St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-09
THE ORIGIN OF THE THIMBLE
IDorcas Magazine 1


The thimble is dutch invention that was
first brought to England in 1895 by one John
Lofting, who began its manufacture at Is
lington, near London, gaining thereby both
honor and profit. Its name was derived
from the words thumb and bell, being for a
long time called humble, and only lately
thimble. Old records say that thimbles were
first worn on the thumbs but we can scarce
ly conceive how they could be of much use
there. Formerly they were made of brass
and iron only, but of late years steel, silver,
gold, horn, ivory and even pearl and glass
have all been used for making thimbles. /
saw some very beautiful l ones in China that
were exquisitely carved, of pearl, and bound
with gold, and the end also of gold. Usual
ly there is pearl sheath for the scissors and
a dainty needle book of pearl, edged with
gold to accompany the thimble and the
whole is enclosed in an exquisite little peck
ct case shaped like book and bound In sat-
in and pearl.
A thimble owned by the queen-consort of
Siam is shaped ike lotus bud, this being
the royal flower of that country, and almost
everything about the court bearing, the
in greater or less degere, some impress of
the lotus. This thimble is of gold, thickly
studded with diamonds that are so arranged
as to form the ladv's name and the date of
her marriage, it was bridal gift from the
king, who, having seen the English and
American ladies at his court using thimbles
took this method of introducing them among
his own people.
In Naples very pretty thimbles, composed
NJ
ly sold, but rather as curiosities than for real
utility, being, from the extreme brittleuess
of the lava, very easily broken. 1 have heard
also Of thimbles made of asphaltum from the
Dead Sea, and of one composed of a frag-
ment of the old elm tree at Cambridge
Mass, under which Gen. Washington stood
when taking command of the United States
Army, in Jnly, 1776; but do not suppose
that any of these were ever intended 10 be
used in sewing.
In the ordinary manufacture of gold and
silver thin bles thin plates of the metal are
introduced into the die and then punched into
shape. But in Paris the French have a way
of their own, quite different from ours, for
making gold thimbles that are said to be
much more durable than those made in the
usual way. Pieces of very thin sheet-iron
are cut into disks of about two inches in d.
ameter. These, after being heated to red
ness, are struck by means Of punch into
succession of holes of gradually increasing
depth to give the proper shape. The Thin
bic is then trimmed, polished, and indented
around its outer surface with tiny poles. 1t
is next converted into a steel by process
called concentration, then tempered secured,
and brought to blue color. After all this
is completed a thin sheet of gold is intro
decd into the interior and fastened to the
steel BY mandrel, while gold leaf is attached
firmly by pressure to the outside, the edges
being scanned in small groove made to re-
ceive them. This completes the thfmbIe
that will last for years. The steel used In its
construction will scarcely wear out in long
lifetime. aud the gold if worn away is easily
replaced.