Wood sewing notion with Federal era ball feet supporting a three-tiered spool holder. Each tier is flat on the bottom with rounded top edges, round shape, descend in size. Metal rods on each tier to hold spools. Tiers graduate from large to small and are supported by a ball and ring-turned pedestal; the top tier is the smallest and capped with a pin cushion.
Provenance
Possibly Willson family. Obtained from the Willson-Rettew estate sale.
Spool holder/dispenser, turned wooden round box with fitted, slightly domed lid. Container is pill-box shape with thin walls. Three holes of graduated size marked "40" "50" and "60" under each. Hole insets of white glass or bakelite. Vertical spindles/dowels meant to hold spools on bottom of inside are missing. Bottom covered with a dark brown, pebbled finish paper.
Fitted lid has painted and/or woodburned design (shells and sea flora?). Box has lacquered natural finish.
Large round paper label pasted to underside depicts three circular medals at center. Above the center one is "NEW YORK 1853."
At top of label is "JOHN CLARK JUNR. & CO./ MILE-END/ GLASGOW." At bottom of label is "BEST SIX CORD SPOOL COTTON/ ON BLACK SPOOLS/ THOMAS RUSSELL/ SOLE AGENT/ FOR THE UNITED STATES."
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.
Heavy crazing onlid. Small abrasions overall. Hole inset missing for #40 size hole. Three spindles on interior are broken and missing. Interior dark with oxidation. Paper on bottom has old losses from peeling.
Object ID
G.05.15.5
Place of Origin
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Credit
Gift of Susan Garofola in memory of Lillian Kiker (mother), Heritage Center Collection
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.
Spherical pincushion of small pieced woolen patches of solid brown, blue, red and black. Large black triangles alternate with blocks of a 4-patch diamond on a red square. Four-patch is blue and light brown. Decorated with off-white silk ribbon 1/4' wide, encircling the ball several times. A tassel of 0.5" wide ribbon at one side. Soft cotton stuffing.
Old paper note written in small script is stitched to pincushion. It reads: "Presented to / Mary N Hostetter / by her / Grandmother / Nissley in 1872".
Attributed to Elizabeth Kraybill Nissley (1812-1894).
Provenance
Research: Mary N. Hostetter (6 Oct 1864 - 20 Mar 1932) married Joseph H. Habecker and lived in Mount Joy area. Parents were Jonas E. Hostetter and Barbara Nissley of Mt. Joy area. Nissley grandparents were Elizabeth Kraybill Nissley (1812-1894) and Jacob Kraybill Nissley.
Grandmother Elizabeth Kraybill Nissley gave the pincushion to Mary in 1872 when she was 8 yrs. old and grandmother was 60.
Round, flat pincushion with beadwork top and bottom, done on a black felt ground. One side has a 6-petal green flower centered within 2 concentric bands, 1 red and 1 blue, with white edging. Opposite side has a centered 4-petal pink & green flower with repeating conforming lines within two bands, 1 red and 1 blue, with white edging. Pink silk, 0.5" wide, encircles outer sides of pincushion. Stuffed with white wool.
Large, nearly square, cushion-shaped pincushion of red fabric, top and bottom with a seam around edges. Red fabric of bottom extends only part way underneath where an off-white, fine-woven cotton twill, covers the center of bottom. Red fabric is loosely hand stitched to it.
Realistic floral beadwork design extends across top with clear, green, amber and white beads. Design appears to be mounted on an adhesive paper backing and applied without stitching. Cushion is decorated at edges with a 1" wide beadwork fringe with a pattern of diamonds and edged with loops.
