Object Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Waterloo Region Museum |
Object ID |
1998.184.010 |
Object Name |
Boot |
Description |
This is a black felt, right-footed boot with a felt sole. There are eighteen black metal eyelets, nine on each side, and black laces. There is a wooden boot last inside the boot. Stamped on the last is ''5'' on the top, ''2'' on the one side, and ''W. H. London'' on the other side. Attached to the boot with a string is a small round paper tag, with a metal rim, that says ''15 wos.'' |
Date |
1920 |
Date |
1950 |
Dimensions |
H-19 W-6 L-26.5 cm |
History |
The Canada Felting Company was founded around 1903 by Alfred Snyder (1864-1929). Alfred purchased the existing St. Jacobs Woolen Mills from Noah W. Gingrich (1842-1914), renaming the business. The company was in operation until 1970, when it was purchased by Pett Machine. The factory building, though renovated, still stands at 1440 King Street in St. Jacobs as of 2022. There are two distinct classes of felts; woven or ''thread-structure'' felts and ''fibre'' or true felts. In the manufacture of thread-structure felts, appropriate felting wools are spun into woolen yarn possessing the necessary fibre arrangement and twist, and are woven into a cloth of such a character that shrinking or felting could be effected. True felts followed the manufacturing process of mixing, willowing, teasing, scribbling and carding. From the card, the wool is delivered into an endless sheet, upon which the felt is built up, film upon film, until the desired thickness is obtained. Felt had many uses, including boots and slippers. The boots were worn outdoors and indoors, and as inserts for rubber ankle-boots. |
Search Terms |
Canada Felting Company Limited |