5 Best Antique Thimbles Collectors Pay Surprising Money For

Antique items are surprisingly worth a lot of money. Thanks to their condition, rarity, design, and the brand behind them, your old items could be worth hundreds to thousands of dollars. For instance, these are some of the best antique thimbles collectors are searching for that you might have in your sewing kit . Let's explore some of the top items.

5. Antique Silver and Guilloché Enamel Thimbles

Freeman's Auction House holds one of the many examples of incredible antique thimbles collectors are on the hunt for, as this one in particular sold for a whopping $125 back in 2017 . These decorative thimbles combine silver construction with guilloché enamel, a technique that creates intricate patterns using fine engraved lines beneath translucent enamel. Collectors prize examples with attractive colors, intact enamel, and identifiable manufacturers.

4. Victorian Gold Thimbles With Ornate Engraving

One of the top antique thimbles collectors are on the search for is this gold thimble that sold for a large amount back in 1996 at Christie's auction house . This one in particular is a stunning thimble with an engraved border of foliage above a beaded trim.

Victorian gold thimbles featuring engraved foliage, decorative borders, or engine-turned patterns can be worth far more than ordinary sewing thimbles . For this one, the solid gold content, late-19th-century workmanship, and identifiable makers make it stand out, receiving a large price of £276 for the item.

3. Antique Tortoiseshell Thimbles With Gold Cores

While fragile material like porcelain is one of the highly sought-after collectible thimble items, there are some antique thimbles that combine an unusual outer material with precious metal. One of the best examples is this 18th-century tortoiseshell thimble with a gold core, a rare combination that appeals to specialist collectors. Because of its unusual construction, age, rarity, and contrasting materials, this one sold for £410 at auction in 2023 .

2. The 1843 Thames Tunnel Commemorative Thimble

Another one of the best antique thimbles collectors pay good money for is this 1843 Thames Tunnel commemorative thimble. This Victorian-era souvenir thimble was produced to commemorate the opening of the Thames Tunnel in London. Although it was originally a relatively inexpensive keepsake, surviving examples became highly desirable because so many were used, worn out, or discarded. Its historical value and condition make it a highly sought-after collectible, as this one sold for £1,020 plus fees at auction in November 2023 .

1. Rare Meissen Porcelain Thimbles — Tiny Works of Art

Another extraordinary example is this rare Meissen Porcelain thimble. The delicate porcelain is one of the most stunning examples, as they're usually made as decorative objects rather than everyday sewing tools, due to their fragility. Because of that, finding an intact piece is hard.

Of course, their value can depend on the porcelain maker, the painter, age, rarity, and condition. This one in particular is an astonishing example, as it's decorated with Chinoiserie figures in a landscape, painted by J. G. Herold around 1730, and sold for $20,000 at auction in 2014.