Anyone have experience with hand embroidery machines: Princess, Poglitsch?
 

I found a very interesting vintage embroidery gadget (1910's), called a Princess Hand Embroidery Machine. Does anyone have any additional information, or have used one before? It seems a shame to have an art form getting lost to history.

I don't know anything about this machine, but it might be like some of the "hand" sewing machines of the past. It needs to be lost.

how can it be hand embroidery if it's done by machine?

Since you didn't include a picture, I'm going to guess that it is something like https://www.etsy.com/listing/8521464...chine-princess.
It is an early form of what is now called punch needle embroidery. It basically makes loops of embroidery thread, yarn or even wool strips. It is done from the wrong side of the fabric base. Here are some links about what is currently available, with one describing it.
https://embroidery.com/Punch-Needle
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/what...needle-4774174
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Embroider...9&gclsrc=3p.ds

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

ETA: There was an improvement to embroidery attachment for sewing machine patented in 1869 https://patents.google.com/patent/US93480
There was a embroidery implement patent in 1885 https://patents.google.com/patent/US313770

My apologies for not including pictures, but you are correct in your guess. I really appreciate the links you provided, and it certainly appears that there's a high degree of trial and error involved. I have seen the final results of the punch needle embroidery, and it looks beautiful! I'll give it a whirl and see what happens.

Thanks again for your reply and informative links!

It's the name it was given.

Thank you for your reply. I was looking for information as to how this item is used, whether it deserves to be "lost" or not is up to the individual. I choose to find out whatever I can about it.

It's interesting to look at the names given to a lot of the new gadgets that were developed in the late 1800's and early 1900's. And they liked to give them names that were "new fangled" at the time, like "machine". However a machine simply means it's some sort of mechanical device to amplify hand effort, so this would qualify as an early machine.

I've managed to collect quite a few early needlepunch tools - they were another item that was commonly stored in treadle cabinet drawers.

Apparently, there are some modern versions of this gadget. Here's a link to some youtube.com videos that show you how to use the modern versions. Here's one of the manufacturer's sites. I found an etsy.com page with a manual for the original Princess instruction book ($30.00), but it was already sold.
bkay