The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-06
ORIGIN OF THE THIMBLE.

The Useful Invented of a DutchmaH-
How himbles Are Made In France.
Dorcas MAGAZINE.
The thimble is a Dutch invention that was
first brought to England in 1888 by one John
Lofting, who beganits manufacture at Islington.
near London, gaining thereby both honor and
profit. Its name was derived from the word
thumb and bell, being for a long time called
thnmble. and only lately thimble. Old records
say that thimbles were first worn ON the IL umbs,
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 in making thimbles. L
saw some very beautiful ones in China that were
eKquisitely carved, of pearl, and bound with
gold, and the end also Of gold. These pearl
thimbles are quite as costly and far p~rettier than
those made entirely of gold Usually there is a
pearl sheath for the scissors, aid a dainty
needle book of pearl edged with gold, to &C
company the tllinble, and the whole is enclosed
in an exquisite little pocket case shaped like a
book and bound insatin and pearl
"A thimble owned by the queen consort of Siam
is shaped like a lotus bud. this being the royal
about the court bearing, In a greater or less de-
gree, some impress of the lotus. This thimble
is of gold, thickly studded with diamonds, that
are SO arranged as to form the lady's naneand
the date of her marriage. 1t was a 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 fhimbles, composed of
lava from Mount Yesuvius are occasionally sold,
but rather as clriOsities than for real utility, be-
ing from the extreme brittleness Of the lava,
very easily broken / have heard also of thin
bles made of asphaltnm from the Dead Sea, and
of one composed Of a fragment Of the old elm
tree at Cambridge, Mass, under which General
Washington stood when taking command of the
United States army in July, T775; but / do not
suppose that any of these were ever intended to
be used in sewing.
In the ordinary manufacture of gold and sill
yer thinbles thin plates Of the metal are intro
duced into the die and then punched into shape.
But in Paris the French have q way of their own
quite different from ours, for making gold thin
bles that are said to be much more durable than
those made In the usual way. Pieces of very
thin sheetiron are cut into disks Of about two
inches in diameter These, after being heated
to redness, are struck by means of a punch into
a succession of holes of a gradually increasing
depth to give tive proper shape. The thirable is
then trimmed, polished and indented around its
outer surface with tiny holes 1t is next con
verified into steel by q process called eementa-
ton; then tempered, secured and brought to a
blue color. After all this is completed q thin
sheet OF gold is introduced into the interior and
fastened to the steel by a mandrel, while gold
leaf is attached firmly by pressureto the outside,
the edges being scanned in q small groove made
to receive them. This completes the himb BILE
that will last for years. The steel used in its
construction will scarcely wear out in a long
lifetime, and the gold, if worn e<ay is easily
replaced.