Summary

Countermarch floor loom made for Anna Apinis by fellow survivors of World War II, in Memmingen, a displaced persons camp in Germany with wood scavenged from bombed-out ruins. It was designed by Anna's husband Ervins. Anna used the loom to weave traditional Latvian designs using threads gathered by unraveling old scraps of fabric. Anna brought the loom with her to Australia and continued to weave Latvian designs on it.

Physical Description

Countermarch floor loom made of recycled timber. Loom is fitted together with wooden pegs and steel bolts; no nailing is used. The loom is made up of many pieces which enable it to be dismantled and reconstructed. Pieces include seat, treadles, warp and cloth beams. The shafts and lams are suspended from jacks in the centre of the frame. Cords attach the treadles to the lams, so that when the treadle is pressed, whichever shafts are to be lowered for that shed are pulled down and the remaining shafts are raised.

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