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Gearhart's knitter has been manufactured and sold in all countries." A 1914 brochure owned by Mrs. Surver lists the price of the knitter still at $14. A still later brochure in her possession proclaims that the Gearhart knitter "has been manufactured for 30 years" and the cost was then listed at $30. This brochure also declared that "During World War I our Gearhart Knitter was adapted and used in nearly 10,000 Red Cross Chapters." Gearhart knitting machines now sell for as much as $125 on the antique market.
       (A clipping from a Jan. 20, 1892 newspaper, otherwise unidentified, in the collection of the Clearfield County Historical Society advertises the "Perfection Knitting Machine, manufactured at Clearfield for $9." Obviously the Gearhart product under another name, the machine was advertised as "The only family machine that knits three different sized stockings. No seams. Simple and easy to operate. Knits stockings, heel and toe complete, mittens, leggins, scarfs for men, women and children. Satisfaction guaranteed Price only $9. Full instructions. On receipt of $4 will ship machine to your nearest Express office when you can pay balance. Live agents wanted. circulars free.")

(to be continued)

eBay revisits
history of "Blue Ball"

        In the last week of March, 2002, an item appeared on eBay, and was described by the seller in the following write-up. Two pictures of the eBay auction are at the top of page 9.
       
Was the item for auction an early model of the Gearhart Knitting Machine?     
     
West Decatur, PA, where Joseph Gearhart made his first Gearhart machines, was also known as "Blue Ball". It appears that the hand written words "Blue Ball" may be on the box in the left photo. The description and photos match exactly what is well known about Mr. Gearhart's early experiments and location. No mention is made of Joseph Gearhart or the Gearhart Knitting Machine Company in the eBay description.
       Can anyone imagine that in a small Pennsylvania village, in 1890, there were two inventors working on knitting machines crafted from wood? It seams safe to say, the Novelty Knitting Machine Company was soon to be named the Gearhart Knitting Machine Company. Anybody???
Description
       This is an old 19th century little knitting machine in its original box with the original instruction papers that came with it. It is called The Novelty Knitting Machine manufactured by (who else) the Novelty Knitting Machine Co. of West Decatur , Clearfield Co., Pennsylvania. According to the instructions it is an all purpose household knitting machine that will knit everything needed for the household from socks to mittens. It even has a ball of yarn and a partially complete project with it. Looks like the beginning of an old wool stocking. It has an envelope full of extra metal whatever those things are that slide up and down on the sides. There are two coiled spring type of things in the box also, but I don't even know if they are part of the machine, an accessory, or just something that got stuck in the box over the years. You get them anyway. I also don't know for sure if there is anything missing on this since I am not to sure of it operation. It looks pretty much complete like the pictures show it, but

can't guarantee it. Pictures do show something protruding from the bottom of the center, but it looks like that is probably a spool of yarn that must have mounted in the center somehow. Looks like it was meant to screw on to the edge of a table top something like that. The metal things on the outside slide up and down in their slots and when you crank the handle it is attached to a cam driven piece of metal that goes up and down and the wooden cylinder rotates. That's about all I know about it's operation. Couldn't find any dates, but guessing by the style of box and printing and illustration art style, I would guess it to be from around the 1880's to maybe the 1890's era. Neat old sewing related collectible.