Thankyou Tess for this news.
Most of you probably know that I use this site for pretty well all of my web
publishing. I have a scad of things up there for those interested in lace
bobbins and their history etc. (Some of you helped me write them in a
collaborative manner... do remember that?) I have a couple of articles on
the stocks but other interests are taking me away from them at the moment.
However, though i have a wide range of interests, lace bobbins seem to be an
abiding passion. I like that site because it does not demand of me the
discipline of academia. I hate academic writing and when i left my
profession I swore I would never write another academic article... just
chatty stuff that might interest other people to write an academic
article. ( I feel the need to tell you that i have done a lot of academic
writing.. some 40 odd articles, half of which are peer reviewed the other
half written before we knew what Peer Review meant! I have also written a
book on Nursing Management (long long out of print) and i did my Masters in
Nursing Ethics by research and thesis. I am just thinking how
terrible it is that when you get old you are not embarrassed about
boasting and telling the same stories over and over again... ask my
kids!))
I seem to have noticed something of a drop off of interest in general
regarding collecting bobbins since the Springetts did their publishing and
have now distanced themselves from this craft somewhat. There are some
amongst you who are keen collectors and many of you have been kind enough to
give me at least photographic access to your collections, for which I am
very grateful... thank you. I am sure that in Australia there are quite few
collectors but i notice that bobbins are left off the upcoming OIDFA (have i
got that right?) conference in Australia. The last time something like this
was held in Australia I think David and Christine were guest speakers at it.
I notice that bobbins with a social history attached to them are still
making huge prices (namely hanging bobbins) Of course they are extremely
important pieces of of our social history, while very poor examples of the
bobbin makers art. The only real reason for collecting East Midland bobbins
is because of the amazing art of the wood turners of that time. It surprises
me too that it is the East Midland bobbins that get the attention. If one
is looking for social history then a collection of ancient ships as engraved
on East Devon (Honiton) bobbins could be equally rewarding. (possibly
cheaper?) The East Midland bobbins have a rich array of graphics, naive and
accurate drawings on them covering the coast (fish, boats etc) to
agriculture flowers, birds (Chough). Weddings and all sorts of stuff. I am
always sorry we seem to have split the English bobbins into geographical
areas. Of course the wood turning for East Devons is very plain indeed.
I have never written a book about bobbins (though i have often been
encouraged to this) as I belong to the group of people who think that
knowledge should be free however... I have just learnt from Tess that
you can buy CDs from the Arizona site. ( Oh yes, I do have MS of a East
Devon bobbin Booklet. Maybe one day I will put it up on Arizona.) Maybe a
CD of my articles might help keep them going (how big headed can i be?) I
just love bobbins and like writing about them and sharing with all those
kind people who, from time to time, drop me a note of a nice photo that I
can use of some special bobbin that they have.. I need to warn anyone that
thinks they might do such a thing, that few of my articles on Arizona were
rescued from a trash heap of a computer and i have lost the illustrations
that went with them.
Just one general point i need to make about my collection so that you all
understand. Yes i did start a collection, but i only came to lace bobbins
when i retired and found that I really could not afford the sort of
collection that i would like to have. Always being interested in
photography I decided to start a photographic collection instead. I did a
personal study tour when i visited some half a dozen collectors i was aware
of and a number of museums, and that started my collection, but more
importantly a personal relationship (bobbin wise!) with a number of
collectors. I am currently creating postcards of bobbins with a potted
history of each bobbin on it... I think I am up to about 400 with about the
same amount to go!
I know she will be embarrassed and will send me a sharp email, but you know
that Diana Smith is an amazing bobbin person and far more knowledgeable
about bobbins than I will ever be... Yes Trevor knows about our bobbin
relationship as does my wife Jean! She has been a huge support to me, but
shy about publishing, so she stirs me into writing about things. For those
who may have a OT knowledge, there was Moses... the brains of the operation,
