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ID #SA1240034
FOR SALE
£165
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Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath with a Engraved Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, & Naive Image of a Shoe
For sale by Folk and Fable Antiques
for sale €193     $210
£165
Folk and Fable Antiques

Folk and Fable Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2026
Browse dealers 45 items
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Id #SA1240034
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Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath with a Engraved Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, & Naive Image of a Shoe

19th century
Description

An Utterly Charming Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath With Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, On Both Sides And A Wonderfully Naive Image Of A Shoe Engraved Into One Side. A Marvellous Piece Of Victorian Folk Art! Circa 1860.

Condition is good, commensurate with age and use. Structurally sound with the most wonderful patina.

Measures 20cm x 6cm x 1.7cm

Weighs 60.92 grams

Physical Dimensions
Height
1.7cm (0.67")
Width
20cm (7.87")
Depth
6cm (2.36")
Declaration

Folk and Fable Antiques has dated this Antique Wooden Knitting Sheath to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1240034
Description
An Utterly Charming Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath With Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, On Both Sides And A Wonderfully Naive Image Of A Shoe Engraved Into One Side. A Marvellous Piece Of Victorian Folk Art! Circa 1860.

Condition is good, commensurate with age and use. Structurally sound with the most wonderful patina.

Measures 20cm x 6cm x 1.7cm

Weighs 60.92 grams

Height
1.7cm (0.67")
Width
20cm (7.87")
Depth
6cm (2.36")
Date of Manufacture

Folk and Fable Antiques has dated this Antique Wooden Knitting Sheath to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1240034
Folk and Fable Antiques
Folk and Fable Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2026

Unique pieces for collectors and curious minds

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Folk and Fable Antiques Profile Page

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A mid-nineteenth-century carved applewood knitting sheath in the shape of a shoe, featuring the engraved name S. Smithson.
1 / 2
Archive I A mid-nineteenth-century carved applewood knitting sheath in the shape of a shoe, featuring the engraved name S. Smithson.

Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath with a Engraved Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, & Naive Image of a Shoe

Archive II A mid-nineteenth-century carved applewood knitting sheath in the shape of a shoe, featuring the engraved name S. Smithson. View II
Enlarged Archival View
Folk and Fable Antiques

Folk and Fable Antiques
Telephone 07788 216610
Location
North Devon
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/folkandfable
Verified Since Oct 2026
Items For Sale 45
Folk and Fable Antiques
Folk and Fable Antiques
Verified Since Oct 2026
View Dealer Info
Location: North Devon, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/folkandfable
Verified
Oct 2026
For Sale
45
A mid-nineteenth-century carved applewood knitting sheath in the shape of a shoe, featuring the engraved name S. Smithson.
Antique Mid 19th Century Applewood Knitting Sheath With A Engraved Owner’s Name, ‘S. Smithson’, & Naive Image Of A Shoe
Ref: SA1240034
A mid-nineteenth-century carved applewood knitting sheath in the shape of a shoe, featuring the engraved name S. Smithson.
Detail View 1
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectKnitting Sheath
  • Period19th century
  • StyleFolk Art
  • MaterialApplewood, Fruitwood
  • ColourHoney Brown
  • MotifsShoe motif, Engraved lettering, Inscribed detail
  • SizeH 1.7 cm (1 in) x W 20 cm (8 in) x D 6 cm (2 in)

This nineteenth-century Victorian folk art knitting sheath is made from applewood with a honey-brown finish and a warm patina. The object takes the form of a shoe, decorated with an engraved naive image of a shoe and the owner's name, 'S. Smithson', inscribed on the handle. Additional engraved details include linear borders, small circular punches along the upper edge, and a cross-guard feature near the base. The piece measures 1.7 cm high, 20 cm wide, and 6 cm deep. Display this rustic farmhouse accessory on a bookshelf in a living room, study, or hallway as a decorative tabletop object or shelf display piece. The compact size allows it to sit easily amongst books or decorative collections in a traditional interior setting.

FAQs

A knitting sheath, also known as a knitting stick, is a carved wooden tool inserted into a waistband to hold one double-pointed needle stationary during hand knitting, popular from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries.

They were traditionally hand-carved from dense native hardwoods such as applewood, boxwood, sycamore, or oak, often decorated with folk motifs, initials, or chip carving by local craftsmen.

Authentic nineteenth-century examples display smooth hand-carved tool marks, genuine surface wear around the needle socket and handle area, and a natural patina developed over decades of handling.

These folk art objects can be displayed inside a shadow box frame, arranged on a deep window sill alongside other treen, or placed within a shallow ceramic bowl on a bookshelf.

Keep the wood in a dry environment away from direct sunlight or radiators, dusting regularly with a soft dry cloth and applying a small amount of beeswax polish annually.
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