ASSOCIATION OF SMALL COLLECTORS OF ANTIQUE SILVER
ASCAS
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by Magdalena and William Isbister
(click on photos to enlarge image)NOVELTY THIMBLESAlthough 'Novelty' thimbles or 'Sewing Toys', as they have been called, are principally associated with the late 18c and early 19c they were being made in Nürnberg as early as the late 16c. The first description of a novelty thimble that we were able to find was written by Johann Christoph Weigel, a German copper engraver, art dealer and publisher. He was born in Bohemia in 1654 and died in Nürnberg some 70 years later. In 1698 he wrote one of his most important works, Abbildung Der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände Von denen Regenten Und ihren So in Friedens- als Kriegs-Zeiten zugeordneten Bedienten an, biß auf alle Künstler Und Handwerker (reference 1). (Illustrations of common utilitarian occupations of the Regent and his servants in both peace and in wartime including all the artists and hand workers). It was published in Regensburg and in it he described more than 200 artisans and craft workers whom he had observed personally in their workshops and other workplaces. Each description was accompanied by an engraving of the activity.
Weigel in describing the thimble makers of Nürnberg wrote: "There are also double thimbles with the inner part being completely smooth and gilded, and the outer part which fits snugly over the inner part is made of silver and worked in filigree which looks very attractive. They often decorate the lower edge of the thimble by engraving garlands, foliage, animals and the like, in which type of work the craftsmen of Nürnberg remained the leaders because foreigners seldom engage in it" (reference 2).
Weigel also described thimbles with 'star hats' which may refer to the star dimpling found on the caps of these thimbles. Predating Weigel's description of three part 'Novelty' thimbles by about 100 years, and the earliest complete silver 'Novelty' thimble known to us, is a thimble held in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York. It has a removable top under which is a glass, under painted (verre eglomisee) with an alliance crest, it is dated 1577, has an unknown makers mark (arrow) and is inscribed, around the rim, in Plattdeutsch, 'Zier (?) leib unnde mich mer ist beidte ir err. 1577 ' (If you adorn your body and me, we are both honoured). Above the inscription are punched wild animals running in a wood. The top of the thimble is hand dimpled and the lower portion is gilded.
The crystal top of some of these two part thimbles is engraved and may be used as a seal.
Very few of these 'Novelty' thimbles are marked in any way and it is thus very difficult to know when exactly or where they were made. There seem to be no identifiable records of their manufacture and so dating is made primarily on style and comparison with other silver objects which can be dated. Filigree thimbles In Britain during the 18th century, the area around Birmingham was the centre for metal working and thus it is not surprising that Huguenot metal working refugees, fleeing from religious persecution in France, settled in the area (reference 3). Some were silversmiths with skills in the art of filigree work. According to McConnel, however, owing to the popularity of silver filigree in the 17c, silversmiths from India came to England and set up workshops. Italian silversmiths also came and established themselves in Clerkenwell and 'Clerkenwell Work' became an alternative name for 18c filigree work (reference 4). Several types of filigree sewing items were made including thimbles. Since the filigree had many holes the user, especially if they used the side of the thimble for sewing, was likely to be wounded and thus liners were made to go inside the thimble for protection. The simplest liners were in the form of a plain sheath with a small rim, which went inside the filigree thimble itself.
Other liners were more elaborate with engraved scenes, often depicting cupids firing arrows, and engraved tops which had mottos written in reverse. They were intended to be used as seals in addition to finger protectors.
We have only seen a complete set comprising a thimble and thimble liner in Holmes (reference 5). The liner does not seem to fit well in the thimble and we wonder whether the two parts were actually intended to be together. We wonder whether these 'liners' were, in fact, finger seals and not thimbles at all?
Maybe this thimble lost its liner?
A well fitting thimble and liner was reported in 'Rund um den Fingerhut' in 2002 (reference 6). The thimble was cut out and not filigree and the silver gilt liner was engraved so it could be read directly and thus could not have been used as a seal. It was reputed to have been made in Augsburg in 1560 as a love token and the liner is engraved 'Lieben und nicht zusammen seyn - Himmel das ist Seelenpein (Loving and not to be together - heavens, that is anguish for the soul), on the side and on the top 'Je näher je verwunden' (The closer [you are], the more [you are] entwined) and two hearts joined with arrows. Since German thimble making, in the 17th century, was a jealously guarded secret based in Nürnberg, it seems unlikely that this thimble was made in Augsburg. We also think that the thimble was made in the 17th century and not 1560 as claimed because thimble making had not evolved to two part thimbles with liners in the mid 16th century (reference 7).
The style of decoration of this thimble is Middle Eastern and the thimble may have been a Persian 'Novelty'. It is rather unusual in construction because the filigree sleeve is held in place by the rim and the separate soldered top which is hand dimpled. In addition there are two steel 'studs' which also secure the sleeve to the thimble. This thimble is very small, 13mm. Internal diameter, and would be called a 'maiden' thimble. The filigree is very fine.
Another technique of manufacture, developed to protect the finger when using a filigree thimble, was to extend the solid dimpled sides of the thimble below the top. The thimbles were thus quite tall - 2.9-3.0 cm.
Bottle thimbles Thimbles with screw on bases, sometimes engraved as seals, contained a variety of objects including bottles of either clear or blue glass.
Tape measures In addition to containing bottles some 'Novelty' thimble have in addition to the bottle, a tape measure.
Instead of a bottle some thimbles contained a velvet covered pad or pin cushion. These thimbles were often called 'pin poppets'.
Needle holder
Vinaigrette
This thimble was said to be vinaigrette but it looks more like a thimble with a recently added perforated false bottom?
Thimble etui Compendia Combinations of a thimble, needle holder, seal holder, pomade or perfume holder and a thread winder are thought to have been made in England or Holland but most probably Germany. The majority are unmarked and are dated by their decoration to the late 18c although no documentation for this assertion exists as far as we know except for one with a Dutch makers mark.
Some compendia seem to have thimbles which do not match the design of the rest of the compendium and we wonder whether they represent replacement thimbles?
Fish
Egg
Champagne bottle
From the examples illustrated above, it is clear that silversmiths, unknown in most part must have had fun in making 'Novelty' thimbles in the 18c and 19c. It is sad that not more has been documented about these thimbles and now several hundred years after they were made there exist no records, as far as we were able to ascertain, regarding their exact time and place of manufacture. They will thus be simply known as 18-19c thimble 'Novelties' or sewing toys and remain something of a mystery. Acknowledgement We thank Dr.Wolfram Koeppe, Marina Kellen French Curator, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art who was kind enough to provide information and a picture of the thimble in the MMA's collection. Thanks also to all the dealers who allowed us to use their images. References 1. Abbildung Der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände Von denen Regenten Und ihren So in Friedens- als Kriegs-Zeiten zugeordneten Bedienten an, biß auf alle Künstler Und Handwercker. Regenspurg 1698, Online- http://polona.pl/item/5308244/287/ 2. Weigel C. Abbildung der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände. Regensburg, 1698. cited by Holmes EF. A history of thimbles. London: Cornwall Books, 1985. 3. Bilston Enamels at: http://www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk/work/industry/enamels/index.html 4. McConnel B. The story of the thimble. Atglen, 1997. Schiffer Publishing. 5. Holmes EF. Thimbles. Dublin, 1976. Gill and Macmillan Ltd. 6. Jungbludt E. Ein museales Stück. Rund um den Fingerhut, 2002: 36; 4. 7. Pelham Burn D. Early Thimbles. Thimble Collectors International, 2001. Magdalena and William Isbister
Moosbach, Germany - 2017 - |
