I just stumbled over this site that sells Kelly Gang thimbles:
http://www.scissorman.com.au/products/ned_kelly_thimbles
From the site:
"The 'Kelly Gang' Collectible Thimble series adds another layer to the mythology of the Kelly gang and is a must-have for any Australian thimble collector.
The Kelly Gang thimbles are made in Australia from high grade pewter. They have an authentic aged patina and are hand finished. There are four unique thimbles in the series, depicting the four unique helmets worn in the Glenrowan siege by the Kelly Gang. Each has its own unique features. The detail in each thimble is extraordinary, right down to the nuts that held them together."
The site goes on to show each thimble and gives a short description of each. One of the things that was interesting was where it said of the small slit in Joe Byrne's helmet that "Joe was reputed to have been afraid of being hit in the eyes by a shotgun blast." I had read at another Kelly site where a visitor to the Not Just Ned exhibition in Canberra told of a tour guide saying basically the same thing regarding Joe's helmet. I wonder what the original source is for that information?
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I guess there is a niche market for these things, though I have never heard of any Kelly aficianado who was also a keen sewer. I would like also to know why, of the four boys, Joe was the one particularly concerned about a shotgun blast in the face. Steve's unnecessarily large eye slit has also intrigued me as well. In a way, though, it is heartening that someone has taken the trouble to make four individual helmets rather than just sell four replicas of Ned's, or four generic ones.
ReplyDeleteI have the thimble set Brian - saw them for sale at the NMA when attending 'The Irish in Australia' exhibition and was impressed by the quality and attention to detail. I do not sew much but love having the thimbles on display. Amid all the tacky Kelly souvenirs they stand out and I dare say many a Kelly buff would find them a nice addition to their collection...
ReplyDeleteI was actually wondering if any men would buy these! ;) You know it is a brilliant marketing strategy to have made four individual helmets, that way they can sell 4 times the amount of thimbles to collectors who must have the complete set! I only do a bit of mending now and then and very rarely use the basic/generic thimble in my sewing kit but if I had one of these helmet ones I would not let it see action so to speak. It would definitely be something for display only.
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