"Cigar Box" Pin Cushion
ca. 1880-1920
Medium
Decorative Arts
Classification
Decorative Arts
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Accession Number
1986.65.92
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the charming world of late 19th- and early 20th-century domestic life with the "Cigar Box" Pinion, a delightful example of vernacular decorative arts from the Smithsonian Art Museum. Dating to 1880-1920, this unidentified maker's creation repurposes a sturdy cigar box—once a staple of gentlemen's leisure—into a sewing tool. Pin cushions like this were essential for homemakers, holding needles and pins at the ready for mending, quilting, or dressmaking, reflecting the era's emphasis on thrift and ingenuity. What makes this piece stand out is its fusion of everyday utility and subtle ...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –