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50 bone bobbins used in making lace. All have spangles, one has 2 shells attached, and 2 have a boot button attached to the spangle.
50 bobbins used in making lace. They are made of bone and are decorated in a variety of ways, and colours include red, green, pink and blue. Some have names, dates and phrases picked out in coloured dots; some appear to have been dyed all over in pinks and greens; others have elaborate carvings; and some appear to have had pewter decoration which has now rubbed off. All have spangles (glass beads or ornaments attached to the bottom of the bobbin to provide additional weight); one has a two shells attached to the spangle, and two have a boot button attached to the spangle. The Museum holds little information about the origin of these bobbins.

Lacemaker's bobbins: bone, glass

Visiting researcher note, Ann Dismukes (lacemaker), 1 October 2014 – This group of bobbins have the following words pricked out on them: ‘Don’t You Take My Mother’; ‘I Like My Choice Too Well To Change’; ‘What A Chance Marry Or Pay’ (this is a ‘mother and baby’ bobbin, meaning it has a baby bobbin sitting inside it, but it is broken); ‘L[o]ve Me’; ‘King William Died Month May Aged [unclear]’ (the order of the words is hard to read); ‘Lydia 1850 [1856?]’; ‘Jane’; ‘Eliza’; ‘Ann’; ‘Thomas’; ‘Luke’ (?); ‘Kezia’., Letter, Mrs Goddard to MERL, 15th May 1956 - 'I have, if you are interested, a good many lace bobbins, some of bone (or ivory) + some wooden ones, coloured beads + the bone (or ivory) ones have names on them, such as "William", Don't W. Tell. My Mother, in tiny red dots + names such as Eliza, Ann, with dates or figures, + are picked out with coloured dots + rings...'

Bone, Glass