Shuttle, made in Edinburgh

This silver presentation shuttle was made in Edinburgh in 1878. It was presented in that year to Mr John Menzies of Ourdie Mill in Perthshire to commemorate various improvements he had made to powerloom shuttles used in Dundee.

The shuttle is inscribed 'Presented with a purse of sovereigns to Mr John Menzies, Shuttle Maker, Ordie Mill, Perthshire...Dundee. October 1878'.

For the first half of the 19th century textile manufacture was Scotland's most important industry. The first powerloom was installed at Catrine in Ayrshire in 1807. By the 1840s powerloom design had been perfected and the handloom industry was in decline.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-100-001-052-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.MEQ 1104
• Date: 1878
  1878 - 1879
  
• Material: Silver. Inscription: -C [rubbed]; [Edinburgh mark]; W; PRESENTED WITH A PURSE OF SOVEREIGNS / TO MR. JOHN MENZIES, SHUTTLE MAKER, ORDIE MILL, PERTHSHIRE, / TO COMMEMORATE THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS HE HAS MADE ON SHUTTLES, / DUNDEE. OCTOBER, 1878
  Shuttle, presentation
  
• Dimensions: 32 mm H x 203 mm L x 29 mm W
  
• What: Shuttle, presentation
  
• Subject: Gold and silver (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who: John Menzies (Owner)
  
• Where: Scotland, Angus, Dundee
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Perthshire, Ordie Mill
  
• Event:
• Description: Silver presentation shuttle, Edinburgh, 1878 - 1879, inscribed "Presented with a Purse of Sovereigns to Mr John Menzies, Shuttle Maker, Ordie Mill, Perthshire ... Dundee, October, 1878"
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: