Swingling Stick
Unknown Artist
1700–1800
Medium
Wood
Dimensions
H. 29 in. (73.7 cm)
Classification
Swinging stick
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909
Accession Number
10.125.666 D
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Wing, the *Swingling Stick* (ca. 1700–1800) is a humble yet vital wooden tool from colonial America. Crafted from wood and standing 29 inches tall, this anonymous artifact exemplifies the everyday ingenuity of early settlers. Donated by Mrs. Russell Sage in 9, it offers a tangible link to the pre-industrial era when households produced their own textiles. A swingle, or swingling stick, was essential in flax processing—a labor-intensive step toward making linen cloth. After retting in water to soften the stalks, the tool's flat, blade-like end was sw...