Figural Needlework Tools * Scissors, Stilettos

Figural Needlework Tools * Scissors, Stilettos & Pincushions
This is a continuation of my last newsletter on the subject of figural needlework tools. There are many more
examples than I would ever be able to present in this short space, but I’m going to include pictures of some of the
pieces from my collection and some that have passed from my collection to other happy homes. Remember the
definition of figural is (loosely) items that look like something else that are at least partly modeled in the shape of
the item being represented.
Scissors are a favorite collectible of mine so I’m going to start there. There are an amazing number of scissors with
bows and shanks shaped to resemble animals, birds, plants, symbols, mythological creatures, human figures and
buildings. Some even incorporate the blades into the shape of the object being represented, such as the famous
stork scissors (Fig.1). I’m leaving out scissors that have floral designs or pictures of kings, queens, etc. as they are
not generally considered to be truly figural.
Figure 1. Stork Scissors 1: Blued steel
with gilded legs, Marked “Germany”
c.1900. 3 3/8” long (8.6 cm) 2: Once
gilded, unmarked, German c.1910. 2 1/2”
long (6.4 cm) 3: Miniature, German
c.1920s. 1 5/8” (4.1 cm) 4: Hand filed steel
of high quality, Marked “J.Rogers &
Sons”, English c.1860. 3 1/4” long (8.3
cm) 5: Traces of gilding, German c. 1900.
3 5/8” (9.2 cm) 6: Hand engraved details,
French c.1880. 3 3/8” long (8.6 cm) 7:
Marked “BT” for Bartolomeo Terzano,
Italian c.1860. 4 1/2” long (11.4 cm) 8:
Hand engraved details, French c.1880. 3
5/8” long (9.2 cm) 9: Hand chased steel,
English c.1870. 4” long (10.2 cm) 10:
Hand chased steel, English c.1870. 3 1/4”
long (8.3 cm)
Copyright © 2007 Carolyn M Meacham
Fish are a popular subject for scissors and they range from the English swordfish (Fig.2) to the elegant Palais Royal
dolphins carved from mother of pearl. (Fig. 3)
Figure 2. Steel Swordfish Scissors,
Marked “Rd.154232” which is a
British design registration number
from 1890. 4 7/8” long (12.4 cm)
Figure 3 (Left). Mother
of pearl Palais Royal
Scissors with dolphin
motif, French c.1820. 3
7/8” long (9.8 cm)
Figure 4 (Right). Gilded
silver scissors with figural fish shanks and
sheath, English c.1830.
3 3/4” long (9.5 cm)
Many forms of animals
are represented in scissors design and many
birds other than the
storks. The kitty scissors in Figure 5 are a
French pair from the
early 20th century
when figural scissors
seemed to come in the
widest variety of styles.
Figure 5. Steel scissors with running cat, French c. 1900. 3 7/8” long (9.8 cm)
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Birds other than storks are also seen on both steel and silver scissors. Some examples include owls, eagles, pelicans, swans, parrots and exotic birds with long tails that trail into the scissors’ bows.
Figure 6. Very fine steel scissors with exotic
birds, English c.1850. 3 5/8” long (9.2 cm)
Figure 7. Solid silver chatelaine scissors with
sheath & chain, Dutch c.1870. 4” long (5 cm)
Figure 8. Figural steel scissors from left: Eagle, Swan, Owl, Butterfly & Salem Witch, German
c.1890-1910. 2 3/4” (Eagle) to 3 7/8” (Witch) long (7 cm - 9.8 cm)
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Figure 9. Painted wood
mushroom thimble holder,
German c.1900. 2” high
(5cm).
Figure 9. Steel Cathedral Scissors,
all hand filed and engraved, French
c. 1790. 3 3/4” long (9.5 cm)
Figure 10. Crucifixion Scissors,
steel with gilded bows, Spanish c.
1890. 3 3/8” long (8.6 cm)
Figure 11. Eiffel Tower Steel Scissors,
French c. 1900. 3 1/2” long (8.9 cm)
Needle Cases
Figure 12. Fox & Grape Scissors from Aesop’s Fables, French c.
1850. 3 3/4” long (9.5cm)
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Figure 13. Lion Scissors in .833 Cast Silver,
Dutch hallmarks, c. 1850
Figure 14. Gold Damascene work on steel
scissors, shanks in the form of a woman’s legs.
English c. 1750. 3 1/2” long (8.9 cm)
Figure 15. Mother of pearl Palais Royal scissors with a
horn of plenty design, French c.1820. 3 5/8” long (9.2 cm)
Stilettos often had figural handles and, if the subject allowed, the point was part of the figural design. The most
famous is probably the Simons Bros. swordfish stiletto (Fig. 16). Another American silver design was an auger
shell stiletto (Fig. 17). Stilettos with figural handles were done with motifs too numerous to mention. Flowers were
a popular subject (Fig. 18) as well as hands, birds, shells, fish, arrows, crowns, acorns, animals and heraldic motifs.
Figure 16. Sterling
swordfish stiletto by
Simons Bros., American c.1900. 3 1/2”
long (8.9 cm)
Figure 17. Sterling
auger shell stiletto,
American c.1900. 3”
long (7.6 cm)
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Figure 18. From left: 1: Sterling flower stiletto with mother
of pearl point, English c.1860. 3 3/8” long (8.6 cm) 2: Steel
flower scissors, French c.1850. 3 1/4” long (8.3 cm) 3: Sterling flowering vine stiletto, Chinese c.1890. 3” long (7.6 cm)
Figure 19. Left: Silverplated swan stiletto, French
c.1850. 4 1/2” long (11.4 cm). Right: Carved bone bird
stiletto (detail), English, c.1860. 3 7/8” long (9.8 cm)
Figure 20. Carved bone fish stiletto, likely sailor’s work, English c.1840. 4 5/8” long (11.7 cm)
Figure 21. Sterling Fish stiletto, Simons Bros., American c.1900. 3 3/8” long (5.7 cm)
Figure 22. Carved hand stilettos.
Top: Ivory Dieppe work, French
c.1820. 2 1/4” long (5.7 cm) Bottom: Carved bone, English c.1850.
3” long (7.6 cm)
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Figure 23. From left: 1: Sterling arrow stiletto/ bodkin, English c.1860. 2 3/4”
(7 cm) 2: Mother of pearl arrow stiletto, English c.1880. 3 1/2” (8.9cm) 3:
Mother of pearl flower stiletto, English c.1860. 3 1/4” (8.3 cm) 4: Mother of
pearl snake stiletto, French Palais Royal c.1820. 4 1/8” (10.5 cm)
Figure 24. Hand painted,
beaded and embroidered silk
viola pindisc, English c.1800.
3 3/4” long (9.5 cm)
Pincushions come in perhaps the largest variety of figural examples. There’s almost nothing in the world that can’t
be represented with a cushion stuck on top. A book could easily be done on this subject alone. There are two major
divisions of pincushions. One is the style most in use today where the pins stick up and can be easily accessed by
the seamstress. The other is the pindisc or pinwheel variety. These became popular when sewing bags were in
fashion (late 18th century) and pinheads would snag the fabric of the
bag and the silks inside. These cushions were flat with the cushion
being like a sandwich between two layers of bone, ivory, silver, gold,
ebony, horn, tortoise shell, cardboard, etc. The pins were pushed in
flush with the fabric and it could then be dropped into a work bag.
Many were handmade of silk and decorated with painting or embroidery in the early 19th century. (Fig. 24)
An earlier form of pincushions designed to go into workbags were
pin poppets. These little pinchshions had a top that screwed or pushed
down over the cushion to protect the pins. Most of these date to the
late 18th and early 19th centuries. They were often shaped like fruits
such as apples or pears. (Fig. 25)
Figure 25. Satinwood pear pin poppet, Engl. c.1790. 1 5/8” long (4.1 cm)
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One style of figural pindisc that was popular in the early 19th century has flat sides made of ivory. The sides are
usually pierced (though sometimes painted) amd they come shaped in a wide variety of shapes. Fig.26 shows a
few of the many styles.
Figure 26. Ivory pindiscs in the form of a cottage, crown, wheelbarrow
and bellows, English c.1820. 1 3/4” to 2 1/2” long (4.4 - 6.4 cm)
Baskets are a natural shape for pincushions so it’s
not surprising that many basket forms have been
used for them over the years. Some are actually
woven of reeds and grasses and others are fashioned of gold, silver, ivory, bone, vegetable ivory
and many other materials (Fig 27-28). Other often seen pincushion shapes include urns, barrels,
pails, buckets, kettles and shoes.
One of the most popularly collected forms of figural pincushions are the ones in animal shapes.
They also come in most any material and are
amazing in their variety. The Victorians made
many of a dull lead colored metal popularly called
pot metal. These were silverplated or gilded when
new, but most have lost the plating and reverted
to their original grey color (Fig 29).
Figure 27. Left: Sterling pincushion by Joseph Taylor, English
c.1820. 1 3/8” high (3.5 cm) Right: Carved ivory pincushion,
English c.1850. 2” high (5.1 cm)
Figure 28. Left: Gilded sterling pincushion by Joseph Taylor, English c.1820. 1”
high (2.5 cm) Right: Sterling filigree pincushion, English c.1800. 1” high (2.5 cm)
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Figure 29. Pot metal pincushions in the form of a lion and fanciful fish, English c.1890. Lion is 3 1/4” long
(8.3 cm) and the fish is 2 1/2”high (6.4 cm).
Animals in a seemingly endless array were made in sterling silver during the Edwardian era. Most of the more
interesting ones are English and have hallmarks ranging from about 1901-1912. (Fig. 30) Some of these can sell
for thousands of dollars if the animal or design are rare enough.
Figure 30. Sterling pincushions styles as various birds and animals, English c.1900-1910.
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Animals were also often made of brass (Fig. 31), china (Fig. 33) and carved of wood or bog oak. Sea shells
became a popular material for pin cushions and other sewing items in the mid 19th century when railroad travel
brought the seaside resorts within easy reach of the average person (Fig. 32).
Figure 31 (Left). Brass rooster has holes in back for holding the
pins, English c. 1880. 4” high (10.2 cm) Figure 32 (above). Scallop
shell pindisc, English c.1860. 2 1/4” in diameter (5.7 cm)
Figure 33. Left: China pincushion styled as a rabbit, American c.1950.
3 3/4” long (9.5 cm) Right: Porcelain swan pincushion by Royale
Stratford, English c.1990. 3” long (7.6 cm)
Figure 34. Embroidered and beaded pocket watch
pindisc (shown both sides and edge with pins), English
c.1800. 1 3/4” in diameter (4.4 cm)
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