Submitted by M. Lenz, Collections Assistant

Summer is setting in, and you know what that means… Collections Catch of the Week has returned!

This week we have two hand-cranked net needle filling machines. The silver machine (shown above) was made by Letson & Burpee Ltd. In Vancouver. During the early 20th century, this company was a major manufacturer of cannery equipment such as canning machines, retorts, and automated gang knives. The black machine (see thumbnail) was a special build, hand-made in ACME Cannery’s net loft ca.1920s.

A spool of twine was fed into machines like these and when the handle was turned the twine would be wound onto the inserted net needle. Once the net needle was filled, it was removed and used to mend and make nets, or to attach cork-lines and lead lines. Net needles are a very handy tool and are still used today.

Posted by m.horita

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