The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-21
THIMBLEs MAY Be COSTLY.
Gold and Diam onds and Pearls That Help
some Women in Fancy Work.
New York SUM-

"There is a rich family named Loftine
in England, said a dealer in fancy arti
Giles. ''the fortune of whose house was
founded by SO apparently inslgnlncant
little thing as the thimble. Inc nrs'
thimble seen in England was mace IN
London less than 200 years ago by met
al worker named John Lofting. Inc
usefulness of the article commended 1t at
once to all who used the needle, and
Lofting acquired large fortune and
great fame in the manufacture Of the new
accessory to the needleworker' art The
implement was then called the thumb
bell, and was worn on the thumb. This
clumsy mode of utilizing it was soon
changed, but when and why the name
thimble was given the article does moi
appear. Lettings thimbles, and, in fact,
ali thimbles. were made of either iron OF
brass, and specimens of them extant,
many of which are preserved as heir
looms, are crude and clumsy-looking
things compared with the commonest
thimble of today, although their cost was
many times as much.
To-day gold, silver, iron, ivory, steel,
sometimes glass, and even pearl and eel
luloid, are utilized in making thimbles.
Since art needlework became fashionable
thimbles of elaborate workmanship and
great value, to accompany the rich and
costly implements and materials wealthy
needleworkers affect, have found large
sale. Solid gold thimbles, carved
ana frequently set with diamonds, have
been found none too good for some peo-
pie. Thimbles made to order, with the
monogram or initials of the person for
whom they are intended set in precious
stones, are not by any means unknown.
know rich young woman whose en-
thusiasm for art needlework was SO great
a year ago that nothing but gold and
diamond. set thimble that cost 800, with
other embroidering implements 10 match,
would enable her to reproduce those fear
full and wonderful buttercups, daisies and
bluebells that one sees blooming in such
prodigaI p1ofusion on fOotstools, banners,
Tides and bureau covers
ssIn China the ladies of high class use
very dainty 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 holes
of the outside barbarian thimbleS do.
The thimble always has mother of pearl
case. With the thimble the Chinese lady
has delicate pair of scissors OF the finest
steel, in a sheath Of pearl. and a pearl
needle case. The articles are all inclosed
in an exquisitely inlaid case of the pur
est mother of pearl. New York lady,
whose husband was in the China trade,
has one of these Chinese needleWork kits
which she values at 81, 600.
"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
finishing and polishing or telnpering are
done afterward. Uelluloid is moulded.
The best thimbles are made in France,
where the process is more thorough.
as it may seem, the French con-
slider durability in their gold thimbles as
the first requisite. The first step in the
making of q Paris gold thimble is the
cutting into disk of the desired size of a
thin piece of sheet iron. This is heated
to red heat, placed over graduated
hole in an iron bench, and hammered
down into it with a punch. This hole is
the form of the thimble. The iron thus
formed is removed from the hole, the lit
tie indentations to keep the needle from
slipping are made in it, and all the other
finishing strokes of the thimble's form
put on it. The iron is then made into
steel by process peculiar to the French
thimble maker. is tempered, polished and
brought to deep blue color. A thin
sheet of gold is then pressed into the in
terror of the thimble and fastened there
by mandril. Gold leaf is attached to
the outside by great pressure, tho edges
of the leaf being fitted in and neld by
small grooves at the base of the thimbl
The article is then ready for use. The
gold will last for years. The steel never
wears out, and the gold can be readily re-
placed at any time. Nowhere else in tbs
world are gold thimbles made in that
way.
bles. The Queen Of Siam has one which
has a present from her royal husband.
The thimble was not in use in SIAM IN.
til a few years ago, when the King. SEQ
ing that English and American women
his court used thimbles, had one
made for his Queen. 1t is made OF gold
In the form OF a lotus bud. the lotus be-
ing the royal flower, and is thickly stdd-
led with diamonds SO arranged as to form
ner name and the date of her marriage
This gift was equal to an order that the
ladies' of Siam should use thimbles, and
hey have used them ever since. A wom-
an in Boston has thimble made from
, piece of wood taken from the old Wash
ngton elm at Cam bridge, the tree under
which Washington stood when no took
jhe oath as ommander-ln-ch1ef in l775.
Tbe wife of O clergyman of a neigh boring
,ity has a thin Bile carved from a peculiar
stone she found on the shore of the Dead
Sea. A woman in this city has one made
rom asphalum, with which the sacred
Tres of Pers ia are built.