It is a complex of one-, two-, and three-story, brick structures bound by Rice, Pearl, and Perkins streets. The main building was planned and constructed by Spencer R. Reed in 1865. It is a handsome, gable-roofed, brick structure with corbelled brick cornices, brick window caps, and arched door surrounds. It was originally used for machining and assembling but it is now used for offices. A single pedestrian entrance is offset on the façade (Pearl Street) within a round-arch, recessed opening. Fenestration is comprised of rectangular openings with 12/12 sash with brick lintels and granite sills. The building stands on a granite foundation. A shed-roof dormer extends along the building’s north roof slope. An overhead walkway connects the building to Louttit Laundry at 1 Central Street (see separate entry).

A long, two-story, brick building built at the same time as the main building was later raised to three stories. In 1951 a large, flat, one-story structure replaced the foundry on Perkins and Rice Streets. It has been highly altered since it was built.

In 1842 the New England Butt Company was established by N.A. Fenner. It originally manufactured butt hinges until 1880 when cast-iron butt hinges became obsolete. They then switched over to manufacturing braiding machinery.

By 1901 the factory employed 200 men and women for the manufacturing of braiding machines for silk, worsted, and cotton braid as well as telephone, electric light, and crinoline wire. The Company was bought by the Wanskuck Corporation in 1955. Ownership transferred in 1985 to Harold Homoff & wife Phyliss Homoff Ten-by-Ent. It is currently owned by the Providence Economic Development Corporation. The building does not hold any original machinery (Kulik 1979; RIHPHC 1981; Woodward 1986).