Fiber tools: skein winder

This is an 1800s-era skein winder. After fiber was spun, dyed, and plyed, the finished skein was wound onto a spool or bobbin. This wooden mechanism helped to speed up that process. The spool was stuck onto the metal prongs and a handle turned to take up the thread. Mountain people occasionally used corncobs as spools. The handle is missing from this example. It is not known who created this skein winder