American Patent Model of a Knitting Machine by Joseph Hollen, 18

Fostoria (Blair County), Pennsylvania, patented 1. January 1861, No. 31020, with two cherry wood rollers: one grooved and pinned, the other with five steel needles held in place by metal loops, an adjustable thread-carrier set into the upper frame, with brass plaque engraved "J. Hollen" and original patent tag, ht. 9 x wd. 11 ½ x dp. 9 ½ in. The "Journal of the Franklin Institute", July 1831, records an earlier patent for a similar machine submitted by John McMullin and Joseph Hollen Jr. Though the machine manifested "an uncommon degree of ingenuity on the part of the inventor", the author notes that he did not "believe the machine will ever come into general use" (p. 10). The example offered here represents an improvement on a patent granted to Joseph Hollen, proprietor of the successful Hollen Knitting Machine Co., in October 1859. His description notes: "It consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices, as hereinafter described and specified, for lifting the stitches off of hooked needles and giving the required periodical rotary motions to the needle cylinder." The machine consists of a needle cylinder, a presser and a thread-carrier which are vibrated by a cam-operated roller. A rare and early working patent model, in excellent original condition.

布雷克拍品等级是为了方便竞买人判断拍卖品的成色而设置的。布雷克等级用1到6级来标注外观和功能的成色，(从非常好到非常差)。 在目录图册里用括号里的2个数字来表示，前一个数字表示外观成色的级别，后一个数字表示功能成色的级别。如(3/2)表示外观成色是3(满意的)，功能成色2(好)。 成色 定义参照下列标准： 1 - 非常好 (未使用过，没有使用痕迹) 2 - 好 (新，极少的使用痕迹) 3 - 满意的 (普通的使用痕迹) 4 - 及格的 (明显的使用痕迹，某个非主要部件是后配的) 5 - 有缺陷的 (极明显的使用痕迹, 某个主要部件是后配的，功能上有缺陷，需要修理) 6 - 非常差 (严重破损, 缺少重要部件)