Sailmaker's Needle

Object/Artifact

Vermont Historical Society

Name/Title

Sailmaker's Needle

Entry/Object ID

1994.41.3

Description

Large, curved sewing needle with a large eye to accommodate heavy thread. It has a wide, flat, curved end that tapers to a point.

Context

Made by Nathaniel Burbank of South Walden, Vermont.

Acquisition

Accession

1994.41

Source or Donor

Lyndes, Bryce B.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

In memory of Pauline Burbank Lyndes Welch

Made/Created

Artist

Burbank, Nathaniel (1828-1913)

Date made

circa 1860

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term

Needle, Sailmaker's

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Needle, Sewing

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Tool, Fabric Piercing

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Needleworking Equipment

Nomenclature Class

Textileworking T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials

Material

Steel

Relationships

Related Places

Place

Town

Walden

County

Caledonia County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Interpretative Labels

Label

Nathaniel Burbank of South Walden, Vermont wen to sea in 1858 and didn't return home until after the end of the Civil War. The logbook was kept of his first voyage aboard the Joseph Grinnell, which sailed for the Pacific Ocean out fo Bedford, Massachusetts on June 18, 1858 under William Thomas as Master. Burbank made his awls from whalebone and drew the picture of his prey, the Sperm whale. Throughout his voyage he would stamp the book with a whale for a capture and a whale's tail for one that got away. Burbank's written accounts of his whaling career end in 1862. His accounts in this book continued in 1872 listing produce from and work on his Vermont farm.