Sewing and needlework tools are easily found at antique stores and estate sales. These items are popular collectibles.
Before the middle of the 20th century, sewing was an important part of the work of every homemaker. As sewing machines became more affordable, hand-sewing tools were produced in decreasing quantities. The older sewing tools, including pin and needle cases, needle packet holders, thimbles, and pincushions, make interesting collectibles. Some of these items date back to the late 1700's, but many were used in the 1800's and early 1900's.
Metal items, such as thimbles and scissors, were sometimes made of gold or silver, and are very valuable. Brass was frequently used, as well. Other materials used in antique sewing collectibles were shell, ivory, wood, glass, and card. Thimbles were often made of porcelain or bone china. Some sewing items were manufactured, but many were homemade, including some from kits.
Pins were often stored in small book-like pin cases, made of a stiff material, such as bone, with a silk lining in which to stick the pins. Needle cases, on the other hand, were cigar-shaped boxes that opened in the center to reveal the interior cavity where the needles were stored. Needle packet holders were often elaborate boxes with different compartments or pockets for different types of needles. Pincushions were often handmade, with the earlier ones featuring beadwork. A well-crafted beaded pincushion from around 1800 can be worth $50 or more.
Sewing items were often used as souvenirs from travel destinations. Commemorative items were popular. Thimbles, for example, were often stamped with information about famous battles or events, such as Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Needle cases were sometimes decorated with tiny pictures of places visited. A style of decoration made in England and used on sewing souvenirs was Tunbridgeware. It consisted of tiny tiles of different colors of wood glued in a pattern. A well-preserved Tunbridgeware needle or pin case can be worth well over $150. Some needle and pin cases were made from glass, painted with scenes of well-known English buildings, and trimmed with gilt highlights. One of these in good condition could be worth over $200. Items made of ivory also command a high price.
The value of any of these items depends on the age and condition. The quality of craftsmanship, such as carved work on ivory, also increases the value of the item. Newer items are also collectible, yet not nearly so expensive to acquire. These include handmade pincushions from the middle of the twentieth century. Sometimes these were made similar to a potholder with a hanging loop so the pins and needles could be stored on the wall. Another design is that of a miniature hat crocheted of thread and stuffed with cotton. A manufactured pincushion style that was popular during this era was that of a ladies' shoe stuffed with velvet covered cotton. Many other motifs, including animals, children, and objects, were made into pincushions in this way as well.
Other popular collectible sewing items are packaged notions and their advertisements. La Mode buttons and items from Prym, Boye, J & P Coats, and many other companies are examples. Sometimes these ads and notions are as old as the 1890's but examples from the '40's and '50's are also desirable. Sometimes needle and pin cards from this era were printed with advertising for other products, such as foods, and given out free as a promotional item. Bakelite and celluloid notions, such as buckles, thimble cases, and tape measure containers, are also desired by collectors.
Some collectors focus on sewing boxes. These range from simple handmade wooden boxes to more elaborate boxes with removable trays. Sewing boxes can be made of fine rosewood with wood inlay, moire silk with ribbon trim, or lacquered with Chinoiserie scenes. Again, the quality of craftsmanship will increase the value. If the box contains sewing tools from the same period, it will be even more valuables.
Antique sewing machines, including those designed for children, are widely sought by collectors. The machines made in the late 1800's were ornate with gilt decorations. They were made in many countries of Europe as well as Canada and the U.S.
Sewing patterns can also fill collections. The packet from a 1940's baby's sunsuit or little girl's dress, for example, can be used as framed art in a child's room. Newer patterns from the 60's and 70's are a source of nostalgia for the baby boomer generation.
Almost every antique dealer has at least a few sewing collectibles for sale. The newer items are often found at estate sales and auctions. Sewing was such an important activity in bygone days that many of the tools used by ancient seamstresses are still in existence today.
