Historical information

This silver wool-holder was sold as a souvenir at the British Empire Exhibition of 1924-5. This exhibition was staged to strengthen the bonds of the British Empire and 56 of the 58 nations or territories within the Empire participated. Wembley Stadium was built for the Exhibition and called then Empire Stadium. 27,000,000 visited the exhibition in the two years of is existence. Wembley Stadium survived until 2003 when it was rebuilt.

Significance

This wool-holder is of interest as an example of the type of household item that would have been in a more affluent home in the 1920s. It is also of interest as an example of the type of souvenir sold at the British Empire Exhibition in 1924-5. It is a useful and attractive display item.

Physical description

This is a silver circular-shaped wool holder which was a souvenir of the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley in 1924-5. It has four silver segments held together at each end with silver pins. The segments have an open fretwork pattern and can retract and open to allow material to be stored and to be easily accessible to the knitter or needleworker. The Wembley emblem with the image of an Art Deco lion is welded onto one of the segments. This silver ball could also be used as a pomander to hold perfumed material and to be placed in a wardrobe or cupboard.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Wembley’