Shaker broom vise

The Shakers' invention revolutionized the production and form of brooms; in the process greatly expanding an industry in New England.

[2] This colony is credited with being the first to grow broom corn, which was around 1800 when they first grew it on an island in the Mohawk River that was near their community.

[3] Bates' vise idea to make flat brooms and brushes was a leap in technology since it produced products that worked much more efficiently.

In 1850, more than a million brooms were built in Massachusetts alone, resulting in a large export trade extending to South America.

[5][A] The vise consists of two upright planks, one rigidly fixed to the base and the other hinged via a pair of short distance pieces.

The lower set are level with the top of the planks and are circular when closed to firmly grip the head of the broom.

The toggle is provided with a long wooden handle which the operator can pull down to secure the broom in the vise.