Antique 18thc Metalware Sewing Clamp. English C1780 - C1800

A well made late 18thc Steel Sewing / Netting Clamp, the main purpose of the clamp is to hold one end of a piece of material or netting being worked, so that it could be held taut and worked on. For a neat, well-worked hem or finely made net, a clamp and the resulting tension were essential. As with other sewing tools, examples range from the charming to the mundane to the most elaborate of forms, covering the whole range of materials. Many clamps were given as love tokens, this one has a heart shaped finial so was probably given as a love token.

 English. C1780-C1800