How much do you know about thimbles?

History and Uses of Thimbles

• Thimbles were created to prevent discomfort while sewing by providing a barrier between fingertips and a needle.
• Thimbles date back to the 10th century, with thimbles being in widespread use in England by the 14th century.
• The majority of metal thimbles were made of brass, with silver thimbles becoming popular in the 18th century due to cheaper sources of silver from the Americas.
• Thimbles are usually made from metal, leather, rubber, wood, glass, or china.
• Thimbles were originally used solely for pushing needles through fabric but gained many other uses, such as measuring spirits and gunpowder.
• Collecting thimbles became popular in the UK when many companies made special thimbles to commemorate the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London.
• Early American thimbles made of whale bone or tooth featuring miniature scrimshaw designs are considered valuable collectibles.
• Thimblettes are soft thimbles, made predominately of rubber, used primarily for leafing through or counting documents, bank notes, tickets, or forms.
• A sail palm is a variation on the thimble used by sailmakers and leather workers, consisting of a pitted hard plate set into a stiff leather band that is worn around the palm of the hand.
• In the Parker Brothers board game Monopoly, the thimble was one of the eight traditional metal game pieces used to mark a player's position on the game board.
• Thimbles have been used or referenced in various cultural works, such as Peter Pan, Batman Returns, and Popeye.
• The most expensive thimble ever sold was a Meissen porcelain thimble that sold for $18,000 USD in 1979.