A thimble is a cover that fits on the finger to guard it when pushing a needle during darning or sewing. The word, derived from Old English, literally means "thumb shield".
The thimble has a an extended past. The oldest extant thimble is Latin, found in the destroyed city of Pompeii. It is made of bronze. But, the Etruscans, who pre-date the Romans, are known to have made bronze thimbles. Rough thimbles of bone and leather likely also existed because thimbles have been utilized by every known civilization. These thimbles didn't survive.
Through the years, thimbles have evolved in a number of ways. Both the the means of production and the materials used have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become essentially decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Ancient thimbles had to be sturdy because handspun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and crude. It was difficult to push the thread through the material so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a "skep"¯, was required to prevent injury.
By the fifteenth century, fabric became more finely woven and needlework became more refined. Thimbles became thinner. These thimbles were in most cases made of copper alloy and imported from Nuremberg, a brass-making center. During this time, original methods of making thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were being made from sheet metal. The new thimbles also contained decorative motifs. The cap was separate and attached to the cylinder later. These new thimbles were taller and the top was flatter.
During the 16th and 17th century Holland became the new center of thimble manufacturing. However, in the late seventeenth century, John Lofting moved thimble making to Islington, England where the brass-working industry was currently established. He began to turn out thimbles in a scale unknown before. Next, he moved his manufacturing plant to Great Marlow, and used water power to and doubled production.
By the early eighteenth century, he was producing around 2 million thimbles annually. But he too succumbed to progress and thimble making moved to Birmingham, England by 18 hundred. The fashioning of brass also changed during this period. A completely new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing method called "deep drawing" ¯ that used less metal. This brought down the cost.
We are all aware that sewing is the principal use of the thimble. But did you know that a a little larger thimble, usually two ounces, was used to measure spirits? And did you know that 19th century prostitutes used them to tap on their clients windows and Victorian schoolmistresses used them to knock recalcitrant students on the head?
Although they have become by and large decorative, collectorscuriosity in modern thimbles has not waned. Thimbles originally created in silver are being reproduced in pewter thanks to new processes, developed in the 1950s that allow more detailed design. New thimbles are being issued to commemorate everything from football teams to Disney characters. Every tourist destination offers memorial thimbles to tourists.
Thimble collecting is an remarkably established hobby worldwide. Many thimbles are fairly priced and readily attainable. Men, women and children collect them. Some collectors are interested in the history of thimbles while others collect them for their decorative importance. The humble thimble has become a star. Some admire its common origins and some its new found incarnations. It is still one of the most versatile and sound tools ever invented, born of necessity.
The Thimble 101
This article explores the evolution of thimbles beginning with the Etruscans and proceeding to modern times. It discusses the changes to thimble materials and manufacturing processes. It describes the origins of thimbles as a manufactured collectible and the state of thimble collecting today.
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