Stratnoid Thimbles - Thimbleselect Catalogue

Learn more about Stratnoid thimbles and other tools

--- www.thimbleselect.com ---

Build and share your knowledge about thimbles - new topics added regularly

THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF THIMBLES & OTHER ITEMS TO BUY
aluminium 1 - books 1 - brass 1 - china 6 - display cases 1
gold 1 - needlework tools 2 - other collectables 1 - pewter 1 - plastic 1
silver 3 - steel & metal 1 - unusual materials 1 - wood 1

Click on a photo to see a bigger picture

STRATNOID THIMBLES - HABERDASHERY STRATNOID ITEMS
NON-HABERDASHERY STRATNOID ITEMS

STRATNOID THIMBLES

The first thimble recorded in my thimble catalogue is for a thimble marked 'Stratnoid England', with the size 0-12. This is the thimble I use for any hand sewing, tho it is far too big for my finger. It was in a flat plastic needlebook, housed in an opening in the cover. I have no recollection how or when I received this sewing set, but it would have been in the late 1950s. I now have a set of the different sizes of Stratnoid thimbles.

STRATNOID MARKINGS

The name Stratnoid is pressed into the plain band, within a rectangular lozenge; England is underneath, with the size markings lettered at either end. There are also examples where the rectangular lozenge has a rounded top edge. Occasional examples exist of Stratnoid thimbles, where the name is stamped directly onto the band and not within a lozenge.

Stratnoids are unique in that they bear two sizes, but nothing to date suggests what these measurements mean. The standard sizes are 0-12, 1-11, 2-10, 3-9, 4-8, 5-7 (with 0-12 being the largest). The rarer size 6 does exist. The sizing doesn't appear to relate to the internal diameter or height in any way.
I have checked a source that gives the equivalent English and American thimble sizes (with the equivalent sizing in millimetres) and this isn't the answer to these Stratnoid sizings either.
The height diminishes proportionately as the thimble size gets smaller.

GRADUATING SIZES OF STRATNOIDS

Examples have been noted of single size Stratnoids, where the size numbering is only on the right side. The sizes are 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. It is interesting to note that the size 9 does not correspond in diameter size to the 3-9 size - rather to the 5-7 size.

UNUSUAL STRATNOID MARKING
6 9 9
NO LOZENGE; SINGLE SIZE

UNUSUAL STRATNOID MARKING
9 9 6 8
LOZENGE; SINGLE SIZE

What are Stratnoid thimbles made of? They are made of an aluminium alloy, called Duralumin. The aluminium [90%] makes them light and easy to use for sewing, the alloy [copper 4%, magnesium and manganese] makes them strong and durable. Duralumin was first used during World War I, which was used for washers in the aeroplane industry.

These thimbles were produced in their millions in Birmingham from 1922-1941. According to the newly found book written in 1960, 45,000 Stratnoid thimbles were made in World War II, until 1941 when the factories were bombed.
There has been much controversy as to the makers of these thimbles. Two names stand out above the others - Laughton & Sons and the pin-maker firm of Stratton. In an article in Thimbletter Lucile Whiting wrote about her large thimble-shaped card on which were mounted Stratnoid thimbles. The card has the initials L&S Ltd Birmingham. I quote the reply by Edwin Holmes to this information in Thimbletter:

"Her 'Stratnoid' card proved to bear the initials L&S Ltd and also the mention of Birmingham. This evidently tied up with the Laughton & Sons name mentioned in my History of Thimbles and given further clue of its location. It was then a simple task to trace them. Laughton & Sons are plastics and fancy good manufacturers and they were originally known as Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton after the founders. This accounts for the initials J.R.& L. which I saw once on another 'Stratnoid' thimble card. Moreover, they also had an office in London which went under the name of Stratton & Co. This accounts for Stratton & Co. being listed as thimble-makers in the London trade directories from 1922 to 1941 where they were described as the owners of the 'Stratnoid' trademark. The Co. no longer makes thimbles though the 'Stratnoid' trademark is still very much their own".

Click to see an example of the thimble-shaped card

Further information supplied by Edwin Holmes is the address of Stratton & Co - 3 Hamsell Street London EC1.

The standard design for Stratnoid thimbles is plain indentations all over, with a plain band where the lettering is. There is a wide variety in size of the plain band, even in the same sized Stratnoids.

DIFFERENT BAND WIDTHS ON SAME SIZED STRATNOIDS

An example has also been sighted of a thimble that has a completely smooth apex - is that a just a case of poor quality control? Have you seen a similar example? The apex doesn't appear to have been tampered with or worn smooth with use.

SMOOTH-APEX STRATNOID

The most commonly found Stratnoid colour is silver, but the following colours exist in various shades: green, gold, pink, blue.

GREEN - GOLD - PINK - BLUE COLOURED STRATNOIDS

The rarer Stratnoids have an all-over daisy pattern or a diamond patterning. They are similarly marked with the brand name and sizes.

DIAMOND AND DAISY PATTERNED STRATNOIDS
DOUBLE SIZES

These differently patterned Stratnoids only have single size numbering [5, 6 and 9] to the right of the Stratnoid name. The patterning on all these thimbles reminds me of Charles Iles' patterned thimbles. I have included an example of a thimble with identical patterning to Stratnoids, with Charles Iles marks, for comparison.

UNUSUAL DAISY PATTERNED STRATNOIDS
SINGLE SIZES

PATTERNED CHARLES ILES THIMBLE
SIMILAR PATTERNS TO STRATNOID THIMBLES

I have only encountered a few Stratnoid cardboard thimble boxes - and that's what collecting is all about - the chase. With the word "Engraved" on the box, presumably this box was only meant to hold the patterned Stratnoids? What do you thinK?

STRATNOID BOX
32x24mm

THE VARITIES OF STRATNOIDS - ALL SIZE 0-12

There have been other similar thimbles to the Stratnoids, in design and of aluminium alloy. The lettering, tho, is KBC with a size number longside. This stands for Kirby Beard & Co. They were also made in England. Did Stratnoid make them for KBC?

KIRBY BEARD & CO SIZE 6

HABERDASHERY STRATNOID ITEMS

From early advertisements it is evident that Stratnoid made more than thimbles
• double pointed knitting needles
• cable pins
• stitch holders
• sock needles and
• crochet hooks

Click to see an example of these adverts

Information is coming to light all the time that broadens the range of haberdashery tools that were made with the name of Stratnoid. This includes button hooks, thread winders, knitting needle gauges and stilettos. Not only were there double pointed knitting needles but single point ones as well. Look into your sewing boxes and see if there is anything else I have missed.

Button hooks are marked 'Stratnoid' England

STRATNOID BUTTON HOOK

Aluminium alloy Crochet hooks in my possession are marked with the Pat No 151307. I cannot trace this patent. There are also the powdered-coated Stratnoid crochet hooks.

STRATNOID CROCHET HOOKS with SIZE and PATENT NO.
BUY THESE CROCHET HOOKS

Powder-coated STRATNOID CROCHET HOOK; size on other side

Glove button hooks are marked 'Stratnoid' England

STRATNOID BUTTON HOOK

Laughton & Sons first used duralumin for their knitting pins [known as jumper pins then] in 1919, when the company realised there was a peacetime use. This is a Stratnoid knitting needles advertisement which appeared in Vogue Knitting Book 1950s-1960s. According to the book on Laughton & Sons, in the late 1950s, the Stratnoid Knitting Pins were marked with inch measurements. This turned each pin into a measuring ruler as well as a knitting pin. The slogan used for this was "Measure while you work". Some of their knitting needles were marked 'Ladye Jayne'.

STRATNOID KNITTING NEEDLES

There are Stratnoid knitting needle gauges, which are quite rare. They are rectangular with rounded edges. Thanks to the new book on knitting gauges by Sheila Williams, we now have photos of the Stratnoid gauges. The other shape is not unlike their thread winder in the shape of a propeller and it too folds flat to close. Both are made of duralumin.

STRATNOID KNITTING PIN GAUGES
photos Sheila Williams

This is a Stratnoid combination pincushion/string holder.The lettering on the front is "Ask for Stratnoid Knitting Pins Crochet Hooks and Thimbles". It is not clear whether the "patent No 148021" refers to this item or not

STRATNOID PINCUSHION/STRING HOLDER

This is a Stratnoid thread winder. The winder is 108mm long and the 'arms' move, so that it folds closed when not in use.

STRATNOID THREAD WINDER

This is a Stratnoid shoe horn. This stainless steel shoehorn with a suede backing which is used as a buffer for shining shoes, is housed is a leather handsewn leather case. The case is lettered with gold thread T'will ease the shoe and polish it too.The shoehorn folds out.

STRATNOID COMBINED SHOEHORN & BUFFER

NON-HABERDASHERY STRATNOID ITEMS

More recently I have been approached to identify a Stratnoid snuffbox that has the RD design number 767198. I can find no trace of this design number. Other non-sewing items include powder compacts and these have the same RD no.767198. Was the snuffbox misnamed?

There is a link with Stratnoid and Australia and this is thru Rainsford, one of the original partners in England. A Rainsford factory was opened in Sydney in 1928 and they produced single-point knitting needles, knitting needle gauges etc. For more information, see Sheila Williams' book. In 1947 the factory was moved to Kingsgrove, Sydney.

I understand from one of the apprentices at Laughton & Sons who was with them between 1972 and 1978, that during his time, there were other brand names produced by this family-owned company - Ladye Jayne and Twinco, which were from the plastic injection moulding section. The press tools section would have produced compacts and cufflinks. Factories existed in the USA and Australia, during his time. The company factory closed years ago but the building still stands today in Warstock Road, Warstock, Birmingham. The factory moved to this site in 1947 when their other factories were destroyed in Birmingham in 1941.

Having now read the history of Laughton & Sons, when I was able to buy the book in May 2008, written for the centenary of Laughton & Sons (1860-1960), this firm produced millions of items in the fancy goods line - a lot of men's jewellery, hatpins - and the haberdashery items, including the Stratnoid thimbles, formed a minute part of their production. For further information on this company, I hope you can find a copy of the book. During the war millions of metal buttons were made by the Laughton & Sons factory, amongst their war-time munitions output.

return to top

DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT STRATNOID OR OTHER NEEDLEWORK TOOLS OR THIMBLES?
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER STRATNOID THIMBLES OR SEWING TOOLS NOT MENTIONED?
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER STRATNOID THIMBLES NOT PICTURED?
PLEASE SHARE - SO THAT THIS INFORMATION CAN BE USEFUL TO A MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCE
EMAIL thimbleselect@bigpond.com TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

References
A century of achievement. The story of Laughton and Sons. The story of Laughton & Sons Ltd.
formerly known as Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton Ltd. 1860-1960 / Laughton and Sons. 1960
The history of knitting needle pins / Sheila Williams. 2006
'Stratnoid'. Thimbletter March-April 1994; July-August 1994
'The Stratnoid Company' / Sheila Williams At Your Fingertips vol 21/3, January 2006
Thimble Notes & Queries spring 1991; winter 1991

Contributors
This article would not have been possible
without the input of two passionate Stratnoid collectors -
Nancye Crooks and Margaret Hickling

Sue Christensen, Martyn Hanson, Rachel Jorion, Ray Nimmo, Di Pelham Burn, Jenny Scharff Bockel
Tom Suttie, Erin Titmus, Susan Webster, Sheila Williams, Sue Wilson

This listing of Stratnoid thimbles does not purport to be complete or accurate in all aspects. Rather it invites comment and contribution to add to our knowledge. My thanks to the other contributors.

Enjoy!

Any questions or comments?
thimbleselect@bigpond.com

Last updated 14 August 2008