At auction at Bonhams

BRITISH & CONTINENTAL SILVER
& OBJECTS OF VERTU
Sale 16887
Bonhams, London, Knightbridge
2 Dec 2009

Lot 43: A 19th century gold thimble, unmarked, retailed by Shearo, Oxford, decorated with a strap and buckle motif, cased, length 2.4cm, diameter 1.6cm, weight 5.4gms.

Estimate: £200 - 250 (about US$334-418).

Update: Sold for £216 (about US$360) inclusive of Buyer's Premium.

At auction at Bonhams

SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU

INCLUDING POST WAR

Sale 16798

Bonhams, London, Knightbridge

3 June 2009

Lot 102: A Victorian gilt bronze, hardstone necessaire, by Schäfer of Piccadilly, the silver gilt fitments by H W Dee, London 1871, the rectangular agate cover with gilt bronze hinge mount engraved with stiff leaves opens to reveal a grey velvet lined tray fitted with gilt metal and silver gilt sewing instruments engraved with paterae and foliage including: a pen knife, two bodkins, a thread pick, a thread holder, thimble, scissors, a patented spring loaded tape measure, a stiletto and a needlecase, the gilt bronze base with bombé sides engraved with matching paterae decoration, on four bun feet, height 4.8cm, length 19.3cm.
Estimate: £500-800 (about US$765-1220).

Update: Sold for £1440 (about US$2371) inclusive of Buyer's Premium.

At auction at Christie's

SILVER, PORTRAIT MINIATURES,
GOLD BOXES AND CERAMICS
Sale 7731
Christies, London, King Street
2 June 2009

Lot 163: Two George II Pinchbeck-mounted enamel and hardstone châtelaines with nécessaires
English, circa 1750
Shaped triangular suspension hook faced with hinged cartouche of gilt-metal chased with pastoral vignettes, c-scrolls and rocaille against sablé ground bordered with polished c-scrolls and rocaille, with a clip back, suspending two thimble cases, cast and chased on matted ground, and nécessaire with central cartouche enamelled en champlevé with chinoiserie against opaque blue ground on base and transparent guilloché ground on hinged lid, the sides cast and chased in frosted gold, containing scissors, tweezers, pencil holder, ivory tablet, folding knife and toothpick; together with a châtelaine of similar form, the cagework clip chased with foliage and rocaille and inset with bloodstone plaques, suspending two cast and chased thimble cases and nécessaire with bloodstone-set central cartouches on hinged lid and base, containing scissors, toothpick, pencil holder, ivory tablet, spoon, folding-knife and tweezers
7½ in. (190 mm.) long (2)

Estimate: £2,000-3,000 (US$2,956-4,434)

Update: Sold for £7,500 (about US$12,293) plus Premium and tax.

Tartanware thimble box auction at Bonhams

PICTURES, INCLUDING WORKS BY 'SNAFFLES',

FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART

Sale 171856
Bonhams, Knowle

6 May 2009

Lot 164 : A Clark & Co. McLean Tartanware circular reel and thimble box
The domed lid with two printed oval portraits, inscribed edge and printed label to the underside, the base fitted with six reels each with corresponding aperture, 10.5cm diameter.
Estimate: £80-120

Update: Sold for £66 inclusive of Buyer's Premium.

Three thimble lots at Bonhams.

Art & Antiques
Sale 16278
Knowle, England
15 January 2008

Lot 36: A Royal Worcester porcelain thimbles (2).
The blush ivory ground painted with a robin amid flowers over a gilt rim, 2.6 cm., and another painted with scattered flowers, (cracked and s.d.), 1.9 cm.
Update: Sold for £20 (about US$39.61) plus Premium and tax.

Lot 402: Two eastern ring thimbles (2).
One with decorated thimble, each attached to a finger ring with stone.
Update: Sold for £85 (about US$168.33) plus Premium and tax.

Lot 403: Four Thimbles (4).
Comprising: two Indian ivory examples, a Dutch silver ribbed finger guard, with duty mark, 4 cm., and a thimble on chain to a ring decorated with stones.
The listing title references FIVE thimbles, but the body of the text and the photo indicate 4 thimbles.

Update: Sold for £60 (about US$118.82) plus Premium and tax.

Étui at auction at Bonhams

The Bath Summer Sale
Sale 15046
Bath, England
16 July 2007

Lot 137: A nineteenth century sewing étui; unmarked; the leather fitted case comprising a pair of scissors, a bodkin, pincushion, a later thimble with the motto "Forget Me Not," a tape measure, a thread waxer, and a bradle, the inside lid cover lifts off to reveal a hand written billet doux which reads, "How Can a Pledge So Small Impart the Warm Affections of a Loving Heart That Beats a Love for You?."
Estimate: £150-200.

Update: Sold for £220, plus fees, etc.

Sarcophagus? Casket? Morbid lot.

The Sunday Sale
Sale 5277
Christie's, South Kensington
29 July 2007

Lot 0086: A Regency red leather sarcophagus-shaped table casket; with gilt-tooled anthemion decoration, enclosing a fitted interior, on later feet; 3½ in. (9 cm.) high; 6 ¼ in. (16 cm.) wide; 4 in. (10.2 cm.) deep; together with a Victorian 'Lady's Companion' in the form of a leather bound volume, enclosing a fitted interior with thimble, tape-dispenser, scent bottle, mother-of-pearl button hole maker and other items, 4 inches (10.2 cm.) high overall.
Estimate: £300-500.

At auction at Christie's South Kensington

PORTRAIT MINIATURES, OBJECTS OF VERTU, SILVER & PLATE
Sale 5261
Christie's, London, South Kensington
10 July 2007

Lot 0669: A silver-gilt and enamel thimble; Norwegian, twentieth century; the sides with enamelled Viking longboat in a mountainous seascape, with moonstone top; 1 inch (2.5 cm.) high; and a further parcel-gilt Scandinavian thimble, the rim enamelled with white dot decoration below a green crown effect, with mother-of-pearl top; 7/8 inches (2.2 cm.) high.
Estimate: £200-250.

Update: Sold for £240, plus fees, etc..

Lot 1800: A wooden sewing box, circa 1840; rectangular with inlaid tulip motif to the lid and metal feet, opening to reveal a set of gilt metal sewing tools including needlecase, scent bottle, stiletto, scissors, four mother of pearl thread winders, thimble and bodkin all in fitted tray of purple velvet, lifting to reveal a storage compartment lined in ivory moiré.
Estimate: £500-700.

Update: Sold for £240 (hmm...), plus fees, etc..

Lot 0668: A collection of various thimbles; Various nationalities; including many Scandinavian enamelled examples; a 14ct. gold example; and several Mexican examples, some with applied wirework decoration (a lot).
Estimate: £300-400.

Update: Sold for £660, plus fees, etc..

Lot 0705: A musical wooden sewing box; French, circa 1850; In the form of a piano, opening to reveal a part sewing set comprising: a pair of pair of mother-of-pearl handled scissors, a needlecase, a stiletto, a mother-of-pearl thimble and a glass scent bottle, the tray lifting to reveal various sewing oddments including three ivory needlecases, with single piece comb playing two air movement.
Estimate: £300-400.

Update: Unsold.

Sorry I'm so tardy in posting this!

Two Upcoming Auctions

Bonhams, Knightsbridge:
12 June 2007: The Knightsbridge Sale
Lot No.: 192; Sale No.: 14903
"A good collection of late 19th / early 20th century Mauchlinware items all with printed views of seaside and touring towns and cities, comprising a large egg shaped wool or string holder printed with views of Southport, another small egg shaped holder for Shakespeare's House, a barrel money box for Walton-on-Naze, a castle money box for Victorian Pier, Folkstone, a rectangular castle money box for Hyde Pier, a plain rectangular money box printed with a Highlander, a large medicine glass holder for Totland Bay, Isle of Wight, two smaller holders for Burns Cottage and Hunstanton Pier, a mushroom darner for Burns Cottage, a reel holder for the Jetty, Yarmouth, a miniature reel holder for Stirling Castle, two thimble cases for the Dripping Well and Shakespeare's House, a reel holder for Thirlstone Castle, an egg shaped reel holder for Stirling Castle, a pin cushion for Harbour Bridge, a thimble box for Lovers Seat, a needle case for Kirk Bradden, five variouus pin holders, two needle books, a hexagonal reel box, a minature tazza for Alloway Kirk, six napkin rings and three other pieces, (38 approximately)"
Estimate: £1,200 - 1,500

Christie's, Amsterdam:
14 June 2007: SILVER, JUDAICA, RUSSIAN WORKS OF ART AND OBJECTS OF VERTU.
Lot No.: 0153; Sale No.: 2743
A collection of various silver and silver-mounted boxes, snuff-boxes and other objects.
"Various makers and dates, 19th and 20th Century, mainly Dutch, some unmarked.
Comprising eleven boxes of various shapes and with different decoration, two silver-mounted tortoiseshell boxes, six pincases, three thimbles and various other objects, marked on bodies, bases and covers."
13.5 cm. long and smaller.
690 gr. (37).

At auction at Christie's

BRITISH & CONTINENTAL CERAMICS & GLASS
Sale 5149
Christie's, London, South Kensington
17 April 2007

Lot 0859: Fourteen English porcelain blush-ivory-ground thimbles; Late 19th century, puce printed marks to two; Comprising: two examples painted in the manner of Powell with birds, the remaining twelve similarly decorated, gilt-lined rims. Approx. 1 in. (2.5 cm.) high.
Estimate: £700-1,000.
Lot 0861: A Collection oftwenty-three various pottery, porcelain and glass thimbles; various dates, various printed marks; Including: Royal Worcester fruit-decorated examples, an Imari example, three enamelled glass and an ivory example. Approx. 1 in. (2.5 cm.) high.
Estimate: £300-400.
Lot 0860: Seven Royal Worcester ivory-ground thimbles and five similar English porcelain examples; 20th century, puce printed marks to seven; Each variously painted with birds, the Royal Worcester examples signed, the others in the manner of Powell. Approx. 7 1/8 in. (2.3 cm.) high.
Estimate: £1,100-1,300.
Lot 0862: Six various English porcelain thimbles; Late 19th/early 20th century, three with puce printed marks; Each painted with flower-sprays, comprising: two Royal Worcester examples on white ground; two ivory-ground examples; two blush-ground examples. Approx. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm.) high.
Estimate: £250-350.

Not a thimble, part six.

But if it were a thimble, it would be the most insanely beautiful one ever. It is, instead, a "table box," which I imagine is a box that one plops onto a table, though I wouldn't have thought to call it that. It is five inches tall and carved from ivory and thimble-shaped! It is up for auction at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco.
Auction Nitty Gritty from Bonhams:
Sale 14793 - SoMa Estate Auction, 11 March 2007
Bonhams & Butterfields
220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 1 (415) 861-7500
Lot No: 6576
"A continental 13 standard silver and carved ivory table box
Maker's mark G.G. in rectangle surmounted by a rose, late 19th century
The cylindrical section of ivory carved in high relief with a continuous dancing ring of putti draped with fruiting vines centered with a goat shown in the background, fitted with a silver footed base ring and base and at the top, a collar ring with hinged domed cover showing a similar scene of putti.
Height: 5in.
Estimate: $2,000 - 3,000"
Update: Sold for $2,750 plus Premium and tax.

Thimbleful to be auctioned at Bonhams

Bonhams, Knowle, UK

Sale 15179 - Silver and Plated Wares including Vesta Cases

27 Mar 2007, starting at 11:00
The Old House Station Road
Knowle, Solihull
West Midlands B93 0HT
Tel. 01564 776151 Fax. 01564 778069

"A Victorian novelty measure in the form of a thimble Maker's mark 'WGM', Birmingham, 1876, applied with the words, 'Just a thimbleful', height 6cm.
Estimate: £150 - 200"

Update: Sold for £210 (about US$421.88) plus premium and tax.