Steel lined silver thimbles were a great improvement in an era when thimbles were essential tools for the needleworker.Silver is soft and silver thimbles hole easily, Charles Horner's steel lined silver thimble was a significant improvement for needleworkersSteel lined silver thimble. Thimble plain rim marked CH 7 DORCAS. Upper domed body with Louise design.dorcas thimble. charles horner, steel lined silver thimble

Charles Horner's patent combining strength of steel with silver was to create a thimble which offered durability of steel with silver which stayed cleaner for the needleworker than brass or iron thimbles.Notable improvement in the quality of thimbles which were essential tools for the needleworker.Steel and silver thimble and boxBox: The Improved Dorcas. Thimble: CH 7 Dorcas on plain lower border, domed upper thimble decorated with Louise designdorcas thimble. charles horner

Thimbles have long been used as a shield for the fingertip when hand sewing. In the Victorian period, an ornate silver thimble would be given as an engagement gift, but silver proved too soft for withstanding pins. In 1885, Charles Horner patented a new silver thimble with a steel core which became the Dorcas thimble and enabled a functional but still decorative thimble. This particular thimble collection includes two Charles Horner thimbles. The collection was owned by Kallista woman, Beryl Collett (1925-2018). Some may have originally belonged to her mother (Hettie Collett nee Thorn) who was a talented milliner and from whom Beryl first learnt her considerable handicraft skills. These thimbles form part of a large and varied range of objects which were either collected by or hand-made by Beryl and which have been donated to the Museum. This varied thimble collection has been collected during the long lifetime of a local woman who enjoyed needlework and lacemaking.This is a collection of eight thimbles. Most are ornately decorated with raised detail. All are silver except for one made of brass. Two are Dorcas thimbles manufactured by Charles Horner and two are made by silversmiths in Taxco (Mexico). A German-made thimble has glass in its cap. The thimbles vary in age from c. early to mid-20th century.beryl collett, hettie collett, thimbles

Thimbles have long been used as a shield for the fingertip when hand sewing In the Victorian period, an ornate silver thimble would be given as an engagement gift, but silver proved too soft for withstanding pins. In 1885, Charles Horner patented a new silver thimble with a steel core which became the Dorcas thimble and enabled a functional but still decorative thimble. This particular thimble was made by Charles Horner post 1905. The thimble collection was owned by Kallista woman, Beryl Collett (1925-2018). Some may have originally belonged to her mother (Hettie Collett nee Thorn) who was a talented milliner and from whom Beryl first learnt her considerable handicraft skills. These thimbles form part of a large and varied range of objects which were either collected by or hand-made by Beryl and which have been donated to the Museum. This varied thimble collection has been collected during the long lifetime of a local woman who enjoyed needlework and lacemaking.Silver thimble with a floral decorative design on top and side of thimble. Underneath that is a band of a pattern of repeated squares. Around the rim is a plain band with manufacturer's imprint. Markings indicate it is a Size 5, Charles Horner thimble.On bottom band imprinted: 'CH 5 / DORCAS'. beryl collett, hettie collett, thimbles, charles horner

Thimbles have long been used as a shield for the fingertip when hand sewing In the Victorian period, an ornate silver thimble would be given as an engagement gift, but silver proved too soft for withstanding pins. In 1885, Charles Horner patented a new silver thimble with a steel core which became the Dorcas thimble and enabled a functional but still decorative thimble. This particular thimble was made by Charles Horner post 1905 and is part of a thimble collection which was owned by Kallista woman, Beryl Collett (1925-2018). Some may have originally belonged to her mother (Hettie Collett nee Thorn) who was a talented milliner and from whom Beryl first learnt her considerable handicraft skills. These thimbles form part of a large and varied range of objects which were either collected by or made by Beryl. This varied thimble collection has been collected during the long lifetime of a local woman who enjoyed needlework and lacemaking.Silver thimble with a dense floral design on the side and top of thimble. Plain band around rim of thimble. Markings indicate it is a Size 4, Charles Horner thimble.Bottom band imprinted: 'CH 4 / DORCAS'. beryl collett, hettie collett, thimbles, charles horner