Spears Wool Weaving

J. W. Spear and Sons was a manufacturer of board games and craft games during the 20th century.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 1

The company was founded by Jacob Wolf Spier (1832-1893) in F�rth, near Nuremberg, Germany in 1879. They initially produced goods such as table mats, photo frames, and waste-paper baskets. By the turn of the century, games had become their main product.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 2

In 1932, the company set up a factory in Brimsdown, Enfield, Britain to avoid customs duties. With the rise to power of the Nazis and the Spier family being Jewish, some members of the family moved to Britain and subsequently Anglicised their name to Spear.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 3 In Older Box Design

The Nuremberg factory was forcibly "purchased" by a German businessman, and survived most of World War II under Nazi control until the Royal Air Force bombed it.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 3 In Green Box Design

The UK factory switched to military production during the war and then returned to making games. In 1954 the company acquired the rights to produce and market Scrabble for markets outside North America. As well as board games they made the Brickplayer construction toy.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 3 In Red & Blue Box Design

The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1966 and was taken over by Mattel in 1994 after a bidding war with Hasbro. Mattel closed the UK factory and while it still produces Scrabble, most of the traditional Spear's Games are no longer made.

Spears Weaving Loom Size 4

Our main concern here is the weaving looms and the size 4 above is now the most sort after and used by adults and is the loom that went on to inspire other companies to make small looms for home use.