Clark’s O.N.T. Spool Cabinet

2024.009

Clark’s O.N.T. Spool Cabinet

George and William Clark

Late 1800s to 1900s

43 X 17 X 17 inches

My mother, Dorothy Blakley, was an accomplished seamstress who developed a small home-based business in the 1950s sewing for her clients. She preferred alterations over making new clothes from patterns. Some time later, going to garage sales became her hobby. I remember being with her at about age 10 (1957) when she excitedly bought a box containing several antique rings of value for a bargain price. Thus began her pursuit of antiques exclusively; and in 1966 she opened a small antique shop in her home, “The Red Shed.” The purchase of this spool chest is nostalgic because of her sewing skills and love of antiques. She continued to sew and dabble in antiques until her eighties; and it was always full of her spools of thread. I inherited the cabinet in 2009.

Gwen Blakley Kinsler

Wooden spool cabinet

Walnut with metal handles

Storage for sewing threads. “The Clarks O. N. T. (Our New Thread)Thread Company was established in the 1880s by brothers George and William Clark. Made of quality woods like oak, walnut or maple, the letters O. N. T. was bolding displayed on the drawers. The idea was to provide functional and decorative store displays that would help customers choose their threads. The Clarks merged with Coats Thread Company in 1952.” from Kovel’s Antique Trader