Item 39: First Style of Cotton Compress used in South

Black-and-white image of a cotton compress powered by a horse. The large screw in the center of the press is used to compress the cotton. A horse is tied to one of the large wooden beams, or booms, of the compress, and as the horse moves in a circle, the screw rotates to compress the cotton. An African American man stands at the center of the compress with a basket of cotton at his feet; he may be feeding cotton into the press. A white man dressed in a suit jacket and wearing a cap looks on at the right. Two female children, one wearing a large sunbonnet, sit on the ground in front of the compress, along with a dog. ca. 1890-1900. 17.75 x 8.75 cm.

Format: Stereoptic print.