Whitford Nautical Antiques

 Sailors’ Seam Rubber – Marked Kennard ca 1890

 

These tools were made by the owner and used to flatten seams on sails and canvas for stitching. This one appears to be made of Poplar and is marked with the owners name “Kennard” on the blade and also with the initial “K” on the handle . It measures 6 & 1/2 inches in length and is apporximately 2 & 3/4 inches wide at the widest part of the blade. Questions? Email us by clicking this link. Click on photos for enlarged view.     

Price $165.00

 

Seam Rubber with Brass Cap  ca 1890

These tools were made by the owner and used to flatten seams on sails and canvas for stitching. This one is made of boxwood and is very unusual in having a brass cap. It is approximately 3 inches long and 1&1/2 inches wide at its widest point.

Questions? Email us by clicking this link. Click on photos for enlarged view.

Price $150.00

Lobster Measure - Brass

Sorry, sold.

         

Net Menders - Wooden

       

Sorry, sold.

 Sailor's Needle Holder ca 1890

 

Hung from the belt, these were sailor made from materials at hand and no two are the same. Used to keep the heavy needles used to repair sails and other canvas readily at hand, this piece is made from an animal horn and has an unusual ball finial. This is also an excellent example of the owners knot tying skills for the hanger that went over the belt. Questions? Email us by clicking this link.

Click on photos for enlarged view.

Price $175   

                     

 Sail Maker's Needles  ca 1900

 

Sail maker’s needles had to be strong to push through heavy layers of canvas and rope. Three of these needles are marked "BERBECKER ENG" or "BERBECKER ENGLAND". The most curved needle is not marked. The longest needle is just over 8 inches long and the other straight needle is just over 5 inches long. Questions? Email us by clicking this link.

Click on photos for enlarged view.

Price $24.00

Hand Tooled Needle Holder ca late 1800s

This needle holder was hand turned and scribed with an intricate design. Each end has a “dimple” on the outside and “pimple” on the inside that were used to position the pieces for turning. There is an age crack on both halves which is visible in the photo of the assembled piece. Click on photos for enlarged view.

Questions? Email us by clicking on this link.

Price $85                                     

   

 

Scarce, Signed 19th Century Sail Maker's Spindle

This is a scarce Ligna Vita sail maker’s spindle from the late 1800s. It comes from New England.

Sail makers used these spindles to wind various thicknesses of thread in a manner that would allow the material to easily free itself as the mariner made a sail, or repaired a damaged one.

At three points around this spindle are deep vertical grooves into which the thread would fit. As shown in the photos, the spindle is conical and measures approximately 1 ¾” in diameter at the bottom, 1 ¼” in diameter at the top and 2 ½” high.

 

Sailors decorated their possessions in order to identify them from similar items owned by other shipmates. The seaman who carved this piece decorated it with three sets of parallel lines that run around the body of the spindle. He also added his initials...R.T.R.

 Click on photos for larger image. Click here to contact us

Price  $280