No 7. How I got the needle!

I think my new blog is settling into a routine. My planning is to write once a fortnight, so expect a couple of posts each month.

Unfortunately, there are to be changes outside of my control. Not until 1st July, but from that date the facility to receive an automated copy will cease. You are OK for a couple of months so the next 4 posts should be OK,  but the service operators are withdrawing the widget that distributes mail. This will mean that if you want to continue reading my blog, and I hope you will, YOU will need to log into the blog web site each time. I will still keep writing, and I will continue to do anything possible to widen interest in my blog. Anything you can do to spread the word will be very welcome. So please just remember my blog address…. Alleslegtree.blogspot.com. Also, you can always add any comments to a posting.

Anyway, as I say you are OK for automatic news until the end of June, and I will do a post just before D day to explain the upcoming silence!!

I suppose my throw away remark last time about Charles Hanson’s view, warrants a bit of explanation. Mary and I went to Hansons the auctioneers in Etwall, near Derby, for a free valuation of some jewellery and I wanted to find out what was the material in 12 of my legs. Valuations were being given in a temporary marquee, and the helpful jewellery lady took the legs away into the auction rooms for a second opinion and the second expert opinion was given by Mr H himself. He was very interested in the sample of legs from my collection, and being a businessman said that if I was going to sell them he would create a nice sale display. I of course refused the offer. Anyway, he gave me some useful information which will help me to be more accurate in the description of some of the legs.

 

This week I’ve got 2 legs from my collection - completely different, but with one thing in common. They both relate to knitting (and legs of course!). This first one is a real antique, both in age and in what it actually is. It is called a Knitting Sheath. 

              

                                                                                                                                                                                            

I acquired this leg at the NEC in 2018, where it was on display amongst other sheaths but this one was not immediately obvious as having a leg shape. When the stall holder, a specialist in Treen, showed me the sheath I could discern the leg outline and she expertly explained what the device was and how it was used..

A knitting sheath (also known as a knitting belt)  is a devise which is attached to the body belt                        of a knitter to hold a right-hand needle more securely, and being static, enables a knitter to knit faster. Sheaths come in a variety of different shapes, with different styles used in different areas of the UK.  Scanning the internet will show this variety of sheaths, all with the basic objective of holding a needle steady to facilitate knitting.   With the working yarn in the right hand, knitters “play” the stitches off the left needle making the job faster and easier, especially for anyone knitting on the move.  It is all foreign to me, but if you want further information you can find a demonstration video of knitting with a sheath on the internet. It’s a clever tool but probably only used today by people who enjoy ancient crafts.

                                      

This Sheath is made of Mahogany, and 165 years old.  It is nice to have presumably the users name J.Allan and the date of 1856,  firmly establishing the age. It has a glass name panel, a diamond inlaid pattern, and ends including a carved foot, something like a Hunters Boot.  At the opposite end from the boot, is a hole into which would be inserted the knitting needle.

 

The second leg with a knitting theme, is a Knitting Needle Guard.  I have a number of examples of complete needle guards in my collection and also two individual guard ends, and I also have the only item in my entire collection which is not a human leg or boot (read on!).

                                      

        

 

The purpose of this needle device is to protect the end tips of a pair of knitting needles, both from damage to the needles, and accidental stabbing of the user, and are used when storing needles, not using them. The basic construction is two identical guards (ends), one at each end of a piece of material (the connector) which can be string, thread, elastic, or a chain.  Each end of a needle is inserted in a guard, and the connector has to be of a length and tension that holds the needle firmly apart but tight in place.

The guards can be of any sturdy material, and those I have collected have been silver or white metal. I bought the above guard in 2018 at a Stafford Fair and is my most expensive needle guard. The connector can be seen to be a yellow frilly material but the string intertwined with the material is not elastic so the whole device is quite rigid. It is longer than normal (17 inches) but would be appropriate for large needles. The material is silver, and each boot has a 1916 Birmingham hallmark, and the makers initials of John Price Hunt. On each sole is also stamped the same serial number R0NO491553.

                                                                              

I can’t leave Knitting needle guards without showing you the only item in my human leg collection, which isn’t!  It breaks all my rules about legs shoes and boots etc. It’s a pair of Pigs Trotters Needle Guards!!  They do just about qualify as tenable for the leg classification, and I thought they were great.

                                                                                                                                                                      I bought them in 2017 at the NEC antique fair for just £22. This tells you several things. I think the material is plastic, and if it was Ivory, they would not be only £22. Secondly, because, as I have told you the NEC has date lined all antiques these trotters are Antiques.   A one-off, but I love them.  Incidentally I did see a pair of trotter guards on the net, so mine are not unique.

So that’s the latest leg news. I still await my first leg purchase since March 2020 … keep watching!

David.