Historical information

This washboard with horizontal fulted rollers appears to be a variation on the patented Hubbard Roller Washboard system, which had rollers with vertical flutes. The rollers appear to be maple wood, which indicates an American manufacturer.

The Mother Hubbard Roller Washboard was very popular in America in the early 1900s. The patented design, sold door-to-door, featured threaded maple rollers that rolled in opposite directions. It required only a light touch from the launderer, as the rollers did the work. It was awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

The first roller washboard was made by the Hubbard brothers in Dover, Illinois, where they were born. As sales increased, they moved their large sawmill to Lamoille in 1904 for better shipping facilities. In 1916, they moved their sawmill to Mendota, Illinois. In addition to the washboards, the plant specialised in sawing walnut logs and forming them into roughs for gun stocks. Throughout the 1920s, the Mother Hubbard Washboard factory was busy, but production ceased after 1935, once the electric washing machine became popular.

Significance

An unusual washboard with horizontal fluted rollers, different to the patented Hubbard Brothers washboards with vertical fluted rollers. It makes the item rare and possibly made in Australia in the early 1900s. The washboard gives insight into how various companies tried to improve or get around other manufacturers' patented designs.
The washboard is also significant in the evolution of household laundry equipment designed to reduce labour.

Physical description

Washboard: a rectangular wooden frame with two legs enclosing horizontal, rotating rollers with flutes.