MUSEOS DE LA SEDA / SILK MUSEUMS

family and some workers. In 1837, he married Albertina Campbell, who had been employed as a woman silk weaver at the factory. Al- ready in the 18th century, there had been a number of silk-weaving mills in and around Mosebacke. 5 The mill appears to have been located in houses that were not specifically built to function as wea- ving mills. His cousin and brother-in-law, C.G. Indebetou, writes: “He rented a hall at Svartens gränd, where his mill was stowed in quite uncomfortably.” 6 Weaving requires good light conditions and the Jacquard looms needed a ceiling height of three metres, why some modifications of the buildings may have been required. Knut August obviously was an able businessman. C.G. Indebetou characterizes him in his notes: He was cut out to be a businessman and in addition he was sensible enough, …not to fly any higher than his wings would carry him…a good many of his brothers in the trade were ruined in the same time young Almgren earned a fortune. … Knut Almgren was a master in arranging matters wisely and sensibly for himself…He did not purchase a house for himself until he had come far enough for the cost not to matter to him . 7 In 1840, K.A. Almgren Sidenväveri may be referred to as a me- dium-sized weaving mill with four Jacquard machines, four me- chaniques d’armure, and 24 looms for plain weaves. K.A. Almgren Sidenväveri received a royal warrant in 1844. 8 Orders were placed for silks for the furnishing of palaces and silver fabric for coronation dresses for queens. 9 Almgren took up politics and in 1844 he was 6 Höjer,Torgny(red.), Hist.handl.36:3.Handlin- gar ur Indebetouska arkivet , 1958, p. 248. 7 Ibid, p. 247. 8 There is a receipt from 16th November 1844, for 199 ½ cubits of damask furnishing silks in Slottsarkivet , 1844:1271. 9 ForQueen Josefina 1844, Lindgren Fridell p.116 (According toEk- strand,Gudrun,Krönings- dräkter i Sverige.p.124 the fabric was, however, woven byMazer &Co). For Queen Sofia 1873, Ekstrand p.159. There is a receipt in the Royal PalaceArchives,1873:44, andasampleatNordiska museet,NM312.399. 153