At Left: Wide view of front side of loom. The counterbalanced shedding system is visible, including roller bar with two shafts and treadles.

At Right: Wide view of left side of loom. Rocker is kept in place on runner by a wooden brace, and canvas strips attached to both rocker and runner.

This loom was one of three rocker beater looms included in a study done by Rita Adrosko, Curator Emeritus of the Textile Collection of the Smithsonian Institution, in 1980. At that time she took these pictures the loom had been exhibited on the museum porch for many years, and had fallen victim to weater damage and crude repair jobs.

Museum records indicate the original loom dates back to the last half of the 19th century. There is no background information on the loom, other than it was on loan to the museum, and had been used by Jose Acasio Suaza, great-grandfather of the donor, until 1921. The loom was on exhibit in 1980, but it is now in storage.