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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Child's thimble of non-ferrous metal classic form with domed top. Dimpled exterior with plain and textured bands above base. Marked "2" on plain band near base.
Note inside reads: "Used by 3 yr old Alice Reynolds Ehler deceased child of Charles and Laura Ehler Lancaster Penna."
Charles Leland Ehler (3-6-1858 to 3-5-1904) is buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery and his wife is "calculated" to be Laura B. Trout Ehler, born 1859, according to Findagrave.com. Charles is listed as a bookkeeper in various City Directories. Found no evidence of progeny.
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.
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.