Photo Credit: antique palace furniture home decor
Edwardian Ketcham & McDougall Thimble in 14K Gold
Buy It Now Price: $225 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This antique 14 karat gold Ketcham & McDougall thimble, circa 1910, has the delicate lines and whimsical feel characteristic of Edwardian design. It is engraved with “1859 FB 1909”, indicating that it might have been a high-end 50th wedding anniversary gift.
-This old, size 9 thimble is made from an impressive 6.2 grams (0.2 troy ounces) of solid 14 karat gold, which indicates good build quality.
-This Ketcham & McDougall thimble comes in its original fitted cardboard case printed with the name of the retailer – “John Wanamaker; Jewelers & Silversmiths; Philadelphia, New York, Paris”.
-Sewing was a required skill for practically all middle and upper class women in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Unlike today when clothing is often discarded as it becomes damaged or outdated, clothing was regularly mended, altered or otherwise modified in households before World War II.
–Wanamaker’s was a Philadelphia department store founded by its namesake, John Wanamaker, in 1876. Wanamaker’s revolutionized retailing via its pioneering use of print advertising, mail order sales and no-questions-asked refunds. It eventually became a template for Sears, J.C. Penny and other great American department stores of the 20th century.
-This antique 14K gold thimble was made by the well-regarded firm of Ketcham & McDougall. Established in New York City in 1832, Ketcham & McDougall produced exceedingly high quality thimbles that are quite collectible today. The company finally ceased production in 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression.
-This Edwardian thimble is in good condition, with no apparent dents, holes or other major defects. The plain gold band around the bottom has some tiny scratches, which is to be expected on an item over 100 years old.
-At the current gold spot price of $1,315, this Ketcham & McDougall thimble has a scrap value of about $152, meaning that the premium above melt for this wonderful antique is a paltry $73.
-Because it was made by a famous firm and comes with its original fitted case, I believe this gorgeous Edwardian Ketcham & McDougall thimble is well worth the $225 asking price.
Cons:
-Antique thimbles are out of favor right now, which allows you to sometimes find solid karat gold examples for ridiculously low premiums over scrap value. In fact, I was watching an eBay auction earlier this week where a gold thimble was selling for less than $100 – only $20 over melt. Predictably, it sold quickly. On the whole, a $73 premium for this fine Ketcham & McDougall specimen is quite low too – so this is hardly a con.
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