Here is a closer look of my needle case and thread collection! Flip through the slideshow below, and then take a moment to read through the history of each piece! Enjoy!
A little bit about each piece from my collection!
The "Betty Boop" thread doll was found at a garage sale for 25 cents!
The red plastic apple has a green steel leaf that when pulled, reveals a measuring tape. There is an inscription on the bottom from "The United Device Corp" Great Neck New York, Patent Pending.
The small red spool of thread is inscribed "H.B. Colour Garanti", and has a Turkey Red postage stamp included under the first few rows of thread. Of course, this would have been used for turkey red thread work quilts.
I have a collection of Barbours Linen Thread from Ireland, this is 3 Cord, No. 40, 2 Ounce spool
The sterling silver thimble is really a one ounce shot glass.
The collection of needle cases are my favourite treasures. The little gold "Valise" box is made of cardboard with guilding on the front. It has a label "Made Specially for The T. EATON Co Limited, Toronto and Winnipeg", and contains different needles and compartments.
The Blue leather box with tan leather interior contains a complete sewing kit. In it is also a button hook, an awl, and a pearl handled knife.
The "Gold Eyes" burgundy leather case with silver edges is especially lovely and contains different leather sleeves of needles, a felt liner, needles, and is embossed in gold "Manufacture of Needles Limited"
The black "Needles" Arthur Balfour & Co. (Canada Limited, MONTREAL, HAMILTON, AND SHEFFIELD, England, I believe is the oldest item in my collection, dating to approximately 1900. It contains tan leather sleeves embossed in gold with the names and sizes of all the needles, and a full set of the needles. There is a very similar one in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England.
There is a red leather German made needle case that lies flat when opened, complete with thimble, needles, threads and other tools.
The leather shoe pin cushions were purchased in Lancaster PA, USA on a trip to see the quilt show as well as visit antique malls. They are exquisitely made by a shoemaker, with wooden heels and come complete with leather soles.
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