Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-24
THE USEFUL THIMBLE.
Curious Things About It That Arc
Not Generally Known.
First Appearance Of tho ''Thumb-Bell" In
England-Methods Employed by Amer
icsn Manufacturers in the Making
of All Sorts of Thimbles.
IN. Y. SUM-

IN. Y. SUM-
'sThere is rich family OF the name OF
Letting in England" said dealer In fancy
articles, ''the fortune of whose house was
founded by such an apparently lnsignln-
can't little thing as the thimble. Two hun
bred years ago thimbles were unknown IN
England The thimble is claimed by the
Dutch as an invention of that country, but
it is known now that it was in use by the
silk embroiderers of China hundreds OF
years before it was used elsewhere. The
first thimble ever seen in England was
made in London less than two hundred
years ago by q metal worker named John
Lofting, the founder of the family named.
The usefulness of the article commended
it at once to all who used the needle, and
.Lofting acquired large fortune and great
fame in the manufacture OF the new acces-
sorry to the needle-worker's art. The
implement was then called the thumb-bell,
it being worn on the thumb when in
use. This clumsy mode Of utilizing 1t
was soon changed, however, but when
and why the name thimble was given
the article does not appear. Lettings
thimbles, and, in fact, all thimbles, were
made either of iron or brass, and specimens
of them extant, many of which are pre-
served as heirlooms, are crude and clumsy
looking things compared with the common
est rhimble of to-day, although their cost
was many times as much.
To-day, gold, silver, iron, ivory, steel,
sometimes glass and even pearl, and cellu-
loid are utilized in making thimbles. Since
art needle-work became the fashionable
craze in this country, thimbles of most
elaborate workmanship and great value, to
accompany the rich and costly implements
and materials wealthy needle workers af-
feet, have found large sale. Solid gold
mbles, elegantly carved, and frequently
set with diamonds, have been found none
too good for many OF our fashionable home
decorators. Thimbles to be made to order,
with the monogram or initials Of the per-
son for whom they are intended set in pre-
cious stones, are not by any means IN
known objets dart, in the fashioning of
which the skill of our artistic metal-work-
ers is taxed l know rich young lady Of
this town, whose enthusiasm for art needle
work was so great a year ago. that nothing
but gold and diamond-set thimble that
cost one hundred dollars, with other en-
bordering implements to match, would
enable her to reproduce those fearful and
wonderful butteroups, daisies and blue
bells that one sees blooming in such prod
igal profusion on foot stools, banners,
tides and bureau covers in all homes of
culture and refinement.
I'm China the ladies of high class are
very dainty Of their thimbles. Some are
carved from enormous pearls, with bands
of fine gold, on which are engraved all
sorts of fantastic things, the etchings of
which serve for catching the needle as the
b L 49, a. a.
The thimble always has mother-of pearl
case With the thimble the Chinese lady
always has delicate pair of scissors of the
finest steel, in a sheath of pearl, and a
pearl needle case. The articles are all en-
closed in an exquisitely inlaid case of the
purest mother pearl A New York
lady, whose husband was In the China
trade, has one of these Chinese needle
work kits so to speak, which she values
at &, 600.
1.-THE way thimbles are made in this
country and England is simple enough.
Dies of the different sizes are used, into
which the metal, whether gold, silver or
steel, is pressed The hole punching, fin
lshing and polishing or tempering are done
afterward. Cellulod is nodded. The best
thimbles are made in France, where the
process is more thorough. Strange as it
may seem, the French consider durability
in their gold thimbles as the first requisite.
The first step in the making OF Paris gold
thimble is the cutting into disk of the
desired scke thin piece of sheet iron. This
is heated to red heat, placed over gradu-
ated hole in an iron bench, and hammered
down into it with punch. This hole is
the form of the thimble. The iron thus
formed is removed from the hole, the
little indentations to keep the needle
from slipping are made in it, and ali
the other finishing strokes of the
thimble's form put on it. The iron is then
made into steel by a process peculiar to the
French thimble maker, is tempered, pol
ished and brought to a deep blue color A
thin sheet of gold is then pressed into the
interior of the tumble and fastened there
by mandrll. Gold leaf is attached TO the
outside by great pressure, the edges of the
| leaf being fitted in and held by small
grooves at the base of the thimble. The
article is then ready for use. The gold will
last for years. The steel never wears out.
and the gold can be readily replaced at any
time. Nowhere else in the world are gold
thimbles made in this way.
Il have heard OF many curious thimbles'
The Queen of Siam has one which was a
present from her royal husband. The
thimble had never been in use in Siam
until few years ago, when the King
noticing English and American ladies visit
ing his court using thimbles, had one
made for his Queen. 1t is made of gold in
the form of lotus bud, the lotus being the
royal flower, and is thickly stUbbed with
diamonds so arranged as to form her name
and the date of her marriage. This pre-
sentation was equal to an order that the
ladies of Siam should use thimbles, and
they have used them ever since A lady in
Boston has a thimble made from piece of
wood taken from the old Washington elm
at Cambridge, the tree under which Wash
ngton stood when he took the oath as
Commander-in- Chief in 177o. The wife of
well-known clergyman of neighbcring
city has thimble carved from d peculiar
stone she found on the shore of the Dead
Sea. A lady in this city has one made from
asphaltum, with which the sacred fires of