Victorian Gilt Sewing Bird, Patented Feb 15, 1853

This beautiful gilt sewing bird has both of his original pin cushions.  His beak opens and closes as it should, the clamp is not bent. He is in very good condition. The upper pincushion doesn’t have much velvet left on it but the pin cushion beneath his chin does have a bit of deep red velvet left near the clamp.

The sewing bird was invented in the 19^th century to assist ladies with their hand sewing.  The fabric could be put into the bird's beak and there it would be held taut.  The sewing machine had not yet come to be and having that third hand to hold fabric was a great help!  The patent was obtained by Charles Waterman on Feb 15, 1853 though he had been selling them for a while prior to this.  Not long after, the sewing bird took a romantic (?) turn.  Young men began presenting their brides to be with a sewing bird months before the wedding so that she could sew the necessities for her trousseau.  As she was sewing she would be reminded of her beloved….