pmelcher
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posted on December 29, 2005 12:53:20 PM new
I have some interesting knitting needles (I think that is what they are) that have a carved hand holding a hammer which moves. They are approx 8 1/4 inches long and came in a box with some 1930's pattern books and other needles. Thank you in advance!!
[ edited by pmelcher on Dec 29, 2005 12:54 PM ]
[ edited by pmelcher on Dec 29, 2005 12:55 PM ]
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birgittaw
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posted on December 29, 2005 01:18:23 PM new
Yes, you have knitting needles. The tops are to put on the needles when you're taking a pause (minutes or years) so that the last loop on the needle doesn't fall off and unravels the finished knitting and you drop stitches. Very cool! May be a European thing, since I've never seen them here.
Nevermind, I just looked again, and see that the hammer parts are the bottoms. Perhaps to hold the yarn straight in this case.
B/
[ edited by birgittaw on Dec 29, 2005 01:20 PM ]
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 29, 2005 01:29:50 PM new
Obviously, they be needles from the "Marxist League of Lady Needlers" and their trademark "Hammer & Finger" logo! Circa 1910, they were instrumental in the overthrow of King Smegley of Elbonia in 1917 during the famous "Kntting Revolution"~
Ralphie copied the above from www.WikidPedia.com
As David Steinberg used to say to his dog:
"Booga, booga, booga..."
[ edited by tOMWiii on Dec 29, 2005 01:31 PM ]
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pmelcher
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posted on December 29, 2005 02:05:52 PM new
I agree they may be European, I have never seen anything like them before.
Thanks Tom, leave it to you to come up with that!
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mikes4x4andtruckrepair
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posted on December 29, 2005 03:04:44 PM new
Might they be fancy chop sticks for a carpenter? 
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bjboswell
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posted on December 29, 2005 04:20:08 PM new
I will tell you not to be surprised if they go for POTS of money! They are wonderful! probably English and look like they may be bone or ivory from your pictures. Congrats!
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mcjane
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posted on December 29, 2005 04:36:03 PM new
The 1930's pattern books should do well too.
Maybe bizzy will come along with some good info.
Not to say Tom wasn't right.
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tOMWiii
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posted on December 29, 2005 04:52:31 PM new
THANK YOU, Jane!
Tis comforting to know that at least SOMEONE appreciates all the HARDWORK and INTENSIVE RESEARCH Ralphie & I undertake in our neverending QUEST to be HELPFUL to all our little friends out there in VD LAND!
As David Steinberg used to say to his dog:
"Booga, booga, booga..."
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roadsmith
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posted on December 29, 2005 05:09:39 PM new
Gosh, these are wonderful. Have you tested for ivory? And do you know what size they are? They seem European, perhaps German. There's a knitting site I used to go to all the time, with lots of experts. If I can find it again, I'll post it here for you, and you could ask a question of them.
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roadsmith
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posted on December 29, 2005 05:12:12 PM new
Okay, here's the site I used to camp in, before I discovered that I Have Another Life.
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/cyca-forum/list
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sparkz
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posted on December 29, 2005 06:03:31 PM new
My guess would be Polish lawn darts, although they could be French escargot skewers. Sure wish Bizzy would show up and solve the mystery.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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pmelcher
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posted on December 29, 2005 06:45:09 PM new
Thanks Roadsmith, no I haven't tested for Ivory (hate to admit I don't know how to). They are not marked as to size but seem small diameter. They are tied together with thread and I haven't removed it. I'll check out the website.
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roadsmith
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posted on December 29, 2005 07:05:20 PM new
To get the size of the needles (diameter, that is), any knit shop or knitter has a card-like metal item with various size holes into which you slip a knitting needle to get the correct size.
To test for ivory, here's what I learned here long long ago, and I *think* I have it right: Ivory is made of the same substance as hair, so you heat the tip of a needle or nail and poke it into an inconspicuous spot on the item. If it's ivory, it will smell like burning hair.
That might be correct, but if it isn't I'm sure someone here will step in!
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ewora
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posted on December 29, 2005 07:53:25 PM new
http://www.asian-arts.net/oriental-treats/fake.htm
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mcjane
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posted on December 29, 2005 08:17:15 PM new
"Marxist League of Lady Needlers"
That IS some INTENSIVE RESEARCH
Of course your right, Ralpie & Tom. No one could make that up....................
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OhMsLucy
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posted on December 29, 2005 08:34:32 PM new
Aebleskiver turners. LOL!
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roadsmith
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posted on December 29, 2005 08:43:51 PM new
Oh, Lucy! Groannnnnnn. But it's not too big a stretch.
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OhMsLucy
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posted on December 29, 2005 08:46:14 PM new
Sorry, Roadsmith, I simply could not help myself! ROFLMAO!
Edited to add: Sparkz started it...
Lucy
[ edited by OhMsLucy on Dec 29, 2005 08:47 PM ]
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sparkz
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posted on December 29, 2005 09:06:21 PM new
Roadsmith...You otta know by now, any time an escargot slithers into a thread, an aebleskever can't be far behind
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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pmelcher
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posted on December 30, 2005 03:27:02 AM new
You guys are great! I have learned so much about ivory, now to get the guts to try to find an inconspicuous place on these needles to test. Someone also told me once that ivory can be tested by black light but I don't remember how.
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amber
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posted on December 30, 2005 04:40:07 AM new
I grew up in England and have been knitting for almost 60 years, but I have never seen any needles like this. I sell mostly knitting supplies on eBay, and a few years ago someone from Japan bought a bunch of my older books, and they told me they were writing a book on the origins of knitting in Japan, apparently, it is a very old art there, and I am wondering if the needles could be oriental.
As a girl in England, my mother used to knit with bone needles, and they had the same color etc. Are the actual needles the same substance as the hand at the end? Does the hand come off?
If they are ivory, you would have to know the age of them for sure, because it is illegal to sell ivory unless it is a certain age.I hope you find that they are worth a lot!
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on December 30, 2005 05:08:43 AM new
I don't think that they are ivory. My guess would be bone. Alot of knitting needles were made of bone back in the 30's and 40's. How heavy are they? If they are light, they could be bamboo. Or, they could be celluloid. My guess is bone though.
I think they are bone novelty knitting needles. The ends are stoppers so that the stitches don't fall off. I don't see any practical use for the hammer and hand other than a stopper.
My best guess: bone novelty knitting needles.
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neglus
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posted on December 30, 2005 05:42:30 AM new
Do the points of the needles fit in the notches in the hammer and wrench? Perhaps the needles are meant to be "locked" together when the knitting is put away in such a way that the work won't unravel?
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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pmelcher
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posted on December 30, 2005 07:13:13 AM new
O.K. I too think they may be bone or even celluloid but there seems to be a 'grain', I need to get a good magnifying glass to check that. The needles and hands seem to be the same substance. The hands are a separate piece but are attached firmly (glued?). The hammer does not come out of the hands but moves back and forth. The hammer on one hand does not move out far enough for the point to fit in the notch in the hammer (but how clever, I never would have thought of that!). You are all just a wealth of information. Thank you so much.
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otteropp
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posted on December 30, 2005 12:15:35 PM new
I have knitted also since I was a young girl in England and haven't seen anything like these before BUT...I wonder if you hook your yarn beside the hammer to keep it in place when knitting and it feeds through there. It would be up and out of the way of the main piece of work.
This would be instead of hooking it around the fingers of your hand which can cramp after a while???
Just a thought.
Penny
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buyhigh
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posted on December 30, 2005 04:31:12 PM new
If they are bone, you will see little dark "dots" scattered throughout which are actually tiny holes). These are called nutrient foramens and admit nutrients to the cavity of the bone.
buyhigh
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