author
E. A. (Emanuel Anthony) Posselt
1858–1921
A pioneering textile educator and writer, he helped turn the mechanics of weaving into clear, practical knowledge for students and manufacturers alike. His work on the Jacquard machine became especially well known and is still remembered as a classic in the field.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Reichenberg in the Austrian Empire (now Liberec, Czech Republic) on August 21, 1858, Emanuel Anthony Posselt trained at the Imperial Government Weaving School there and then spent time in major textile centers across Europe. He moved to the United States in 1878 and worked in textile mills in New England and Pennsylvania before stepping into education.
In 1884, he became the first director of the textile division at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia. After leaving that post, he edited the Textile Record of North America and later ran his own textile academy and publishing business, producing books and reference works for people working in the trade.
Posselt wrote extensively on weaving, textile design, calculations, fibers, and silk, wool, and cotton manufacture. He is best known for The Jacquard Machine Analyzed and Explained, a book widely described as a classic. He died in Philadelphia on June 28, 1921.