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A Victorian Mother-of-pearl Novelty Thimble Holder
Sold by Jeff Sims Antiques
sold SA1140748
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Jeff Sims Antiques

Jeff Sims Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2010
Browse dealers 150 items
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    Antique silver, glass, jewellery and object de vertu.
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Id #SA1140748
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A Victorian Mother-of-pearl Novelty Thimble Holder

19th century
Sold 31 July 2025 · Jeff Sims Antiques
This “Victorian Mother-of-pearl Novelty Thimble Holder” found a buyer.

It was listed by Jeff Sims Antiques. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.

Find more for sale
Antique Mother of PearlMother of Pearl Sewing BoxMother of Pearl Trinket Box Ask the dealer for something similar
Description

A lovely and rare example of mid Victorian sewing ware. The superb novelty thimble holder and needle case is formed to represent a knife box, with a hinged lid and original plush lined interior. There is a push button release to the front and the body is decorated with panels of mother-of-pearl and abalone shell. Supplied with a hallmarked Victorian silver thimble and needle paper, this is a lovely and unusual collector's piece, still usable today. Dimensions below.

Postage & Packing £10.00 UK

£18.00 Europe

£26.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent with no breaks, holes or splits. There are a couple of minor losses to the corners, commensurate with age and use.

Date :- c1870.

Thimble details :- Birmingham 1894. James Fenton.

Origin :- English

Height :- 5 cms. (highest point)

Depth :- 4 cms.

Width :- 3.6 cms.

Date of Manufacture

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated this Mother of Pearl Thimble Holder to the 1870s.

Physical Dimensions
Height
5cm (1.97")
Width
4cm (1.57")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1140748
Dealers Internal Reference
13712
Dealers Notes

Payment by BANK TRANSFER (preferred),DEBIT/CREDIT CARD, or PAYPAL. Great care is taken with packing and only 'signed for or tracked' postal options are used, where available. In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery is used, which is both fully insured against loss or damage and guaranteed next day (excluding weekends). If an item goes missing, or is damaged in the post, all available assistance will be offered to make a claim against the provider. Loss or damage in transit, is NOT the responsibility of the seller.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE. Due to the imposition by some countries of an import tariff - an additional charge may be required to prepay tax duty. Please be aware of this if purchasing from overseas. If this additional charge is not acceptable, please do not proceed with the purchase.

Returns are accepted if the item has undisclosed damage at point of sale, or has been seriously mis-described. Buyer pays all costs. If you are not certain that you will be completely happy with the item, please do not purchase it. Care has been taken to ensure that items are accurately described and photographed - if any further information is required please ask.

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO PROVIDE CARD DETAILS OR REQUEST BANK DETAILS. PLEASE ADD POSTAGE FOR PAYPAL AND PRESS PAYPAL OPTION. If there is anything more we can do to help, please ask. We would like your experience with us to be a happy one and will always try to be accommodating.

Thank you for your interest.

Description
A lovely and rare example of mid Victorian sewing ware.
“
The superb novelty thimble holder and needle case is formed to represent a knife box, with a hinged lid and original plush lined interior.
Jeff Sims Antiques

There is a push button release to the front and the body is decorated with panels of mother-of-pearl and abalone shell. Supplied with a hallmarked Victorian silver thimble and needle paper, this is a lovely and unusual collector's piece, still usable today. Dimensions below.

fig 1. A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details.
fig 1. A Victorian Mother-of-pearl Novelty Thimble Holder

Postage & Packing £10.00 UK

£18.00 Europe

£26.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent with no breaks, holes or splits. There are a couple of minor losses to the corners, commensurate with age and use.

Date :- c1870.

Thimble details :- Birmingham 1894. James Fenton.

Origin :- English

Height :- 5 cms. (highest point)

Depth :- 4 cms.

Width :- 3.6 cms.

Date of Manufacture

Jeff Sims Antiques has dated this Mother of Pearl Thimble Holder to the 1870s.

Height
5cm (1.97")
Width
4cm (1.57")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1140748
Dealers Internal Ref
13712
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2010

Antique silver, glass, jewellery and object de vertu.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Jeff Sims Antiques Profile Page

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A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
1 / 10
Archive I A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

A Victorian Mother-of-pearl Novelty Thimble Holder

Archive II A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View II
Archive III A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View III
Archive IV A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View IV
Archive V A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View V
Archive VI A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View VI
Archive VII A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View VII
Archive VIII A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View VIII
Archive IX A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View IX
Archive X A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details. View X
Enlarged Archival View
Jeff Sims Antiques

Jeff Sims Antiques
Telephone 07711 373 683
Location
Suffolk,
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/jeffsims
Verified Since Jan 2010
Items For Sale 150
Items Sold 4,500
Jeff Sims Antiques
Jeff Sims Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: Suffolk,, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/jeffsims
Verified
Jan 2010
For Sale
150
Sold
4,500
A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details.
A Victorian mother-of-pearl novelty thimble holder
Ref: SA1140748
A small, wedge-shaped Victorian thimble holder constructed from geometric plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell with brass pin details.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDecorative Boxes
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialMother-of-pearl, abalone, brass
  • ColourIridescent White
  • MotifsGeometric shell inlay, Iridescent abalone panels, Wedge form, Brass pin accents
  • SizeH 5 cm (2 in) x W 4 cm (2 in) x D 4 cm (2 in)

FAQs

During the Victorian era, sewing was an essential skill for women, leading to a flourishing market in decorative and novelty sewing tools crafted from luxury materials like mother-of-pearl, abalone, and ivory.

These items were typically constructed using thin plaques of iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell meticulously applied to a wooden or papier-mache carcass, often secured with brass pins and foil linings.

Authentic pieces generally display natural irregularities in the shell, hand-cut geometric tessellations, subtle aging of the internal linings, and period-appropriate metal fixings rather than modern adhesives.

Small antique collectables add texture and history when displayed in curated clusters on a mantlepiece, within glass-fronted cabinets, or on a desk alongside contemporary objects to create visual contrast.

Mother-of-pearl should be kept away from direct sunlight and excessive humidity to prevent the delicate shell from warping or separating from its base, and cleaned only with a soft, dry microfibre cloth.
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