I don’t know if you have ever been to Portobello Road Market outside of London, but if you ever have a chance to go, you will not be disappointed. When I turned 40, my dream of seeing London came true. I have always been enchanted with England.
I have shared with you my love of sewing and needlework, but coupled with that is a great appreciation for the wonderful sewing tools that have been made through the centuries. While my mom and I were strolling through the antique tables and stalls, I spotted a little violin-shaped leather case. When I opened it, inside was a beautiful pair of antique scissors and a thimble. The case was made for these sterling implements and had been worn with use. My mom asked if I wanted this for my birthday, and I was just delighted. I could just imagine a beautiful English lady with this set tucked inside her sewing basket, and now it would be mine!
Scissors were a prized household possession for centuries. A woman’s tools used for sewing and maintaining clothing were works of art unto themselves. Today our sewing scissors are plain metal, usually stainless steel sharpened to razor blade edges, but centuries ago sterling silver was the order of the day.
I wanted to share photos of the sterling silver scissors that I have. Notice the intricate designs of the silver handles. These fascinate me, and I would love to know the story of the prior owners. Actually I could see Mrs. Hughes on Downton Abbey having these hang from her chatelaine at her waist!
Share with me your treasures. We all love seeing beautiful things from centuries past!
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