S/5959 Antique Treen Carved Mahogany Knitting Sheath Inscribed, Initialled and Dated 1892

An extremely good quality carved mahogany knitting sheath, probably a sailor's love token, initialled J.R., dated 1892 and decorated with hearts and anchors. The sides have cross hatching and the top is carved with the words 'Remember Me' in capital letters. At the needle end there is a glazed window with a paper verse, which reads:

When this you see
remember me
keep me in your hand,
let all the world
say what it will
speak of me as you find.

There seems to be very little ware and it is written that beautiful sheaths, such as this, were often not used. They were just accepted as love tokens and displayed as such, while the recipient went on using a tried and tested mundane sheath. It is possibly from the Weardale area in County Durham.

Sold ¾ in. (2 cm.) Wide
7¼ in. (18.5 cm.) Deep
1¼ in. (3 cm.) High
English Circa 1892