Fancy Sewing Boxes Imported From Orient

During the 1800s, sewing boxes made of lacquered wood or paper maché were imported by the thousands from the Orient. The best of the sewing boxes came filled with carved ivory and bone sewing implements. These included thimbles, needles, thread spools, comb, shears and possibly additional items if the box was large enough.

Most of the boxes that have survived are in fairly good condition, because of their sturdy construction. If the lacquer is damaged, it is best to have damaged places professionally restored if you want to retain the box’s value.

Some lacquered sewing boxes are still being made and imported, but the sewing equipment inside will probably be made of plastic and not ivory. If you’re buying a box, be sure of what you are getting.

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Deck Prisms Lighted Interior Of Ship

Deck prisms were an ingenious way in which light was acquired in the interior of old sailing vessels. It wan’t safe to use candles, or oil or kerosene lamps, inside where there accidental tipping could set the entire vessel on fire.

The prisms were mounted flush with the deck, with the pointed side down and extending in to the ceilings of the cabins below. Sunlight, captured by the flat side of the prism on the deck, would disperse the light throughout the cabin. This worked much better than just a flat piece of glass, like a little window, would do for light, since the flat piece would just concentrate all the light in a single spot.

Obviously, the prisms could only be used during daylight hours, and the brighter the sunlight, the more light would be available below deck.

Another interesting use of the deck prism worked in reverse. On coal ships, the prisms would be inserted above the cargo hold. If a fire broke out in the hold, it would cause the flat portion on the deck to glow; the light would be visible enough even in sunlight that the sailors would have a much faster chance of putting out a fire before it got out of control.

The deck prism pictured here is a reproduction from a surviving prism on the Charles W. Morgan, an old sailing ship which has been restored and docked at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut.

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Early Air Freshener Was Useful Device

A 19th century version of an air freshener was shaped like a little cottage made of china. These stood about four inches high. The roof came off, and a little cup in the center held a mixture of charcoal and scented oil. When this was lighted, the smoke, escaping through the chimney, would help to hide numerous smells.

In a time when food storage was poor, people bathed once a week or less, animals roamed relatively freely, and sewage systems were almost nonexistent, anything that combated smells was desirable.

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