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c. 1770

Bodkin (Needle) Case with Tape Measure

Artist/maker unknown

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This case was used to store a sewing implement called a bodkin. Shaped like an oversized sewing needle with a blunt point and large eye, a bodkin is used to pull a drawstring through a fabric casing. This case is made of enamel on copper, a medium designed to rival those made of more expensive materials such as gold and porcelain.

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Artist/maker unknown, Bodkin (Needle) Case with Tape Measure, c. 1770 | Philadelphia Art Museum