New England Butt Photographs, 1940-1952
Collection Number: 6805 P

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
New England Butt Photographs, 1940-1952
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
6805 P
Abstract:
Images depict braiding machines and circular knitters.
Creator:
New England Butt
Quanitities:
1.11 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
Biographical / Historical

The New England Butt Company is a historic factory building at 304 Pearl Street in Providence, Rhode Island. It is a 3-1/2 story brick structure with a monitor roof, built in 1865 to designs by Spencer P. Read. The New England Butt Company originally manufactured cast iron butt hinges, but later changed to producing machinery for braiding and stranding wire. Many of the machines are still used today by wire companies throughout the world.
The New England Butt Company factory building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[1] The drawings for all of the stranding machinery were sold to Watson Machinery International in Paterson, New Jersey in the mid 1980s. The drawings for all of the braiding machines were sold to Wardwell Braiding Company in Central Falls, Rhode Island, at the same time.
Watson went out of business in 2001 and the drawings were purchased by Kinrei of America, LLC. Today, information about the older stranding machines is available through Kinrei of America, LLC, in Wayne, New Jersey.
Includes photogrpahs of textile machinery manufactured by the New England Butt Company of Providence, R.I. Depicted are a 36-strand harness braider, two other braiders, and two circular knitters. Also includes a view of the New England Butt Company building in Providence, R.I. Building is one story, behind chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. There is also a photograph of original etching by Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965), copyright Wickwire Spencer Steel Co. [1940-1949]. Cartoon shows braiding machinery depicted with human-like faces and muscled arms with hands coming out to guide braided material onto flywheels.
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Conditions Governing Use

This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Preferred Citation

New England Butt Photographs #6805 P. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Materials

Related Collections: 6805: New England Butt Records 6805 GPN: New England Butt Glass Plate Negatives 6012: Charles D. Wrege Papers 6395: Charles D. Wrege Research Papers
SUBJECTS

Names:
Artzybasheff, Boris (1899-1965)
New England Butt Company.
Subjects:
Braiding machinery
Knitting machines
Male employees
Textile machinery
Textile machinery industry
Providence (R.I.)
CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
36 Strand Harness Braider
Box 1 Folder 1
Item 1: Harness braider
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [mid-20th century]. Image depicts a 36-strand harness braider, manufactured by the New England Butt Company of Providence, R.I. 12.75 x 17.75 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Braiding Machines and Circular Knitters
Format: black and white photograph
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 1: New England Butt Company building
 1952
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print. Image depicts a view of the New England Butt Company building in Providence, R.I. Building is one story, behind chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. New England Butt Company manufactured braiding and circular knitting machinery. 51 x 40.5 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 2: Circular knitter
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, ca. 1950?. Image depicts a circular knitter manufactured by the New England Butt Company in Providence, R.I. See item 4 in this folder for what appears to be a more modern version of a circular knitter. 35.75 x 48.25 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 3: Modern version of circular knitter
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [ca1950?]. Image depicts a circular knitter manufactured by the New England Butt Company in Providence, R.I., what appears to be a more modern version than that seen initem 3 in this folder. 40.5 x 50.5 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 4: Man standing at braiding machinery
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [mid-2oth century]. Interior view of a man standing at braiding machinery. Man wears work clothes and a hat. Location of mill is unknown, but may be New England Butt Co.; more likely, the machinery was manufactured by New England Butt Co. Machinery is quite large; note the flywheel on the right. 50.5 x 36 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 5: Braiding machine
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [mid-20th century]. Image shows braiding machine, most likely manufactured by New England Butt Company. Compare to item 6 in this folder, which shows a different type of braiding machine. 50.5 x 35.5 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 6: Braiding machine
Format: black and white photograph
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [mid-20th century]. Image depicts a braiding machine manufactured by the New England Butt Company of Providence, R.I. Compare to item 5 in this folder, which shows a different type of braiding machinery. 50.5 x 35.5 cm.
Box 2 Folder 1
Item 7: Artist's cartoon version of braiding machinery
Format: Graphics
Scope and Contents
Gelatin silver print, [1940s?]. Photograph of original etching by Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965), copyright Wickwire Spencer Steel Co. [1940-1949]. Cartoon shows braiding machinery depicted with human-like faces and muscled arms with hands coming out to guide braided material onto flywheels. 47 x 32 cm.