Expert: Irene Schwall - 11/9/2006

Question
my boss collected thimbles through out the years and i am selling hers on ebay. i need to find as much information as i can on them but very few actually have markings on them to distinguish them... could you please lead me in the right direction as for internet sites, library books, etc,... anything to help me figure out how much they're worth and any information possible. Thank you!

Answer
Hello Kelli,
You do not say what the thimbles are made from i.e. silver, bone china etc.  Many of the silver and gold thimbles are marked with maker's marks but the modern bone china thimbles might not be.

There are many books out there that will help you when it comes to thimbles.  I would check your local libary first before going to the expense of purchasing books.

Here is a short list of some books that you might want to look for:
52 Thimble Patents - Bertha Betensley
A Collector's Guide to Thimbles  -Bridget McConnel
A History of Thimbles  - Edwin F. Holmes
American Silver Thimbles - Gay Ann Rogers
Antique & Collectible Thimbles and Accessories - Averil Mathis
Another good source is eBay where you might find a similar thimble for sale and you can do your research and pricing that way.
Good luck.
Irene