Long, thin, wood shuttle, flat torpedo shape, loaded with a thin cotton cording. One end of shuttle forms a point and opposite end is deeply notched. Cutout body near pointed end has needle-like finger within. 3-ply cording is wound between needle shape and tail end.
Tobacco spear iron tip. Hollow spear point fits onto a now-missing wooden shaft and is used to spear several tobacco plant that would be hung for drying.
A: Homemade awl or piercing tool with hand-shaped shank with turned up tip set into a crude wooden handle with no finish. L: 5.25"
B: Awl or bodkin with decoratively turned walnut or rosewood handle fitted with a foresection of bone set into handle that tapers to a sharp point. L: 5"
C: Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3.25"
D. Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3"
Provenance
These four items were designated as basketweaving tools by donor. Unknown origin.
Tatting shuttle of mother of pearl, loaded with white thread. End of thread has two tatted rings. Tatting shuttle is torpedo shape with two thin plates of mother of pearl shell positioned 1/8" apart and held in place with two iron rivets. Exterior of both plates have engraved checkerboard pattern except for sprig of flower within a central circle and two bordering bands at perimeter, one a chain of dots and alongside is a running cable pattern. Two drilled holes at each end of each plate with unknown purpose.
Paper label accompanies shuttle with "TATTING SHUTTLE" written in ink in a caligraphic hand.
Some soil on mother of pearl. Several small nicks on edge. LIght scratches on engraved surfaces, some created at time of manufacture when rivets were smoothed.
Pair of knitting needles (A & B) made of hand-carved hardwood, perhaps hickory. Both are gently curved throughout length, with B having a stronger curve. Pointed at one end and a crudely and abruptly carved enlargement at other end. No apparent finish, although slight polish from use.
Small brown leather covered wooden sewing box with compartmented interior. Leather-hinged lift lid with metal clasp at front, now detached at both clasp and hinge. Underside of lid has 3 leather strap holders, each holding a paper packet of needles. Gold-stamped mark at top center of underside is "CROSS/ LONDON".
Interior has additional fitted lid covering the front section of 3 small compartments. On top of cover are two leather loop holders. Small right rear compartment has fabric-covered padded bottom. Contents include two Bakelite? buttons, nine mother of pearl buttons, two cards of fabric covered buttons, a spool of brown thread and two early black safety pins. Each corner on bottom of box has a brass stud foot.
Very worn, particularly the exterior leather which is strongly abraded with cracks and losses at corners and edges. Leather hinge and clasp are both detached. Two dark circular stains on lid top.
Object ID
1977.007.2
Place of Origin
New York, New York
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Masher of turned maple with 8"-long handle having a center swell, mushroom- shaped end and flared out neck under a tulip-shaped head. Top surface is flattened with slightly rounded edges. Two decorative scored lines at midpoint of head; handle has two incised lines at midpoint and at the neck has a pronounced band of beading.
Moderate to strong wear at head of tool, especially with scarring where tool was apparently used to beat an object. No finish except for handle which is darkened from use with some scarring, expecially at flared end. Mashing surface has one check across most of surface.
Object ID
2015.999.3
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Small tool with thin curving blade set into a turned wood handle and brass ferrule. Saber-like blade is brass, having a small slot cut into bottom edge near tip.
Used for warping a loom by pulling warp ends through the reed.
Molded cake of beeswax for waxing thread. Oval shape, flat bottom and domed top has molded raised image of a person milking a cow. Perimeter of oval has border of lobed scallops. Surface of wax cake is speckled with black particles of paint or similar substance.
Needle case of orange glass, cylindrical with rounded closed ends. Two-piece case has short and long sections that pull apart to reveal inner lining - a tube of marbleized paper. Glass case has identical bands of painted decoration at open ends of each section. Short section has "Forget" painted in stylized script and an adjacent "M" (?). The "M" is also found near painted band of longer section with additional decoration (?) along side of case. Case contains 3 very fine needles of differing lengths.