The origin of the thimble, the useful ingenuity to protect our fingers

History curiosities

The daily use of things often makes us forget their origin and the history behind them. This is the case of the thimble, a small sewing object, so practical that apparently they even used it in the Neolithic. Its usefulness would end up turning it into an essential element for any tailor or dressmaker, and its varied designs and the rich materials with which it was sometimes made, into authentic collector's items.

J. M. Sadurní

Collaborator

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Curiosities of history

Surely reading this article will be for many of our readers like opening a time capsule. Some will remember their mothers or grandmothers sitting in the sewing room, listening to one of their favorite programs on the radio, while their clever fingers fussed with buttons, trouser bottoms, ripped sweaters at the elbows... There were so many things that they needed a needle and thread... Some with more luck and others with less, all tried to mend what had been torn and sew what was necessary. The family economy was not there to throw away the clothes and buy new ones. To carry out this meticulous work, a small shield could not be missing, most of the time made of metal, which they all used to sew and not hurt their fingers: in fact, we are talking about the thimble, that small object that we have all seen at some time. time, but of which we surely know very little. Let's see his story here.

An ancestral origin

It is difficult to establish the exact origin of this curious piece, but in some archaeological excavations carried out in Neolithic settlements in southeastern Russia, dating back about ten thousand years, as well as in some In parts of Africa and China, archaeologists have located various types of what are known among researchers as acutrudium or "needle pushers", small pieces of stone, bone or wood that were supposedly used for sewing in such remote times. Similar objects have also been discovered in some Egyptian tombs. They are pieces of leather, similar to wide and rough rings, which apparently were used to protect the fingers and which have been dated between 1200 and 1000 BC.

In the 1st century B.C. the Roman writer, soldier and magistrate Marco Terencio Varro already referred to an object called digitale or digitabulum (a term that comes from the Latin word digitus, finger), although researchers believe that these metal pieces were not used for domestic sewing, rather, men used them while weaving and mending fishing nets or sewing the heavy tent cloth used by the legions. But apparently the Romans reserved another very curious use for these small pieces, not only to avoid pricking their fingers while sewing; these objects had a small built-in hook that was used to pierce the olives during banquets.

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In Europe and Spain

The appearance of the thimble in the Iberian Peninsula possibly occurred with the arrival of the Arabs in our country in the 8th century. It is common to find thimbles in the excavations of archaeological sites in ancient al-Andalus whose shape has lasted through time to the present day. Despite this, although the thimbles found may resemble each other, the truth is that there are great differences that allow us to date them and know their use. The shape, thickness or gauge tell us what the thimbles were used for, and even the possible incisions in the pieces can suggest the thickness of the needle that was used for sewing. But how was the thimble used? It was placed on the middle finger of the right hand and was used to push the needle, which allowed the necessary pressure to be exerted without getting pricked.

In other European countries we also have evidence of the presence of thimbles during the Middle Ages. Around 1150, the sources say that there was a thimble among the objects that made up the dowry of Hildegard of Bingen, Benedictine abbess, scientist, writer, manuscript illuminator, mystic and composer (she is the first person whose written music has been preserved). ), when he entered the monastery. During the Middle Ages, thimbles were made of bronze and some more elongated thimbles have been found that were surely used by saddlers, the artisans in charge of working on leather goods, to protect their fingers from possible injuries caused by the use of the thimbles. needles. But apparently the thimbles were also used by archers, to whom the use of bows and crossbows could cause painful injuries to the hands. Other types of thimbles have also been documented, the so-called cylindrical-conical thimbles, whose size and thickness were even greater and which researchers think could have been used by espadrille makers and halberdiers (soldiers armed with halberds, a mixture of a spear and a weapon). axe).

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Nuremberg, the capital of thimbles

In the year 1380, the German city of Nuremberg was the center of an important foxglove industry that produced these pieces mainly in iron and bronze. Two centuries later, in the year 1530, the Swiss physician, astrologer and alchemist Paracelsus would give zinc its name, in addition to making the first precise description of the properties of this metal. Thus, more resistant thimbles were made with this element and the city of Nuremberg would become the capital of thimble crafts. The first "Nuremberg statutes and regulations" for thimble craftsmen were drawn up in 1537, and in 1568, Swiss artist Jost Ammann produced a book of prints showing craftsmen making wooden thimbles.

The thimble continued to be a very popular piece into the 17th century. It is said that in 1648, one of the most prestigious jewelers in Amsterdam, named Nicolás Van Beuschooten, gave a thimble that he had made with great care to a Mrs. Van Reusselar for his birthday. The thimble was accompanied by a note in which the jeweler urged the lady to accept this gift to protect her delicate fingers when she carried out her sewing work. The mass production of thimbles would arrive in the year 1696, when a machine was invented that allowed their mass production, which made these objects much cheaper.

A luxurious gift

In the 18th century, the thimble became a luxurious gift (some of them were made of porcelain, gold and silver) given by young noblemen to their fiancées . The object acquired so much prestige that the ladies of this century even used the upper part of the thimble as a seal to sign their letters. The decorations were also adapting to the tastes of the time, and in them the waves, flowers or leaves stood out, typical of neoclassical or rococo art. Despite the fact that silver thimbles were highly valued objects, they had a disadvantage: silver is a soft metal, so needles pierced it easily. For this reason, in 1884, the English jeweler Charles Horner presented a great innovation in the manufacture of silver thimbles. Horner added a silver-coated steel core that made it virtually impenetrable. These new thimbles received the name "dorcas".

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While losing its traditional use, at the end of the 19th century the thimble became a multi-purpose piece. For example, some thimbles allowed a meter to be hidden inside to measure, essential for any tailor or couturier of the time, and some could even contain small perfume bottles. Over time, the measurements of the thimbles varied depending on whether the piece was used by men or women. The men's thimble, for example, used by tailors, was larger, had a hollow shape, and was open at the top; it also allowed the fabric to feel much better when sewing. For its part, the female thimble was smooth on the inside and closed at its narrowest part.

In the East, too

So far we have referred to the thimble that was used in the West, but was something similar used in the East? The answer is yes. In Japan, there are specifically those known as yubinukis, which are pieces that can be made of metal or leather and that have the shape of a small saucer that is placed on the finger as if it were a ring. Unlike the traditional thimble that we all know, the Japanese one is placed on the first phalanx of the middle finger instead of on the tip and is used in the same way, that is, to accompany the needle through clothing. Converted into authentic decorative pieces, some of them, known as kaga yubinuki, are decorated with intertwined silk threads of different colors and are small works of art.

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The thimbles ended up becoming a true collector's item, regardless of social class. Many lovers of thimbles competed in the acquisition of the most beautiful pieces, and, in some cases, also the most curious. Today, although they may not enjoy the importance that they did years ago, they are still used. If we are interested in learning about the history of this small and useful object, we can visit the excellent collections of thimbles that are kept, among other institutions, at the Museu Frederic Marés in Barcelona and the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. . As we said at the beginning of this text, it will be like opening a real time capsule.

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Essay

A Collectors Guide to Thimbles

Bridget McConnell

Wellfleet Press, 1990

history curiosities