Antique Sampler Pincushion & Lace Making Bobbin C 1870s

A very sweet and unusual little pincushion with cow bone lacemaker's carved bobbin attached.

The small pincushion is cross stitched upon homespun linen in green and red with the words 'Success To The Lace Pillow'. Attached at each corner a little loop of glass beads. Attached top left corner is an 1870s East Midlands Lace maker's cow bone bobbin with glass bead spangles on a wire. The bobbin was hot poker engraved with the name in dots spelling' George Dub?ng'. Stuffed with a soft wool filling.

Lacemaking was popular in England from the 1600s to the 1900s. Bobbin lace was worked on a pillow with pins, the lace thread weighed down by these bone bobbins dangling from the ends to create the perfect tension. The lacemakers personalised each bobbin with a selection of glass beads to the end. They also decorated them with names and mottos. Lacemaking was a historically significant, mostly female, cottage industry that allowed women to work from home creating lace to be sold and boost the family income.

In our family research we could not find anyone with a surname Dubing. However, we did find in the 1871 census of Stranton, Durham a George Dobing son of June and Thomas Dobing. She was a seamstress and Thomas was a former seaman now crippled. Their son George is also listed as a seaman. It may be a long shot but perhaps this pillow and bobbin were made for George by his sweetheart as sailors carried sewing repair tools at sea. Also literacy for females at this time was hit or miss, maybe she misspelled his surname Dobing as Dubing??

A pretty survivor for your workbox.

Size: Pillow 2 3/4 inch (6.5 cm).

Condition: General age darkening to the pincushion, a little grubby to the reverse. The wire to the glass spangles is a replacement.

Item id:16366