Accession Number

2008.005.051

Description

A 14k gold thimble with a hammered body and a waffle cut moonstone top. There is a double raised rim and fine double line of dots at the top. Marks on the inside at the rim are "585" and "HF".

Narrative

Thimbles are designed to protect the fingers and give increased leverage while pushing a needle through fabric. In the Victorian period, thimbles were often highly decorative and used as collectible as well as practical items. The design of this thimble is associated with Scandinavian made pieces, which are characterized by fairly plain, uncurved sides and flat, waffle cut stone tops. The numbers 585 refer to the purity of the gold used. It is equivalent to 14 karat.

History of Use

The donor was a collector of needlework items and left this to Craigdarroch as part of a large bequest of sewing tools. 

Date

1892 – 1910

Dimensions

2 x 1.3 cm

Material

Metal, gold; Stone, moonstone

Technique

Hammered