RARE DECO CUBAN BELLHOP BAKELITE NEEDLECASE Measuring about 3" long, this estate piece is from the heir of the original owner and is the most rare and unsual needlecase I've ever had in over 20 yrs in business.



Made of authentic red bakelite and dating to the art deco era of the 1920s or 30s, this needlecase is a souvenir of Cuba as it is marked on the thimble section. The bottom fourth of the case is the thimble, which screws on, and the top is a black Cuban bellhop with a tall Morrocan style hat and painted on body and suit. The head screws off the top.



This rare and wonderful red bakelite art deco sewing collectible is in good condition showing wear and use, though not abuse. It displays well and is functional and free from extensive damage or repair. If you need a piece to complete your collection of sewing memorabilia like thimbles and needlecases, this is the piece for you. If it didn't say it was a souvenir of Cuba, I would have thought it was a black Americana collectible.
 

NICELY EMBOSSED ANTIQUE SILVER SEWING THIMBLE no.4 Apprx 5/8" tall, stamped "4" on the side, no markings otherwise but looks like sterling silver.

Used and not abused. No holes, nice round shape, no dings, functional, lovely subtle Victorian design around the base.
 

ANTIQUE STERLING SILVER THIMBLE FLORAL BORDER no.11 Stamped Sterling silver with the number 11 on the outside. Good condition, no holes, slightly out of round, dark and unpolished.

Priced to sell to collector taking into consideration it is less than perfect.
 

SET 3 VINTAGE LUCKYDAY MOTHER OF PEARL BUTTONS ORIGINAL This is a charming grouping of 3...They are identically matching round mother of pearl buttons. They are slightly larger than 5/8" in diameter, and they have lovely carved out marquis shaped sections making ofr a nice retro design. These are in excellent condition and are free of any damages or repair, and they are still on their original card. The card has a nice graphic of a lovely woman and says "Luckyday" across the top. It also says the following:

STYLE 2025 SIZE 30

CONTENTS 3 BUTTONS

Ocean Pearl 25 cents

like new condition!
 

PR ANTIQUE COMPOSITION BABY PINCUSHION DOLL DOLLS From my own collection, a pair of charming and endearing antique pincushion dolls. Each doll is a baby head made of hand painted composition with little composition feet at the bottom, circa early 1900s, about 3.5" tall each.

Dolls appear all original, original cloth pincushion, each one with some old pins still inside of it. Expected aging and soiling to cloth, but overall in very good vintage condition. Sold as a pair as found, no damage or repair.
 

SET 6 ANTIQUE VINTAGE VICTORIAN PASTE STONE METAL BUTTONS Each a bit over 3/8" diameter, meta, with a round paste rhinestone in the center, circa 1800s, superb condition.
 

ANTIQUE PINE NEEDLE WOVEN SEWING BASKET w PEKING GLASS Lovely antique 1920s era hand made woven basket made of pine needles, probably Chinese, Asian, Oriental, real multicolor Peking glass at the top, about 9" diameter, very good vintage condition, minimal wear. As a bonus, I have included a smaller basket that fits inside of this one. It is also in good condition, though no glass. Some old sewing remnants including some old buttons, measuring tapes, thimbles, needles are also part of the deal.
 

ANTIQUE JAPANESE PINE NEEDLE SEWING BASKET Circa 1920s-40s, about 9" diameter, 4" tall, natural pine needles, hand made, red painted accents on side, wider and interesting pattern on lid, very good vintage condition, sold as found. Excellent sewing memorabilia. Check out my other sewing baskets on my site.
 

LOVELY ANTIQUE METAL BUTTON SET of 3 VICTORIAN BUTTONS All 3 for one price. Reminds me of a bumblebee, appears to be brass, each is about 1/2" diameter, superb condition.
 

VERY OLD ORIENTAL SEWING BASKET w PEKING GLASS & COINS From my own collection, purchased from a local estate many years ago. Round sewing basket, woven wicker, contents included...some thread, a wooden darning egg, a few more miscellaneous items. Apprx 9" diameter, 9" high. Small round green peking glass on the top of the lid, plus peking glass beads and some Chinese coins. Good condition, some wear but no real damage. Awesome collectible, great sewing piece.
 

NICE STERLING SILVER ETCHED VICTORIAN THIMBLE Apprx 3/4" high and 5/8" diameter at the base, unmarked thimble, circa late 1800s to early 1900s. Lovely etching at the base. Nice patina, fair condition, base out of round. Price reflects condition. Still a lovely example of a very pretty antique sewing thimble.


 

ANTIQUE ART DECO RED BAKELITE THIMBLE NEEDLECASE Sweet and petite, this deep red bakelite thimble and needlecase ensemble is an art deco treasure dating back to the 1920s or 30s and measuring approximately 2 3/8" long. The thimble unscrews to reveal 3 miniature spools of thread around a cylinder for needles. I believe it is either celluloid or bakelite. A subtle black and gold deco hand painted design encircles it, and a hole at the bottom probably at one time held a tassel.

The case is NOT perfect...the thimble has been glued together after being broken. Also, some of the paint has rubbed off, though most is still amazingly intact as the pictures should illustrate. Still, this is a terrific piece that would make a nice bauble on a bakelite neckace or an interesting curio. Because it is not mint, I am offering this with NO RESERVE on this final sale auction (in mint condition,this piece would retail for about $85 or more). It would make a nice addition to any collection of vintage bakelite or sewing memorabilia.
 

ANTIQUE VICTORIAN 1880S GLASS GRAPE BUNCH BUTTON Dated 1880 Victorian era authentic antique button, pressed glass, raised grape bunch design, grapes are a lovely realistic style, glass has a satin finish, measures about 1" diameter, brass loop on back, front does have a chip on the edge as illustrated in the photos. Priced as is; sold as found.
 

ANTIQUE CARVED MOTHER OF PEARL ANCHOR MOTIF BUTTON Approx. 7/8" diameter, carved real mother of pearl, sailor motif, anchor on top, late 1800s to early 1900s, very good condition.
 

LOVELY UNIQUE LARGE METAL ANTIQUE VICTORIAN BUTTON Approx. 1 1/4" diameter, lovely authentic Victoriana, circa 1800s, appears to be brass and has a wonderful raised design, floral flowers flower pattern, nice patina, original, good vintage condition.
 

LARGE ANTIQUE HAND WOVEN SEWING BASKET w CONTENTS Large basket, pine needle, probably Japanese, about 10" diameter and nearly 5" tall, sold as found including contents. Contents include odds and ends...ribbons, some spools of thread, an "A&P" needlecase (worth about $5-$10 by itself), a few little lace and fabric remnants, some buttons.

Basket in very good vintage condition, plus a fun thing to get and sort through! Check out my sewing collectibles for more baskets.
 

RARE FLAPPER GIRL BONE CELLULOID BUTTON HANDPAINTED CARDS Very cool, circa 1920s-30s, pair of cards. Each card is about 4" by 2 1/4" and has a hand painted bone or celluloid flapper girl face with a silk hat.

From my personal collection, came out of an Atlanta estate over 25 years ago, never offered before. I've never seen anything quite like this before.

Superb condition, great flapper, deco or sewing collectible.
 

SUPER ANTIQUE VICTORIAN SIMONS STERLING SILVER THIMBLE A fine sterling silver thimble by Simons Bro. & Co., circa 1890s to the early 1900s. Stamped inside the cap with a shield mark containing an S and STERLING. Stamped on the outside "12".

Elegantly decorated with a simple squared off design. In very fine condition with no dents. Sold unpolished, antique patina. Measures 7/8 inches in height by over 5/8 inches in diameter.
 

NICE VINTAGE METAL RHINESTONE LEAF BUTTONS These two buttons match, with one 2" in diameter and the other 1 3/8". They're pot metal with openwork figural leaves, each leaf encrusted with colorful round faceted rhinestones of blue, orange-yellow, green, and red. They look to date to the early to mid 1900s. They;re each marked with a raised "8" and the maker's mark "WMCA" or "WMGA". I'd love to know more about this company..anyone care to share?

The buttons are functional and in good condition, though they both have some rhinestones missing. They actually are nice as they are, but if desired, you can replace the stones fairly easily. Smart styling, this is a rare complimentary pair of buttons waiting to be sewn onto an outfit or used in a jewelry project! You are buying these AS FOUND.
 

VINTAGE SET 12 MOTHER OF PEARL BUTTONS on EGYPTIAN CARD This is a charming grouping of 12...Twelve Fun identically matching round mother of Pearl buttons. They are approximately 3/8" in diameter, and they are still on the original 1920s or 30s cardboard card. The buttons are relatively plain, but the little card has nice graphics which appear to have an art Deco Egyptian revival theme. There are lovely graphics of columns on the sides , and at the top is a scene from Egypt with a pyramid and what appears to be a pharoah.

These are in excellent condition and are free of any damages or repair, though the cardboard has a little tearing at the top, illustrated in my pictures. Sure to be the highlight of the most advanced of collections!