2005.5.7

Darning egg, needle case is made of wood in the shape of an egg. A: Lid, screws off; it is printed in black "The Columbian Egg" and has a black cirlce at the top. B: The bottom of the egg is printed in black on the outside of the egg, "Needle Case, Art.51. Trade Mark, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.: "Germany," and shows a woman seated at a table with a spool of thread. (She appears to be getting ready to do sewing or mending.) Black line at the bottom of the egg where the needle case lifts up. Protruding needle case in the center lifts up; the top rim can be rotated, with a small opening allowing a needle to be dropped into the user's hand. The top of the needle case reads "Patented No. 1492." The side of the case reads: "5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Shut" "Place the stroke [black linear marker] parallel with the number required." Needles would have been kept in the case, and put away by number. (Case is now empty.)

This is not simply a decorative item. This is the type of sewing/mending tool that would have been used, especially for darning socks or hoisery. The scuffs on the surface of this egg indicate that it has been used.

Used: sewing | Mending | Darning