In researching my J. Platt flax wheel (in the previous post), I combed the internet for other Platt wheels. Only a few turned up–one double-flyer wheel, one other flax wheel, a tilt-table yarn winder/reel, two great wheels, and some phantoms that were auctioned to unknown new owners.

This Platt great wheel turned up on Facebook, with an owner in New York state inquiring if anyone knew anything about the maker. I just about jumped out of my seat with excitement and another Platt owner (in Massachusetts) also joined in to share information on her wheel and winder. Some months later, the owner of this wheel decided to sell and, thanks to the kindness of three volunteers, we quickly had a wheel railroad to eastern Massachusetts, where my husband picked it up to bring to Maine.

The two-posted barrel tension is almost identical to those found on Barnum, Sturdevant, and Sanford wheels. When the previous owner bought the wheel, it had a double-post direct drive spindle set up. Unfortunately, that was lost when sent for a repair. It had been replaced with a Miner’s head, which I replaced with a bat head, since this wheel likely pre-dated accelerated heads.

The spokes do not run down the rim center, but are slightly offset, by varying distances. They have an almost imperceptible flare at the rim end. The drive wheel diameter is 44 1/2″ with simple overlap rim joins.

The table is absolutely plain–no scribe marks, no chip carving, no grooves, no curved edges–with the J. Platt mark on the end.

The wheel post is very coarse-grained, perhaps chestnut.

The legs are simple with four sets of double grooves at the wide parts of the turnings. Again, as with other features, they are similar to other Connecticut wheelmakers of the time.

The leg tops show through the upper side of the table.

The underside of the table is smooth, without any scribe marks.

The wheel is simple, solid, and made to last. She spins beautifully and, because her replacement spindle is huge, she’s one of my go-to wheels for plying.