Misclassified
To date 12 different designs mentioned in earlier publications or listed on eBay have been proven not to be Avery style needle cases. Although many of these items meet some of the criteria to qualify as an Avery style needle case, additional information, which is listed below, has been uncovered that proves they are not Avery needle cases.
Photo gallery
Book shaped brass receptacle marked D. Leonardt & Co Birmingham. Although D. Leonardt & Co is listed in one 1870 trade directory as a needle case manufacturer that seems to be in error as there is no other evidence to support this. All of the other directories indicate Leonardt was a pen nib manufacturer. According to the company's website it was founded in 1856 but was known as Leonardt & Catwinkel until 1869 when that partnership dissolved. A Book receptacle matching the one here, except with the Leonardt & Catwinkel name, can be found in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s "Birmingham, It’s People, It’s History" 2012 exhibit where it is listed as a pen nib box. Additionally, an identical Book pen nib box to the one pictured above is on display at the Pen Room Museum in Birmingham. Nick Stockbridge, the Chairman and Managing Director of Manuscript Pen Company Ltd in Highley, Shropshire, UK (current owner of the D. Leonardt & Co name) provided a copy of a page from the company's Victorian Era catalogue which clearly shows the Book was a pen nip box. Patent #2855 for a book shaped box for pens patented on August 19, 1874 to D. Leonardt and H. Hewitt appears to cover this design. See D. Leonardt & Co. for more information about this company.
Brass Gladstone Bag marked Perry & Co. According to Design Registration #325870 dated September 6, 1878, which was registered to Perry & Co., this is a pen box. Perry & Co was the world’s largest pen nib manufacturer during the 19th century. Also this item is on display as a pen nib box at the Pen Room Museum in Birmingham, England. In addition, the detail here is not of the same quality as an Avery, there is no stamped design on the brass other than the names of places and the company name. There is no evidence that Perry designed needle cases, although they did sell them in their wholesale catalog.
Small brass receptacle marked Perry & Co London. This is probably a pencil lead case since Perry & Co was the world’s largest pen nib manufacturer during the 19th century and also made pencil cases according to trade directories. An identical version is displayed at the Pen Room Museum in Birmingham, UK where it is described as a pencil lead container. Another one with a different company name and the words “Pure Cumberland Lead” stamped on it was sold on eBay recently. The mechanical pencil was invented in 1822 by two Englishmen and Cumberland was a historical county in northwestern England known in the Victorian Period for its lead mining. This evidence proves this is not a needle case. See Perry & Co. for more information.
Small brass receptacle marked John Heath Birmingham . This is probably a pencil lead case. John Heath was a pen nib manufacturer from Birmingham according to 19th century trade directories and companies in the pen business often were associated with pencil cases. There is no evidence indicating Heath was associated in any way with needle cases.
Small silver-plated receptacle marked F. B. Rogers dated 1883. This item is very similar to the Avery Beef Serving Cart and at first glance appears to be a different variety of the Beef Serving Cart. According to Wikipedia, F. B. Rogers was an American silver smith located in Shelburne Falls, MA. This item is almost twice the size of the Avery Beef Serving Cart and it is marked on the bottom as silver-plated. Avery’s Beef Serving Cart was nickel-plated because it does not have the hallmark for silver-plating (during the Victorian Period all British made items that were silver or silver-plated contained a special hallmark). Although Avery patented several needle cases in the USA, there is no evidence that any of his needle cases were ever made in the USA, they were most likely all made in the Birmingham, UK area. There is no evidence that this item is a needle case and it could be used for a number of different things.
Brass Metallic Needle Case marked W. Lewis. According to Design #109750 dated April 18, 1857, which was registered to William Lewis & Son of Redditch, this is a needle case. However, it was created over 10 years before fancy stamped brass needle cases were made. It has no stamped or engraved decoration other than the name of the needle case and the company name. This is a very unique and interesting piece as it is a precursor to Avery style needle cases. It is one of the earliest known examples of an English brass needle case from the Victorian Period, but it is not an Avery style needle case.
Brass Favorite Needle Preserver by Henry Clarke & Co London. Limited information has been uncovered regarding this company because the Clarke name is quite common in the UK. An advertisement in an English almanac in 1879 mentions this needle case and indicates the company had businesses in London and Redditch. Although there are several Clarke’s listed in the Redditch and London trade directories none match this company name. However, Angie Abbey recently discovered the US patent for this item, #208,676 dated October 8, 1878 which clearly states this is a needle case registered to Thomas Fletcher, of Redditch, Assignor to Henry Clarke, of London. While this item meets two of the criteria to qualify as an Avery style needle case (made of brass and listed as a needle case in a patent dated between 1867-1897), the design detail and engraving are not complex enough for it to be classified as an Avery.
Patent Preserver by G. Townsend & Co Redditch. This item contains the words "Turn the cap, reverse the case and one needle falls out". While this item meets two of the criteria to qualify as an Avery style needle case (it is a needle case made of brass and was made by a company that manufactured needles between 1867-1897), the design detail and engraving are not complex enough for it to be classified as an Avery.
Fan Needle Case without brass covers. Fan style needle cases came in two types, one with stamped brass covers and one without brass covers. For the ones with brass covers, the interior consists of four oval shaped pasteboard sections, one for each size needle packet, covered with a variety of chromolithography prints. For the ones without brass covers, sometimes the chromolithography sections form the entire needle case whereas at other times pasteboard tartan patterns form the covers. When we first saw examples without brass covers, we assumed they were simply missing their covers. Only after locating and reviewing the 1868 Milward patent did we learn that some Fan needle cases were originally designed without brass covers. Fans without brass covers are not considered Avery style beedle cases because they do not contain stamped brass decoration which is a key component for an item to be classified as an Avery.
Brass Jockey Cap marked Neston. According to Design #277745 dated October 30, 1873, which was registered to Mary Ann Rich of Neston, in the county of Chester, Cheshire, this is a pin cushion. In fact Ms. Rich registered only three designs which are located at the National Archives and all three are pin cushions. Unfortunately she does not appear in the trade directories that are available for the Cheshire area so we do not know the type of business she was related to. This item has no place or numbered slots for needle packets and there is no evidence indicating Mary Ann Rich had anything to do with the needle industry. Only one Avery style needle case, the Hedgehog, is similar to a pin cushion and it was created by W. Avery & Son with two slightly different versions. However, the Hedgehog is clearly described in the design registration as a “needle and pin case” and is always signed by W. Avery & Son or one of his licensees. The Jockey Cap is an interesting and unique item; however, it is not an Avery style needle case.
Brass Boat marked M. A. Rich - Neston, Chester . According to Design #270352 dated February 12, 1873, which was registered to Mary Ann Rich of Neston, in the county of Chester, Cheshire, this is a pin cushion. In fact Ms. Rich registered only three designs which are located at the National Archives and all three are pin cushions. Unfortunately she does not appear in the trade directories that are available for the Cheshire area so we do not know the type of business she was related to. This item has no place or numbered slots for needle packets and there is no evidence indicating Mary Ann Rich had anything to do with the needle industry. Only one Avery style needle case, the Hedgehog, is similar to a pin cushion and it was created by W. Avery & Son with two slightly different versions. However, the Hedgehog is clearly described in the design registration as a “needle and pin case” and is always signed by W. Avery & Son or one of his licensees. The Boat is an interesting and unique item; however, it is not an Avery style needle case. (The photos of this item are courtesy of Lyn Lewis).
Brass Fan with Mirror – 3D Indian and Fan with Mirror - 3D Cupid. These appear to be pin cushions that attach to a chatelaine. The stamping and engraving detail here is not of the same type as an Avery which could indicate the item is not as old as or is older than an Avery. No other Avery needle cases, except the Pocket Pin Case, have a ring to attach it to something else. There is no place for the needle packets, no numbered slots for the needle packets, no needle maker or licensee/agent name, nothing to identify this as a needle case. According to Thornhill’s Christmas List from 1883, this is a fan shaped pin cushion with mirror and appears to have been made by W. Thornhill & Co. London although no design representation has been found.
Advertisement for pin cushion with mirror in Thornhill's Christmas List - 1883
