Expert: Wynneth Mullins - 3/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Wynneth
We have a small (fits my littlest fingertip) thimble that belonged to my mother-in-law who was born around 1918 and passed away in 1997. The thimble has a scenic band depicting a fern like plant, a mountain above a lake, a castle, tree, mountain, a flowering plant, and between the two plants is what looks like a fir tree twig ending in two dots with a 6 above it. Below the wide band and above the smooth edge is a narrow band of what looks like alternating snail shells or horns of plenty turned up and down. Inside, at the very tip of the thimble is a shape like a family crest with an S in it that I believe depicts an S-shaped thread, the end of which is going through the eye of a needle that crosses the mid-point of the S. Above that an A is stamped into the metal. It is a very pretty thing, but we cannot tell whether it is gold or gold-plated, or brass, or bronze. And of course, it would be nice to know where it came from, and when. Thank you!


ANSWER: Hello Catherine,  What you have is a 14Kt gold Simons Brothers Co., Philadelphia, PA thimble.  The "A" above the "S" in the shield denotes full karat weight.  Simons has been in business since 1839 and is still in business today.  There is no way to date the thimble but I am fairly certain it was made in the last century.  I hope this helps.  

Wynneth


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Wynneth
Wow! I am impressed. Thank you so much for this exciting information. Two follow-up inquiries: 1) By the last century do you mean the twentieth or the nineteenth? and 2) Do you have a suggestion re how we could assess the value of the thimble?

Answer
Hi Catherine,  Sorry about that, yes I do mean the 20th century.  Well if you want to check it out to find out intrinsic value, have a jeweler weigh it and I am certain he can tell you the price of gold right now so you could determine a value that way.  However, a gold thimble would be worth more selling it as a thimble.  I can tell you that gold thimbles are fetching a good price on eBay right now.  However there are variables such as condition and how ornate the band on the thimble.  You may want to check out eBay and the gold thimble category to see if there is a thimble like yours listed.  Hope this helps.

Wynneth