Topic: Hobnail toothpick holder?

[mrs vulture]

Hi, I bought this little item today at the carboot. I'm guessing its a toothpick holder, the seller didn't have a clue what it was. Its just over two inches tall ,hobnail pattern with a little base with seven hobnails underneath. Does anyone know the maker or age of this sweet little piece. Its just so cute I had to buy it.  Thanks  Cheryl

[TxSilver]

I dusted off my toothpick holder book and searched for something like yours. There is a drawing on page 59 of Bredehoft & Sanford's Glass Toothpick Holders that looks like your glass a good bit. The pattern in the book was made by Doyle & Co. of Pittsburgh in the mid-to-late 1880s. The pattern is Hobnail with Thumbprint Base (OMN No. 150). The book shows a sugar, cream, and spoon. It is a toy set, though dimensions are not given. I'm not sure whether your piece might be the sugar without lid or the spoon, or something else entirely. The pattern was made in clear, amber, and blue. So maybe it is what your glass is.

[kane_u_pain]

Toothpick holder book  :24:

Sorry, that gave me a chuckle...

[TxSilver]

Yep, it's a great book. A lot of people collect the little things. The prices on the rare ones can be surprising.

[kane_u_pain]

Yes I know, it is amazing what people collect and the books that you can find to help you out. Try not to keep it to dusty tx...

[mrs vulture]

Hi, thanks for the info, I can see why people collect these little things as its a lovely item and doesn't take up any room. I had a feeling it might be American as theres quite a few selling on Ebay from there but not so many in the UK. Its going to live in my cabinet I think. Cheryl

[TxSilver]

From what the book says, the Doyle toy pieces were sold as a set -- the sugar, the creamer, and the spoon. If it is what yours is, maybe you will chance upon the other pieces of the set.

[Sid]

Cheryl

I'll start with what I do know.  This piece may be part of the Doyle No. 150 line but is not shown on any of the catalog pages that I have available to me,  For sure it is not part of the Doyle No. 150 aka Hobnail with Thumbprint toy set - wrong shape for any of the pieces in the set. 

One question to help determine whether it fits into this line at all though.  Are the ovals around the upper rim of the base indented into the glass or raised above the glass surface?

Sid

 

[mrs vulture]

Hi, the dimples are indented inwards, I think the shape is too tall to be a sugar bowl,   Cheryl

[Sid]

Hi, the dimples are indented inwards

With the indented thumbprints, it fits with the Doyle No. 150 pattern.  There are salt/pepper shakers with very similar shapes to your piece but yours doesn't look ground down so I would go with toothpick holder.

Sid