c. 1765

Bodkin (Needle) Case with Lid in the Form of a Female Bust

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 an enamel on copper copy of one made in porcelain at the Chelsea porcelain factory, London. Enamel on copper is a medium designed to rival those made of more expensive materials such as gold and porcelain.