Saturday, January 09, 2010

Victorian pin holder

I was searching through some sewing tins this morning and came across this hand-stitched silk pin holder. The silk is beginning to shatter. I presume it was made in the late 1800s, perhaps by my grandmother.
I opened the holder and the ribbons frayed when I touched them. A cardboard folder with pin heads sticking up was inside.


Under the front fold I found this announcement:

TOILET PIN MAKERS TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA

By virtue of the authority to me given, I do hereby nominate and appoint Messrs D.F. Tayler and Company, to be patent solid headed pin manufacturers in ordinary to her Majesty. They are to have and enjoy all the rights profits privileges and advantages to the said place belonging, during my will and pleasure, and for the same this shall be sufficient warrant, given under my hand this twelfth day of August1837 in the first year of her Majesty’s reign. H. Sutherland, mistress of the robes.

It appears that the company continued manufacturing pins up through 1873. They won prize medals in 1851, 1862, 1869, and 1873 according to the backside of the cardboard folder.
This discovery sidetracked me from my project for today, but I’ll get busy soon. I am making a small quilted wall sign for my word for 2010.

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5 Comments:

Blogger JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

That is so neat. What elegant words they used.

4:00 PM  
Blogger Del said...

What a treasure! I have, in the past, collected antique needlework tools and have not seen anything like your pin holder. Keep it safe. Do you have some acid free tissue to wrap it in? Let me know and I will send you some. Love, Del

12:58 AM  
Blogger Deborah said...

I've never seen anything like this before either. What a special find!

7:08 AM  
Blogger LINDA BYLSMA said...

My goodness! I can understand why you were side tracked! You belong on Antique Roadshow. What a treasure.

7:25 AM  
Blogger Meggie said...

What a wonderful treasure. Silk is so beautiful, but it is a shame it becomes so fragile.

10:38 PM  

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