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.
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.
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.
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.
