Bidspirit auction | Antique Flax & Wool Hatchel

Antique Flax & Wool Hatchel w/ Metal - 18 x 5.5 in. This antique flax or wool hatchel, also known as a heckle or comb, features a hand-hewn wooden base reinforced with hand-stamped iron or tin plates. The tool is designed for the manual processing of natural fibers, specifically to separate and straighten them before spinning. The central bed contains multiple rows of hand-forged, tapered iron spikes. The metal reinforcing plates along the sides and top of the bed are decorated with a hand-punched pattern of small circles, dots, and crescent shapes.