Showing evidence of having been made during the period 1820 to 1880, this 6-inch centre height, treadle-powered wood-turning lathe could be by almost any known contemporary machine-tool manufacturer. It might even, if early enough, have been by a maker of textile machinery; such companies, using their knowledge of building complex weaving and spinning machine, often expanded their enterprises in slack times to construct all manner of machine tools. A simple wood lathe such as this would have been well within their capability.
Rather than having a light, round-leather rope "gut" drive, this lathe is fitted with a flat belt - and so hinting that it would have been capable of heavier-then-usual use.