Vintage Sewing Boxes: They Grew Legs (and Wheels!)
Quite a few lovely vintage sewing boxes have found their way into our shop lately. And while unpacking them, we started wondering: Who actually invented these clever things?
Well, one question led to another, and before we knew it, we'd become sewing-box nerds. 😄 Here's what we discovered.
🧵The 1600s: boxes with secret compartments
Back in the 1600s, young girls in England were already creating beautifully embroidered boxes, complete with compartments, mirrors, and even secret hiding places. Some things never change!
🧵The late 1700s: the original hands-free accessory
By the late 1700s, sewing essentials were sometimes worn on a belt. Scissors, needles, everything within easy reach. The original hands-free accessory, perhaps? 😉
🧵The 1800s: a sewing box at the Great Exhibition
In the 1800s, English Tunbridge Ware makers produced intricately decorated wooden workboxes. One of them, crafted by Edmund Nye, even made it to London's Great Exhibition in 1851. A sewing box at a world exhibition — who would have thought?
🧵Then they grew legs
And somewhere along the way, sewing boxes grew legs. And wheels. And those wonderfully handy fold-out compartments. By the 1950s and 60s, they'd become Mid-Century furniture icons in their own right.
🧵Vintage sewing boxes and tables in our shop
From oversized teak sewing trolleys to quirky little boxes on slender legs, we've got some real beauties waiting for new homes. A few of our favorites:
And the best part? You don't even have to sew! They're equally happy storing jewelry, keepsakes, craft supplies, or all those odds and ends that never seem to have a proper home.
One mystery remains
Who invented those ingenious accordion-style sewing boxes? We haven't found a definitive answer yet. If you know, please tell us — our inner sewing-box nerds would be delighted! 😄
Browse all our vintage sewing boxes and tables
Warmly,
Katja & Dirk