Marglad Corporation.  If a loom simply says Marglad, it may be older than 1948.  If it says Marglad Corp, then it would likely be Jan 1948-Jan 1949.

 

In February of 1949, a new corporation was been formed that combined Brophil's weaving studio and business and Marglad Corp.  The new company was Gladys Rogers Brophil, Inc.  So if loom says Gladys Rogers Brophil, Inc, it was most likely manufactured between Feb 1940 and July 1950.

 

In July of 1950, Gladys Rogers Brophil, Inc is liquidated and becomes The Norwood Loom Company, so of course, Norwood Loom Company on the brass plate would indicate a date of manufacture after July 1950 and early 1951 when the Brophils moved to Baldwin, MI.

 

Because they are no longer manufactured, they won't be as well know as brands like Schacht or LeClerc or Macomber, but people who own then typically love them.  They are jack looms and made of cherry.  The design of the loom was refined by Wallace McGarr in Baldwin, most obviously the shape of the rotating frame and how it is attached and supported at the front of the loom, so it's easy to recognize a Chicago-era loom, but I don't think they are any more or less desirable than later looms. Value is hard to quantify, though.  Certainly an original Norwood bench adds value.  Size is also a consideration; the larger looms are probably more difficult to sell than a smaller loom, so that might affect your pricing. Overall condition is important, as well.  Norwoods come up for sale on a fairly regular basis, especially larger 40 to 50" looms, so buyers do have options.  There are owner groups on Facebook and Ravelry, with the Facebook group currently the more active.

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