Vintage Thread Chart & Photo Gallery
Thread Company-owned Magazines and other Printed Literature
Many thread companies issued booklets, pamphlets
and periodicals to promote their products. Five publications produced by three companies
are shown here. Three of the publications are a result of merger and renaming. Information
and magazine covers are courtesy of Shirley McElderry.
Corticelli Needlework-Home
Needlework-Modern Priscilla
| Nonotuck Silk Co., established in 1838 at Florence, Mass., created its brandname Corticelli to compete with Italian silks, then the rage. In 1887 the company began publishing a booklet called Florence Home Needlework.
No bookletwas published in 1897. It was renamed Corticelli from other textile publications and from the Nonotuck staff. Issues included a photo gallery of all the Corticelli mills, color plates for embroidering and instructions for stitches and knitting. Aside from the Corticelli ads there was one for Fleisher’s Knitting Worsted; it is not known if this company was part of the Corticelli conglomerate or if it was a paid ad.
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| In 1899 the publication was renamed Home Needlework Magazine with a subtitle of A Quarterly Periodical devoted to Art Needlwork, Crochet, Knitting and Home Decoration. It was published in January, April, July and October by the Florence Publishing Company and again had an impressive slate of needlwork authorities as editors. Paid advertisers were accepted such as Samule Pryor, needlwork designer, Good Housekeeping, Payson Indelibe Ink and Baker’s Chocolates. By 1900 advertising covered four pages plus inside and back cover and by 190s increased to 12 pages. In 1906 the publication went bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October
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| Between October and December 1916 the size of magazine was increased from 9-1/2" x 6-3/4" to 14" x 10-1/4". Home Publishing began offering its own booklets on crocheting, edgings, insertions, doilies, centerpieces, for example. In the April of 1917 the magazine announced it would consolidation with The |
Barbour’s Linen Thread and Star Needlework
Journal
| Barbour Thread Co. and American Thread Company were two other company’s which produced publications. |
Star Needlework Journal , 1917, front cover published by |
Star Needlework back cover showing American Thread’s |
Barbour’s Linen Thread for Art |
Additional Literature
| Cover of New Ideas in Needlework c mid-1920s — Virginia Snow Studios is the name of Collingbourne Mills needlework plant. Books featured Collingbourne and Dexter threads and yarns, some under the Virginia Snow name. Back cover shows various needlework booklets the company published. – From the Shirley McElderry collection |
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This Virginia Snow Studios catalog, Book 36 c mid-1920s-30s, features the familiar Grandma Dexter logo and thread and yarn lines from Dexter and Collingbourne Mills. A dime bought a wealth of information. – Courtesy Judy White |
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