#7019                                                                                          

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Victorian Sewing Workbox - This beautiful workbox is like a study in all that is Victorian.  Measuring 10" wide by 6 3/4" deep by 4 1/2" high, the dark wood box is inlaid with an artistic brass medallian and sits on four lovely bun feet.  When you open the lid you find a stunning example of the elaborate and excessive tastes of the Victorian age.  There is a great deal of ruching, braiding, ornate trim and metallic threads. The interior of the box is decorated with a rich royal blue velvet as well as matching blue silk. This box is truly a work of art. You can easily picture this amazing workbox sitting on a table in an elaborate Victorian parlor or lady's boudoir.

The upper back platform lifts out to reveal the blue paper lined bottom storage area of the box. This platform holds most of the sewing tools.  There are silver scissors, needlecase, and thimble as well as a bone stiletto, button hook and two thread barrels.  In addition there are two red velvet pincushions built into the box.

It's not likely that many of these tools are original to the box, but they do look pretty good and seem to fit the spots they inhabit.  The thimble is not quite round but the tools are mostly in very good condition. The box has a crack across the middle bottom, as well as a smaller crack in the top center of the box. In spite of the crack, the box is sturdy and the hinges are strong.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     $575.00               

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  #7020                         

Gold Needlecase  - The pictures for this lovely gold needlecase just simply do not do it justice.  There are delicate swirls and flourishes etched on all sides of the needlecase.  And these etchings are quite beautiful. As is always the case with very high quality gold needlecases, the inside part of the needlecase that is covered by the top is quite long. This provides for a nice snug fit when the needle- case is closed.   

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The condition of this gorgeous piece is very good. There are no nicks in the gold and the lovely etching is not fading in the least. As mentioned above, the two pieces fit together snugly without being too tight. The needlecase measures just under 3" in length.                                                                                                                                                                                                   $365.00

                                                                       #7023                                                                                          

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Victorian Figural Scissors Case  - This wonderful Victorian sewing set is made in the shape of a ladies slipper.  And what a charming novelty it must have been for a Victorian lady. The purple velvet slipper measures 6 1/2" in length, 1 3/4" in width and 3" in height.  It also features a purple silk top and two lovely silk tassels. The back of the slipper hinges open to reveal a matching set of three pairs of steel scissors and a small silver thimble.  The three pair of scissors measure 3", 3" and 4" in length. I don't know why two pair of the scissors are the same size, but I do think they are original to the set.

The condition of this charming little slipper is fairly good.  It is sturdy and the hinges are strong. As one would expect, the velvet is showing a bit of its age.  It is worn in places and the silk at the top of the slipper is faded. Some of the black paint is missing from the heel of the slipper. The scissors and the thimble are in excellent condition. The thimble is marked "sterling".                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $395.00               

                                                                       #7024                                                                                          

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Just Cross Stitch Magazine - the First 15 Years  - This collection of the early years of this very well known and loved needlework magazine is a very rare opportunity to own a piece of the history of cross stitch in the United States.  As most needlewomen know, in the late 1970's Ginny Thompson began to bring the popularity of cross stitch back to the US. In mid 1983, Symbol of Excellence Publishers published the first issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine, a magazine we still know and love today.  The editors of that first issue were Phyllis Hoffman, Juanita Martinez, Barbara Cockerham and Janice Ritter. The cover photo on that first issue featured "Passenger Pigeons" by Ginny Thompson which you see pictured above.    

This is an almost complete set of the first 15 years of this wonderful magazine. It begins with Volume1, Number 1 May/June 1983 and it runs all the way through December 1997 with the exception of 3 issues. The collection is missing May/June 1993, September/October 1993 and January/February 1997. There are also 3 issues from 1998 and 1999 for a total of 88 issues of Just Cross Stitch Magazine.  Copies of issues from the first three or four years are literally impossible to find.  So this is a rare opportunity.

There are literally hundreds of charts designed by a "who's who" of designers within the world of cross stitch.  The other two issues pictured above feature cover designs by the Scarlet Letter and Sharon Cohen.  But that is just the tip of the iceberg.  Some of the others include designs by Merrily Beams, Darlene O'Steen, Alma Lynne, Teresa Wentzler, Dawn Bradford, Mary Beale, and Shepard's Bush just to name a few.  The shipping weight of the magazines is 50 lbs. The shipping cost should be in the range of $55 to $70 depending on the distance from my middle Illinois location.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       $375.00                

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  #7027                         

Christmas Chatelaine -  It is very unusual to find this type of ribbon chatelaine made with a christmas theme. The silk ribbons used to attach all of the sewing tools to the chatelaine have holly leaves and red berries on them. And of course, all of the fabric used is a bright christmas red. The tools attached to the chatelaine in- clude beautiful gilt scissors, a strawberry emory with a gilt top, a needlebook and a thimble or spool bag (currently holding a spool).

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 The condition of this lovely chatelaine is very good. The ribbons are all complete and show little or no unravelling.  The scissors look almost unused and cut very well. The emory has no holes and appears to be quite strong.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              $285.00

                                                                       #7028                                                                                          

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Ivory Etui - Elegant is the perfect word to describe this gorgeous etui. From the carved ivory case to the deep blue embossed velvet lining, to the 18kt gold tools this stunning set screams very high quality. The needlework tools include gold scissors, needlecase, stiletto and thimble.  The set would have originally included a bodkin, but that is no longer there.     

The ivory case has a small repair in the upper left corner of the bottom of the case.  You can see that in picture #2.  And there are a couple of small cracks on the back edges of the case. When closed, the case does not latch. The needlecase, stiletto and thimble are all in excellent condition. The scissors have been repaired on one of the swirl handles.  The repair does show, but the scissors are strong and sharp. They cut very well.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $1650.00