| Sterling silver thimbles |
Thimbles from makers around the world, including James Fenton, Henry Griffith, Charles Horner and Simons
Learn more about marks on British silver thimbles
THERE ARE THREE PAGES OF SILVER THIMBLES
go to page1 | this is page 2 | go to page 3
Click on a photo (or a link within the text) to see an bigger picture
Please remember that only thimbles with a hallmark before 1908 are antiques - ie over 100 years old
Silver thimbles were melted down during WWI, so the number is a diminishing resource
With the sheer volume of thimbles for sale, I have not always been able to show any damage in the photos
I concentrate on showing the hallmarks, so please ask for further photos of any damage you would like to inspect, before placing an order
The "out of round" description means the thimble is now finger-shaped
This listing includes steel-cored sterling silver thimbles
| Charles Horner [CH] ENGLAND |
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DORCAS THIMBLES
Charles Horner patented his steel-cored sterling silver thimbles in 1884. Silver thimbles with use, go to holes & his patent provided for a lining of steel between two layers of silver. Initially these thimbles had no marking other than "PAT." short for Patent & a size number. These early Dorcas thimbles often included the Registered design [RD] number as well & Horner promoted his thimbles with specifically named patterns. Having a core of steel, all Dorcas thimbles will attract a magnet. In 1905 Horner introduced his "Improved Dorcas", where the steel & silver were fused together & from this date the apexes of all his steel-cored thimbles are flatter. It is not possible to date Dorcas thimbles any closer than this, as they are not only made of sterling silver & thus cannot be hallmarked. Horner ceased to make Dorcas thimbles after 1947.
There are differences in the way "CH" & the size number are stamped onto the band - the normal marking is to have his initials & the size number in an oval [Type I]. I have noted when the thimbles for sale are differently stamped from this. The Type III is the least commonly found. For further information about this prolific English silversmith, see Tom Lawson's Charles Horner of Halifax: a celebration of his life & work (2002) or buy Diane Pelham Burn's Identifying steel-cored thimbles (1993) Learn more about
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| HALLMARKED THIMBLES
Charles Horner of Halifax, registered his maker's marks "CH" in Chester in 1885 & he produced silver thimbles from then until 1947. These hallmarked thimbles are arranged in date order of the hallmark
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| Charles Iles for Abel Morrall
ENGLAND similar design to the Dorcas thimble | |
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| Charles May [CM] ENGLAND Learn more about |
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| Charterhouse Mint Limited ENGLAND |
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| F Webb [FW] ENGLAND |
bk76 = $40 Sterling silver Birmingham, 1894 15mm diameter thimble is over 100 years old - tiny dents at rim - |
| Gabler Bros GERMANY Gabler thimbles have an 8-point star on the apex | |||||
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| George Goodman [GG] ENGLAND |
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| Henry Griffith & Sons [HG&S] ENGLAND Learn more about Learn more about |
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Henry Griffith is another of England's great thimble makers during the Victorian era. He registered his maker's mark in Birmingham in October 1856 & the company ceased making thimbles in 1955. From 1873 his thimbles are marked "HG&S". As Horner's Dorcas thimbles had been such a commercial success, Griffith introduced his own equivalent - the Dreema thimbles. Griffith is the maker of most English placename thimbles from 1929-1931 & The Spa & Royal Spa thimbles. He is one of the few silversmiths who marked some of his thimbles with 'Sterling Silver' instead of having them hallmarked. His thimble sizing ranges from 12-20 [smallest to largest] - the sizing in millimetres. Some of his thimbles are only marked "Made in England" but when the accompanying size mark is within the Griffith's thimble size range, they can only be HG&S thimbles. He is often erroneously referred to as Henry Griffiths Norma Spicer's book Henry Griffith & Sons of Birmingham & Leamington Spa is a must for collectors of HG&S thimbles
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| Henry Williamson Ltd [H W Ltd] ENGLAND | |
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| HJ NORWAY | |
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| James Cook [JC] ENGLAND | |||
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| James Fenton [JF] ENGLAND | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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James Fenton of Birmingham was one of England's top silver thimble makers during the Victorian era
Norma Spicer's book James Fenton: silversmith & thimble maker etc is a must for collectors of Fenton thimbles
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| James Swann & Son [JS / JS&S] ENGLAND | |||||||||||||||
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James Swann became James Swann & Son in 1922
Norma Spicer's book James Swann (& Son) makers of gold & silver thimbles 1887-present is a must for collectors of Swann thimbles
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| Joe Turner |
bk385 = $45 Sterling silver 15mm diameter commemorating Christopher Columbus 1492-1992 his ship on verso rings on apex |
| Levi & Salaman [L&S] ENGLAND |
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| LJ |
bk436 = $40 Silver 16mm diameter guilloche type patterning - excellent condition - |
| Marion & Co [MN&Co] ENGLAND | |
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| Olney, Amsden & Son [OA / OA&S] ENGLAND See also his Steel thimbles |
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| Peter F Jackson [PFJ] ENGLAND | |
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| S J Rose [SJR] ENGLAND | |
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| Samuel Foskett [SF] ENGLAND Learn more about | |
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| Saunders & Shepard [CS*FS] ENGLAND | |
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| Simons PHILADELPHIA USA this is one of the few major silver thimble manufacturers still in operation anywhere in the world the pattern names are taken from American silver thimbles by Gay Ann Rogers | ||||||||
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| Swann Thimbles [S(T)] ENGLAND | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also James Swann Frank Jones ceased making thimbles in 2002 Norma Spicer's James Swann (& Son) makers of gold & silver thimbles 1887-present is a must for collectors of Swann thimbles
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Learn more about Marks on English silver thimbles
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| Last updated 5 November 2009 |