Name/Title
Sewing BirdEntry/Object ID
1970.44.1Description
Brass bird on hinge with flat screw. The beak of the bird pinches together with the lower portion, acting as a clamp. The adjustable screw secures the bird to a table or other surface.Use
Although very ornamental, this sewing bird has a simple purpose: to secure fabric in order to keep it taut. Later known as a third hand sewing clamp, this device attaches to a table top or other stationary surface via the large, adjustable screw. The bird's beak acts as a "third hand" by holding the fabric, only releasing it for adjustments when the button on the handle is pressed.Context
Sewing birds date to at least the 18th century but became popularized in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century by Charles Waterman of Connecticut, who patented the first American-designed sewing bird in 1853.
