Historical information

This item is from a collection donated by descendants of John Francis Turner of Wodonga. Thimbles were used for both practical and decorative purposes and were created in a range of styles.

Popular history also suggests that roots of the modern-day wedding ring in America had an interesting tie to a thimble. Puritans that colonized in early America did not believe in adornment. A common practice among these early Americans was for a man to present a thimble to his fiancée which was symbolic of his wish to marry her. These brides began to cut off the rim on these thimbles and making a simple band they would wear on their finger. Thus, the practice of wedding rings for women started.

Significance

This item comes from a collection used by a prominent citizen of Wodonga. It is also representative of a domestic item common in the 1930s.

Physical description

A silver thimble decorated with filigree work above a solid bottom section.