A Tour of Antique Sewing Boxes
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Join me for a tour of my little collection of antique sewing boxes, dating from around 1820 to 1900.
If you would like to see what I have in my personal "daily driver" sewing box, I made a more in-depth video about it: • What's In My Sewing Box?
Come say "hi" on Instagram!
bryce.historically
If you are interested in my lace patterns, I sell PDFs in my Etsy shop,
www.etsy.com/shop/skirtpocketstudios
My great aunt had a sewing box she passed on to me when she turn 98, it was decorated in beautiful in-lay brass ginkgo leaves. At first, it looked very Japanese, but inside had a prayer in Greek (she was born in Mykonos), and her mother's father made it for her with the wood of a ginkgo from their property. It's a beautiful box, she kept it so well preserved during her traveling in her youth. I surprised her by bringing it over to her place when she wanted to see my first lacework, during her 100th birthday this year.
That’s such a beautiful story! You must treasure the box very much! Thank you for sharing it with us! ♥️
Wow. What an amazing piece of family history to have. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story with us. And congratulations to your great Aunt for celebrating her 100th birthday! 😊
Omg that sounds amazing I adore ginko leaves and the box wood to be ginko wood as well!! That is a true family treasure!
That’s so awesome
I believe that I have seen boxes like this and had no idea they were sewing boxes! Now, I have the urge to look for these boxes in some of my local antique stores.
I never heard of sewing boxes before. What great works of art they are. Thank you for sharing. My sewing box is a large oatmeal box.
I'm in my 70's and I inherited my Grandmother's wicker sewing basket. It has 8 inch legs and the interior of the split hinge lid is tufted for needles and pins. It is huge with a tray and a cavernous space beneath. Although it's not terribly old, it is a treasure to me and I think of her often😊.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful treasure boxes and their stories. Absolutely lovely ❤
Millwards is one of the most well known needle manufacturers in England.
And still in business. I still use this brand for my quilting.
Oh dear, I can see it now. I love old sewing tools and ‘stuff’ and have collected many interesting pieces. (When I excitedly attempt to show these things to my nearest and dearest friends, their eyes completely glaze over. That’s OK, I’ve always been a bit different,😏) Now I have a new excuse/passion to haunt antiques shops! And estate sales-watch out!! Thank you for opening the door a bit wider. It’ll be fun.
Thank you for sharing your collection with us. As a maker of small boxes, it is always exciting for me to see the variety and styles of these small, practical items and the arrangement of the trays and compartments.
Thank you for sharing your collection of sewing boxes. They are gorgeous! I enjoyed seeing them and hearing about them.
These boxes are beautiful. They used different size needles for different purposes. The between/quilting needles are shorter. Size 12 is the shortest. Yes, they did strive for small stitches when quilting. My great-grandmother was proud of her very tiny quilting stitches. Women made it a friendly competition.
CZcams recommended your video. What a treat. I am box obsessed. Mine are mostly writing boxes or boxes that have been stripped of their contents and fittings. I own one sewing box, which i use on my vanity. I also watch for boxes in movies.
They are some of the prettiest boxes ever. Would make amazing decoupage pieces! As in folk art too.
what a delightful video! I got so excited watching it because I realised I have one box which I brought from India and didn´t know it was a sawing box ! Thank you !
I have a beautiful box that was in the house. My mom and dad purchased. I have wondered what that box was for so long. We thought it must be some kind of game or puzzle box. And now watching this video, makes me realize it’s a sewing box. It is beautiful.
They are all exquisite. A wonderful collection.
Thank you 😊
I love seeing your sewing boxes ❤ Thank you for sharing them!
Oh, wow, the grape sewing box is my favorite 😍
It's beautiful!
Amazing collection you showed. Thanks. My grandmother didn't have a box. She was born in 1898 so I'm surprised.
So beautiful! Incidentally, this took me to a brief Google journey on the legalities of antique ivory trade - apparently it's OK in the US if you can prove the ivory was harvested before 1975, but in the EU they recently changed the rules so that since 2022, you always need a CITES certificate (pre-1947 for antiques or pre-1975 for musical instruments in use) to sell worked ivory or objects containing it (although one suspects that small items of low value may suddenly find themselves rebranded as imitation ivory, since the CITES certificate would cost more than the item is worth...)
I especially loved the "pattern compartment" - wonder how many women kept important letters or other documents there, safely hidden in plain sight?
I don't notice sewing boxes, but I am a quilter so I notice quilts in movies all the time. Nanny Mcphee had a lot of quilts and of course the old Disney movies had lots of quilts. I will start noticing sewing boxes now!
When I looked at these boxes I thought they were jewelry boxes, great to know the difference.
Mezermizing! Loved every second of this. What I would love to find is an old box, packed full of wonderful surprises! Have a blessed day!
I have one!!! Never knew it was a sewing box before runing across this video by accident. It's large with a wooden tray and upper lid compartment, but none of the fabric lids. The outer decorations look like decals? No real provenance. It was given to me in the early 1970s by a friend who had an antique shop. All she told me was that she acquired it as part of an estate sale. Thank you for educating me on what it is.
Oh, I'm going to start looking at antique shops. My first though was a jewelry box. Love the fact you showed the needle box. It had me to believe.
The inlay on the Portuguese box is very similar to one my husband got for me in Italy!
BEAUTIFUL! There's a scene in the 1995 "Pride & Prejudice" when Mr. Bennet comes into the drawing room after Lydia runs away with Wickham. There's a quick shot from behind Mary who is embroidering, and all you see is rows of black X's. I also notice fountain pens; Uncle Billy at the bank when he's going to make THE deposit in "It's a Wonderful Life."
How lovely. Makes me want to look for them now.
Gorgeous! Thank you!
I haven't seen a needle book, except for my own, for years.
I have a couple sewing boxes by Hommer from the 1950's - the kittens stole my heart. (My daily driver is one that I made myself so it has pockets and it zips closed.)
Lovely collection! I love old boxes of any kind! I feel the urge to find a totally empty box and make my own ledges for a tray to sit on and to make a tray to perfectly fit items related to other crafts
Yep! That's what I did for mine. I didn't have the heart to take apart any of the ones that still had pieces inside, and once you have certain things you like using, customization becomes necessary. It was fun and very satisfying. I highly recommend it! 😊
😊@@BryceHistorically
Thank you. That was so interesting. As a tatter and collector of all things related to tatting I was thrilled to see the shuttles and hear you mention tatting. I look for tatting in tv programs and movies - the most recent sighting being in Episode 1 of Under the Banner of Heaven. 😊
That was awesome to learn about sewing boxes... yes, I will be more alert in the antique stores from now on..😃
Thanks for sharing.
Take care
Very beautiful boxes & presentation, thank you🎉
Your presentation is as lovely and considerate as the boxes. Every moment was so enjoyable and educational. I think this information will help me slow down and notice details of box interiors.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Im looking forward to reviewing your other videos.
These were lovely to look at and I enjoyed seeing/hearing how each would have been used. I never would have thought a wooden box would be for sewing, because my grandmother used a round sewing basket (the type they started manufacturing around 1930). She also had a sewing "basket" that looks like a footstool, and can function as one when closed.
Beautiful boxes - thanks for sharing your collection.
I can't help but notice quilts and sewing boxes in shows & movies.
There's both in Alias Grace (2017).
Bryce, thank you for sharing your exquisite collection of sewing boxes. I just simply love old boxes of any kind.
After watching this I must say that I am a little embarrassed. I have seen what I thought were jewelry boxes at thrift shops etc. Some I knew were sewing boxes due to the pin cushions etc. And the prices were very minimal on most, I am talking around the $5 - $10 range. As I am always drawn to any old box. Now I will have to pay better attention to what I am looking at.
Thank you again, blessings...
Thank you, very interesting. I always wondered why those little pocket knives were in sewing kits I purchased at yard sales.
Thank you for this - lovely video and so educational.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
What a niche. I love it, those boxes are artfull and delightful, and so pretty and handy. Thank you for that video!
What a fantastic video! The ivory spools were so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing! I love antiques! I’ve never stopped to look at these but I will now.! ❤
Thanks for sharing! As a person that loves antiques, I found this quite interesting. I will have to keep my eyes open for one.
There is a video on CZcams of a factory where needles from Redditch were manufactured. It's now a museum. It's on 'Through Lucy's lens' and is under the title How needles were made in the past-Forge mill needle museum. Well worth a look if you are interested in all things sewing. It's only 19 minutes long.
Wonderful! I'll check it out 😊
That was so fun. I love sewing boxes!
Amazing sewing boxes , thank you for sharing them!
What a wonderful collection, thank you for sharing! 💜
Another delightful video, thank you for sharing 😊
What a marvelous collection!!
Could you please make a tutorial on how to make your own paper tray? 🙏🙏
I watched your video just amazed by the history you’ve collected. I have a plain Shaker Style sewing box and I believe it has one tray but it’s been awhile since I’ve pulled it out. It’s oak and I have some things stored inside it. Thank you for sharing.
Oh my those are stunning!
That first one looks very like a jewellry box design.
Fabulous collection. Thank you for sharing.
Very interesting. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing...fascinating!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing 😊
Sewing boxes? I’ve known & owned boxes like these & they were called writing boxes. The two deeper, inset squares on front interior left & right were for ink bottles - rectangular/square bottles back then. The lift-down bit under the lid was used to store letters & papers, envelopes etc, & the underneath of the lid was flat & you used it to lay your paper on to write your letters on.
I’m wondering now if these boxes were used as both sewing & writing boxes. Think I will have to do some research on this, but it’s surprising.
Agree. My writing slope (bought at antique fayre when we lived in the UK. 35 years ago. Mine has the ink bottles (a bit of a nick on both).
I was so inspired when I saw this video that I bought a box of my own. I got it from an eBay seller who claims that it is Victorian, but I don’t know if that is accurate or just a guess! It was not originally a sewing box, it’s very plain and “utilitarian” with a brass trim screwed to the edge of the lid and around the base. It also has a lock (no key) and brass handles on the sides. Inside is just bare wood and there is not even a lip for a tray to sit on, so I’m very excited to make the insides from scratch. I plan to use it to store all my bobbin lace tools (and maybe tatting too) and hopefully there will be enough space underneath to store my bobbins. I came back to rewatch this again today to hopefully get some ideas for the tray. Do you have any tips from when you made your custom tray?
How exciting! So, I made my tray by using cereal boxes to make a cardboard mock-up. I cut them into strips and taped them together in a lot of different ways until I had exactly what I wanted. Then I marked all the pieces and used them as a pattern for slightly stiffer "book board." I made the base of the tray first, and covered it in a nice parchment paper using PVA glue. I then made the dividers individually, wrapped in the same paper, and glued them into place. Do lots of fittings with your tools as well as inserts as you go to make sure one spot isn't too big or too small. Are you on Instagram? I'd love to see before and after photos. 😊
@@BryceHistoricallythis is my third attempt to reply and I can only assume the CZcams objects to me adding my Instagram name. So, let’s try it this way… my name is “made by Lora” but with underscores instead of spaces (same profile pic as on CZcams). Thank you so much for your detailed reply about the custom tray! It’s really helpful! So far I’ve made a mock up using a cat food box. I’m trying to be patient and use it for a while before I make the final version. I’m also making a video (or two) about it. I have mentioned your videos and I will add links in my description when I post it. I’m sure I never would have thought to do this without your inspiration! Thank you!
Beautiful ❤️ Thank You for sharing
I enjoyed seeing your collection so much! I was thinking of the Jane Campion movie "Bright Star" about the poet John Keats. In it his lover was a seanstress and I think she had a sewing box .
On your second box, the section some thought to hold patterns....I'm thinking possibly that section might have held the tin cut out patterns that were used in appliqué quilts? I have a couple of those early tin pattern templates and they would certainly fit in that section....just a possibility. Beautiful boxes...I so like collecting antique sewing things because I enjoy sewing. Thank you for sharing
I have an antique bunny template that would fit nicely in the second box.
@@adelaidesocki3595 I have a rocking horse and a duck antique quilt template. They are fun to collect.
I would have looked at these and thought they were old jewelry boxes,without even opening them up!
Wow
The thin little needles could have also been for beading and sequencing on garments?
Georgeous
Nice boxes
Que maravilla, yo tengo 2 hermosas del siglo xxi.
I'm trying to fix my mom's sewing box. It may have been her grandmother's.
The shaker box has a mirror makes me think it’s a jewelry box.
Oh what a treat to discover your channel and these lovely boxes. 😊 Would you please consider showing us how you created the partitions inside? I would love to create my own for my old box! Thank you for sharing what you know with us. Greetings from St. Louis, MO. ~Kelly🪡
Thank you. 😊 Yes I should consider it. I saved the mock up that I made out of cereal boxes just in case I do decide to make a little video showing how I did it. Basically, I just took some thin cardboard and cut it into strips and taped it up in lots of different ways with different configurations of my favorite sewing tools, until I found one that I liked. Then I took it all apart and used it for patterns to cut pieces from a better quality book board. I glued it together with PVA glue and covered it in some nice parchment paper that I have. I highly recommend doing it!
@@BryceHistorically Thanks for the tips! Don't you just love anything vintage?! I do! And my Grannie was right, "they don't make things like they used to!" ☺
No, they certainly don't make things like they used to. My daughter was playing in my box of tatting shuttles and pulled out a Victorian metal one with scrollwork engraved into it and remarked how pretty it was. I took her on a little history lesson of my oldest shuttle up to the newest plastic ones. She watched intently and then remarked, "old stuff is always so much prettier." 😊
Lovely collection! I love anything vintage sewing also. I now have something to hunt for while out antiquing or at flea markets. Thanks for sharing . I especially found the ivory and MOP thread spools interesting as I have never seen these before 👍🌹
Years ago my grandma gave me some of her sewing stuff. $.08 on the package.
These are absolutely gorgeous! I have been sewing for over 30 years, I woud love to own something like this. Where did you find all of these? Maybe you said in the video and I missed it.
Hmmm, mostly antique shops. I think the one with the grape leaves came from Etsy. The one with the history was from eBay. I have an amazing box (not a sewing box) from the 1600s from an antique store called "mostly boxes." 😊 Side note: you have to be careful when buying from eBay. I am in America and tried to buy one from England, but eBay pre-customs confiscated it because it was made of rosewood. It is not illegal to import rosewood if it's antique, but after lots of back and forth with eBay, I found out that they don't have the time to determine if something is old or new, so they just confiscate anything that is made from rosewood or has abalone shell. 😔
@@BryceHistorically Thank you for the information! Interesting about eBay. Thankfully, I have never ordered anything from eBay or Etsy. Probably never will.
❤
I need a thread waxer 😊
Wonderful collection. I’m curious now what the small case is called
It's called an Etui. I've heard it pronounced a couple different ways and don't know which is correct. 😊
Me encantan todas, ojalá fuesen mías 😃
Do you have keys for any of the locks?
How do you tell the difference between bone and ivory in the spool components in the last box?
I only have keys for one of them. A long time ago, I worked at an antique store and there was an elderly man there who showed me how to re-key antique locks, specifically box locks. It was just an introduction to it, but that may be a rabbit hole I go down of these days. If I get around to it I'll definitely make a video on how to rekey old locks. 😊
As for the difference between ivory and bone, I was thinking about covering that in the video, and I probably should have. The easiest way to tell is visually by the pattern of the grain. The grain in bone runs in parallel lines, while ivory's grain looks like scales or scallops, or at the risk of sounding pretentious, a two source wave interference. 😉
Wow, I've never seen sewing boxes like this before (this old). Where do you find yours?
What is the word for the last item that you don't know how to pronounce? Is it "etui" by any chance? If so then you can find quite a few examples of how to pronounce it online. I prefer the ones where I can see the person saying it because watching their mouths as they say it helps me get it right. :-)
The boxes are lovely. And speaking of lovely, did you tat the curtains yourself, Ms Adams?
Thank you. 😊 No, actually they are a pair of antique crocheted tablecloths. I think they are so pretty, and this way I get to see them all the time.
🙋♀️❤️
The last "kit" that you said you didn't know how to pronounce what it's called ... how about writing it? I'm quite curious to know more about that type of "tool kit". Thank you.
Thank you. Isn't it beautiful? It's called an Etui, but "Antique sewing kit" brings up the same results. 😊
Spell the name of the blue velvet please
Etui 😊
Are you sure they aren't jewelry boxes?
Yep, I'm sure 😊
Jewelry boxes were usually lined with velvet and included ring rolls.
I have a beautiful box that was in the house. My mom and dad purchased. I have wondered what that box was for so long. We thought it must be some kind of game or puzzle box. And now watching this video, makes me realize it’s a sewing box. It is beautiful.