Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-14
Ihinbles.

The thimble is a Dutch invention
that wss first brought to England in
l690 by one John Lofting, who began its
manufacture at IslIngton, near London,
gaming thereby both honor and profit.
Its name was derived from the words
thumb and bell, being for long time
called thumble, and only lately thin bic.
Old records say that thimbles were first
worn on the thumbs; but we can scarce
ly conceive how they would 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. 1 saw some very
beautiful ones IN China that were ex-
quisitely carved, of pearl, and bound
with gold. and the end also of gold.
These pearl thimbles are quite as costly
and far prettier than those made entirely
OF gold. Usually there is a pearl sheath
for the scissors. and a dainty needle
book of pearl edged with gold to ac-
company the thimble, and the whole is
nciosed in an exquisite little pocket case
shaped like book and bound in satin
and pearl.
A thimble owned by a queen-consort
of Siam is shaped like lotus bud. this
being the royal flower of that country.
and almost everything about the court
bearing, IN q greater or less degree,
some impress of the lotus. This thIm
BILE Is OF gold, thickly studded with dla-
monds, that are so arranged as to form
the lady's name and the date of h r
marriage. 1t was bridal gift from the
king, who, having seen the English and
American ladies at his court using thim-
bles, took this method of introducing
them among his own people.
In Naples, very pretty thimbIes COM
posed of lava from Mount Yesuv1us are
occasionally sold, but rather as curiosi-
ties than for real utility, being, from
the extreme brittleness of the lava yery
easily broken. l have heard also of
thimbles made of asphsltum from the
Dead Sea, and of one composed CT q
fragment of the old elm tree at Cam
bridge, Mass, under which General
Washington stood when taking COM
mand OF the United States army in
July, l715; but L do not suppose that
any OF these were ever intended to be
used In sewing.
In the ordinary manufacture of gold
and silver thimbles thin plates of the
metal are introduced into a die, and
then punched into shape, But in Paris
the French have way of their own.
quite different from ours, for making
gold thimbles that are said to be much
more durable than these made In the
usual way. Pieces of very thin sheet
iron are cut into discs OF about two
inches diameter. These, after being
heated to redness, are stuck by means
of punch into succession of holes of
gradually increasing depth to give the
proper shape. The thimble Is then
trimmed, polished and indented around
its outer surface with tiny holes. 1t Is
next converted into steel by a process
called cementation, then tempered,
secured and brought to a blue color.
After all this is completed thin sheet
OF gold is introduced into the interior
and fastened to the steel by a 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 opera
tion, and turns out very beautiful
thimble that will last for years. The
steel used in its construction will scarcely
wear out In a long lifetime, and the
gold, If worn away, Is easily replaced.