Antique Mother of Pearl Workbox Spool / Reel

English * Circa 1850

The top of this Victorian spool holder is made of mother of pearl. The center is carved with a layered flower design and it has a pierced, scalloped border. The bottom is cow (bovine) bone*. The brass shank pulls apart to allow a ball or spool of thread to be slipped on.

The condition is excellent with no chips or loss. It measures 1 3/8" high and 1 1/4" in diameter (top). It was once part of an English workbox. Some reels of this type are shown on p. 161 of Gay Ann Rogers' book An Illustrated History of Needlework Tools and the style of workbox they would be from is shown on p. 36.

*This item is made of bone from a domestic cow (bovine) and NOT from an endangered species or an ivory producing species.


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