New Home Sewing Machine Company Birds-Eye View

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

By 1890, the New Home Sewing Machine Company was the largest employer in Franklin County, Massachusetts, with 600 male employees. The company produced over 100,000 sewing machines annually, which resulted in increased commercial production of ready-made clothing. It also revolutionized domestic sewing; women who had formerly had to sew all of their families’ clothing by hand could now turn to this timesaving device. An actual time trial held in the 19th century revealed that fifteen men’s shirts could be made by machine in the time it took to hand- sew one shirt. This idealized scene, intended to enhance and dignify the manufacturing image, depicts a park-like setting, clean air, and woodsy surroundings.

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Details

Item typeArtwork
Print
CreatorR. P. Mallory; George H. Walker and Company
Datecirca 1880
PlaceOrange, Massachusetts
TopicIndustry, Occupation, Work
Commerce, Business, Trade, Consumerism
Home Life, Household Items, Furniture
EraCivil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877
Progressive Era, World War I, 1900–1928
MaterialPaper
Process/FormatPrinting
Dimension detailsHeight: 24.00 in Width: 34.00 in
Catalog #1997.10
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R. P. Mallory; George H. Walker and Company. New Home Sewing Machine Company Birds-Eye View. ca. 1880. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1997-10/. Accessed on December 9, 2024.

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