Rogers Series 10: Thimbles and their cases
Series 10. A decorated brass thimble in an enameled dark green glass holder in the shape of a shoe.
Thimbles are widely collected by needlework enthusiasts due to the universal distribution, intricate decorations, and ancient histories of the items. They are used in sewing to prevent the blunt end of the sewing needle from pricking the finger when forcing the needle through thick fabric. Thimbles are sometimes not entirely practical 鈥� some sought-after thimbles in the collectors鈥� world are made of materials too brittle or soft to perform the thimble鈥檚 basic function. Silver thimbles became popular by the 17th century, but it took until the end of the 18th century for the thimble to reach its design peak and be commonly created out of other metals. Thimbles are generally composed of four parts: the dome at the top; the indentations or knurling on the side; the band beneath the knurling which may show a decoration; and the rim at the bottom.
This series includes four subseries: English silver thimbles, Asian thimbles, thimble cases, and other types of thimble containers. Most are from the mid- to late 19th century; however, there are a few from other periods, including an English brass thimble from the 16th or 17th century. The majority of the thimbles, boxes, and cases are mostly English, with a few of other origins. Some thimble boxes and cases are well-decorated and probably resemble the fitted needlework boxes of which they were a part. The cases are of various shapes and sizes and made of various materials, including silver, mother-of-pearl, brass, and leather.