Layette Pincushion
1838 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Layette pincushions were given as presents to women who had newly or recently born babies. They were in theory useful as well as symbolic, because baby clothes in the UK were often fastened with ordinary pins until the successful marketing of the safety pin in the 1870s.
In some areas it was considered very unlucky to give the pincushion before the birth: not only was this over confidence that the outcome would be successful, but there was a superstition about pins and birth pain. 'For every pin a pain' and 'More pins, more pain' were traditional sayings, and some women would remove all the pins, no matter how elaborate the pattern.
In some areas it was considered very unlucky to give the pincushion before the birth: not only was this over confidence that the outcome would be successful, but there was a superstition about pins and birth pain. 'For every pin a pain' and 'More pins, more pain' were traditional sayings, and some women would remove all the pins, no matter how elaborate the pattern.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted velvet with pins |
| Brief description | Layette pincushion of painted velvet, stuck with pins to spell out a verse; made in the United Kingdom, 1838 |
| Physical description | Layette pincushion of cream coloured velvet, edged with cream coloured silk fringing. The front is decorated with a border of coloured painted flowers and foliage (roses, wild roses, narcissi and scylla) with a cherub in grisaille (tones of grey) in each corner; in the centre is a verse picked out in pins. The pincushion has a plain back and is probably stuffed with sawdust. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Angels guard thee lovely blossom/ Hover round and shield from ill/ Crown thy parent's (sic) largest wishes/ And their fondest hopes fulfil/ 1838 |
| Object history | Bought in a sale at Christie's (South Kensington) Ltd: £40 was bid for the Lot, which combined Misc.93 and.94-1985, so that each is notionally worth £20. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Layette pincushions were given as presents to women who had newly or recently born babies. They were in theory useful as well as symbolic, because baby clothes in the UK were often fastened with ordinary pins until the successful marketing of the safety pin in the 1870s. In some areas it was considered very unlucky to give the pincushion before the birth: not only was this over confidence that the outcome would be successful, but there was a superstition about pins and birth pain. 'For every pin a pain' and 'More pins, more pain' were traditional sayings, and some women would remove all the pins, no matter how elaborate the pattern. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | MISC.93-1985 |
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| Record created | March 17, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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