BEADWORK, PIN CUSHION
c. 1890 - 1899The hand embroidered beaded cushion for hat pins, made by a 19th century sailor.
To while away the long hours on board ship, sailors in the 18th and 19th worked on handcrafts such as scrimshaw, wood carving, macramé, shell work, painting as well as embroidery and beadwork. The Victorian era saw a plethora of handcrafts widely published, which menfolk would have seen at home and traded supplies when in port. These were gifts for loved ones at home.
The design uses glass seed beads stitched onto purple velvet. In the centre, a bird on a branch with 3 different shaped leaves and spray of buds. Around the perimeter is a border of beaded flowers and leaves, a flower in each corner and a pair of coloured leaves between each. The scalloped edge has two rows of white opaque seed beads.
The backing is calico which extends beyond the velvet forming a frill with clear seed beads on the edge, a dangling ornamentation. Many of the beads are missing.
The cushion has been filled with sawdust.
This calico backing has rotted and had a fresh calico backing attached in 1980s after purchase.
