Bookplate of Alfred Rogers Turner 19th-20th century

Editor: This is a bookplate of Alfred Rogers Turner, by Sidney L. Smith. It depicts a spinning wheel. It feels very domestic and quaint. What can you tell me about this? Curator: The spinning wheel is a loaded symbol. On one hand, it evokes domestic labor, often feminized and devalued. On the other, think of Spinning Jenny and the Industrial Revolution – the wheel powered capital. What social narratives do you think it evokes here? Editor: Hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that connection to industrialization. I guess it's more complicated than I initially thought. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! And art, especially something so small, can be a window into a larger world.