This ‘drawing mitten’ was worn by women at Aldrich Bros. Brush Factory to protect the palm of the hands but not the fingers, which will be constantly bending the coarse bristles into shape. 

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Women, with their smaller hands, were considered to be more dextrous. The room where the wire pulling took place was known as the ‘drawing room’ or ‘girls room’.

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The mitten was made of hardened leather fastened together with metal loops. It was a simple cylinder open at both ends with a cut out to place thumb through. The cut out has a flap to protect the thumb and the

leather is worn where the wire would have pulled against it.