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The Thimble: An Introduction
A thimble is a cover that fits on the finger to shield it when pushing a needle when embroidering or sewing. The word, derived from Middle English, literally means "thumb shield".
The thimble has a long recorded history. The oldest existing thimble is Latin, found in the city ruins of Pompeii. It is made of bronze. Nevertheless, the Etruscans, who came before the Romans, are known to have made other thimbles. Primitive thimbles of bone and leather without doubt also existed because thimbles have been used by every known civilization. These thimbles didn't survive.
Throughout history, thimbles have changed in a number of ways. Both the materials used and the means of production have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become primarily decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Pioneer thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and crude. It was difficult to push the thread through the cloth so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a "skep", was required to prevent injury.
By the fifteenth century, cloth became more finely woven and sewing became more refined. Thimbles became thin walled. These thimbles were usually made of brass and imported from Germany, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, original methods of manufacturing thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were first made from sheet metal. These new thimbles also contained fancy motifs. The cap was separate and attached to the cylinder later. The new thimbles were taller and the top was flatter.
During the 16th and 17th centuries Holland became the new seat of thimble manufacturing. However, in the late seventeenth century, John Lofting moved thimble manufacturing toEngland where the brass industry was currently established. He began to produce thimbles in a scale unheard of before. Then, he moved his assembly plant to Great Marlow, and used water power to and doubled production.
By the early eighteenth century, he was producing about two million thimbles per year. But he too succumbed to change and thimble manufacturing moved to Birmingham, England by 1800. The composition of brass also upgraded during this period. A new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing method called "deep drawing" that used less metal. This dropped the cost.
We are all aware that sewing is the fundamental use of the thimble. But did you know that a inappreciably larger thimble, usually two ounces, was used to measure spirits? And did you know that nineteenth century prostitutes used them to tap on their clients windows and Victorian schoolmistresses used them to knock recalcitrant students on the head?
Although they have become for the most part decorative, collectors interest in modern thimbles has not waned. Thimbles originally created in silver are being reproduced in pewter thanks to new processes, developed in the 1950s that allow more elaborate design. New series of thimbles are being issued to commemorate everything from football teams to Disney characters. Every tourist destination offers memorial thimbles to tourists.
Thimble collecting is an very well-known hobby worldwide. Plenty thimbles are inexpensively priced and readily available. Men, women and children collect them. Some collectors are interested in the history of thimbles while others collect them for their decorative value. The unpretentious thimble has become a star. Some admire its humble origins and some its new found incarnations. It is still one of the most versatile and sound tools ever invented, born of necessity.
What Is: A Thimble?
This article focuses on answering the following questions. What is a thimble? When did thimbles originate? What are their uses? Who collects thimbles? Why are sterling silver thimbles popular with collectors? What makes a sterling silver thimbles collectible? When were the first commemorative sterling silver thimbles issued?
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