Contemporary Collectibles by Linda Rosenkrantz

Needless to say, there are many collectors of various kinds of needlework, from quilts to samplers to Stevengraphs. But there are also people who collect the implements employed in making these objects, everything from sewing machines to thimbles, buttons, needles and needle cases, scissors, tape measures, and pincushions.

Many needlework tools date to the Victorian era — elegant artifacts made of sterling silver or gold. While others represent the art nouveau and art deco aesthetics. Still others are sought after by collectors of advertising and souvenir items.

Among the most prized are those containing a number of different sewing items. In Europe in the late 18th century, a time when women would gather together to sew with friends, there arose a need for sets of portable needlework tools. One of the earliest of these was the "tower" type, or compendium. These were beautifully fashioned sterling silver or silver-gilt objects, some in figural shapes like fish, which would contain thimbles, thread spools, wax boxes, powder boxes, needle cases and family seals.

Related to towers were chatelaines, collections of sewing and other household objects that hung on chains or cords and then attached to a ring and fastened to a belt. They these were used by ladies of the house for centuries. Many chatelaines were elaborately decorated with jewels, ivory and mother-of-pearl, and are very desirable by collectors. Also in this category is the "lady's companion" seen in England and Germany, again fitted with the necessary tools for a sewing excursion. There is also a wide range of fitted sewing boxes, some in tortoiseshell, ivory and mother-of-pearl, as well as fine woods.

There were a number of interesting individual objects made for specific purposes as well. In terms of implements, bodkins, which appeared much like large blunt needles with elongated eyes, were used for drawing ribbon, tape or braid through holes or casings, hems and lace.

Bodkins also served the double duty of lacing up the front of milady's bodice or corset. Some bodkins came with an ear spoon, used to pick wax out of the ear, which was then employed for smoothing rough threads.

Though simple steel specimens were common, more desirable are bodkins made of ivory or whalebone (sometimes elaborately carved), mother-of-pearl, sterling silver, or brass. Another tool is the stiletto, a small, pointed instrument with no slit, used to punch eyelet holes in such coarse materials as canvas, felt or leather. Stilettos were also made in a variety of materials including steel, silver, ivory and mother-of-pearl.

Sewing birds — sometimes called hemming birds — were figural clamps attached to a piece of furniture to hold fabric in place by means of a spring or snap mechanism in the tail that, when pinched together, opened the bird's beak. These could be quite elaborately and fancifully decorated, with pincushions sometimes incorporated into the design as well.

The onetime staple of every home, the darning ball or egg, commonly made of wood, bone, ivory or glass, sometimes went beyond the usual round or ovoid shape into such whimsical forms as bells, strawberries and mushrooms. Somewhat more difficult to find are the silver and wood darning sticks made for the mending of gloves.

Victorian figural tape measures are another popular sewing collectible, particularly wooden examples of transferware and Tunbridge ware, as are figurals made of vegetable ivory, celluloid and other early plastics.

As fine antique sewing tools become increasingly scarce, collectors seek out other vintage areas. According to Schroeder's newest Price Guide, needle books, many of which were decorated with horses, children and beautiful women, have become quite popular. Another popular item is the humble straight pin, especially those early examples made in two parts with the round head attached separately.

Linda Rosenkrantz has edited Auction magazine and authored 18 books, including "Cool Names for Babies" and "The Baby Name Bible" (St. Martin's Press). Visit her baby names website at http://nameberry.com. She cannot answer letters personally. To find out more about Linda Rosenkrantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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