Artifact: Scissors
Materials: Steel
Dimensions:
Date: 1760-1780
Origin: Woodstock, England
Collection: Victoria & Albert Museum
Ledger Entry: Small Scissors
Department: Sewing
Customer: Thomas Sorrel
Ledger Page: 167
Imported From:
Product Description
Scissors are tools comprised of two blades riveted together with looping handles for the thumb and forefinger. While shears were still the predominant tool for agricultural purposes, they were replaced by scissors for precision cutting needs such as paper, fabric, and thread. The size of the scissors and length of the blade varied depending on use; embroidery scissors and nail scissors were often small instruments with ornamented hafts. They were commonly made out of steel, but precious metals such as silver or gold were sometimes used for ornate embroidery scissors
Citation: Ivor Noël Hume. A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001), 267-269.; “Scissors” In New Oxford American Dictionary. Oxford :Oxford University Press, 2011
Historical Price: 6 pence; Modern USD: $5.6
Product Variations
The databases record ten pairs of scissors. One pair is identified as small but The databases record no other qualifiers. Their prices range from five pence to nine pence.
