Putting a Finger on Thimble Sources

Question: For a couple of years, I have been collecting thimbles and have only come across a few sources other than catalogues and occasional antique shops. Are you aware of thimble shops in the South Bay area? Also, are there thimble clubs or conventions?--D.H.

Answer: There isn’t a lot of material on the subject. What we can tell you is that among collectors, silver and porcelain apparently are the most popular kinds of thimbles to collect.

One problem thimble collectors face is the difficulty in authenticating the artist or the date of production. As a result, collectors seem to concentrate more on design and material rather than worrying about how old the thimble is.

Older thimbles with advertising or political messages can still be found for a few dollars each. When you get into gold or silver thimbles, however, prices appear to range from $25 up.

It’s believed that the first thimble was created in late 17th-Century England. In Victorian times it was considered a token of one’s love to give a lady friend a thimble.

Although we have never corresponded with the organization, there is a Thimble Collectors International listed at P.O. Box 143, Intervale, N.H. 03845.

Any readers know of local clubs?

Q: Do you have any suggestions on how old weather vanes should be before I start laying out big bucks to expand my collection?--E.P.

A: Serious collectors search for weather vanes designed before the mid-19th Century. And if the weather vane is made of copper, all the better.

But before you dash out to your favorite antique dealer, you should know that many weather vanes in this category either reside in museums or have been snapped up by serious collectors.

If you should run across a 19th-Century weather vane, however, be prepared to shell out plenty of bucks for it.

One 19th-Century American eagle weather vane in good condition was listed in a recent dealer’s catalogue for $800. A late 19th-Century copper fox-and-hound weather vane had an $8,500 listed price!

Don’t be scared away by these prices. You can still find weather vanes of some value for a few hundred bucks or less. That news comes from one weather-vane hunter we know who reported that when he motors along back-country roads, he isn’t shy about asking farmers or other residents to part with a particular weather vane for a price if it appears to have collectible value.

Collectors who are into genealogy might be interested in an ancient map of Ireland being offered by the Boston Graphic Arts Society, an organization founded in 1774, which bills itself as “the oldest society in America devoted to encouraging the arts.”

The map, drawn during the 16th or 17th centuries and discovered in the society’s vault, contains the origins of titled and prominent Irish families and points of historical interest.

“Just as many families claim that their ancestors came over on the Mayflower, many Irish families claim that they are descendants of Irish royalty,” Peter Bonfilio, the society’s director, said. “The map, the most accurate of its kind ever discovered, gives the facts.”

The society is offering the map at $150 per copy. (The original, encased in 20 pounds of clear acrylic, ultimately will be donated to the Smithsonian Institution.)

Inquiries should be sent to the Boston Graphic Arts Society, P.O. Box 3089, Boston, Mass. 02101.

Ronald L. Soble cannot answer mail personally but will respond in this column to questions of general interest about collectibles. Do not telephone. Write to Your Collectibles, You section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.