patents held by the "Sewing-Machine Combination." 

 With the approach of the Civil War, Gibbs returned 

 to Virginia. Poor health prevented him from taking 

 an active part in the war, but he worked throughout 

 the conflict in a factory processing saltpeter for gun- 

 powder. Afterward, Gibbs returned to Philadelphia 

 and found that Willcox had faithfully protected his 

 sewing-machine interests during his long absence. 

 The firm prospered, and Gibbs finally retired to 

 Virginia a wealthy man. Interestingly, Gibbs named 

 the Virginia village to which he returned in later life 

 '"Raphine" — derived, somewhat incorrectly, from the 

 Greek word "to sew." 

 The Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company 



is one of the few old companies still in existence. 

 It discontinued making and selling family-style 

 machines many years ago and directed its energies 

 toward specialized commercial sewing machines, 

 many of which are based on the original chainstitch 

 principle. 



There was also an ever-increasing number of other 

 patentees and manufacturers who, in the late 1850s 

 and 1860s, attempted to produce a sewing machine 

 that would circumvent both the "Combination" and 

 the high cost of manufacturing a more complicated 

 type of machine. Some of the more interesting of 

 these are pictured and described in figures 40 through 

 54. 



Figure 41. — The cherub sewing ma- 

 chine was another Robertson first 

 which was adopted by Clark. Rob- 

 ertson's patent of October 20, 1857, 

 once again makes no claim for the 

 design; neither does Clark's patent 

 of January 5. 1858. illustrated here. 

 The machine is approximately the 

 same size as the dolphin and is 

 made in the same manner and of 

 the same materials. Two cherubs 

 form the main support, one also 

 supporting the spool and leashing a 

 dragonfly which backs the needle 

 mechanism. (Smithsonian photo 

 45504-D.) 



48 



