Brian Lemin and David Springett are the authorities on lace bobbins.
In his book "Success to the Lace Pillow", David Springett says that he has
never found an ivory bobbin, which would make sense because lacemakers
wouldn't be able to afford ivory bobbins from the meagre amount they earned
making lace. The bones of cattle would be used for making all sorts of
things, and perhaps the bones of the house cow would be used like this when
it died.
Brian Lemin has written an interesting article on the Lacefairy site:
http://bobbins.lacefairy.com/BobbinMuseum/WhatisIt.html
and, among other informative things, says "always assume bobbins and sewing
tools are bone unless I have *very* good reason to believe otherwise"
You won't find modern elephant ivory bobbins in the UK because its use, sale
and export is illegal unless it was hunted and collected before 1947. To
sell ivory to another country from the UK, you must obtain an expprt license
from Revenue and Customs and prove that it's pre1947.
Jean in Poole, Dorset, UK
----- Original Message -----
From: John & Fran
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 9:01 AM
Subject: [lace] Bobbins bone/ivory
Does anyone know of a site where some ivory bobbins might be shown alongside
bone bobbins?
And does anyone know how to tell the difference between an ivory bobbin and
a bone bobbin?
I'm asking because this topic has come up in a genealogical mailing list for
an area in Britain where lace makers were common in the 19th century.
I would like to post relevant responses back to that list but, of course,
would do so without any identifying information.
Fran.
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