Shears, Leather

Object Name:

Shears, Leather

Object ID:

1980.017.014

Date:

1850-1870

Description:

Shears, steel. Right-handed with two different-sized finger and thumb loops. Finger loop elongated and has beveled outside surface that passes over two or three fingers. Inside surface towards center of loop has very elongated flare that allows bottoms of fingertips to rest on it. This flare also extends over top of thumb loop. Thumb loop is also sculpted to be wide and parallel to surface of operator's thumb. Slight bulge on inside edge of thumb loop that fits the finger loop to stop closing action of the two blades. Blades have overlap joint and slotted screw pivot. Blades have thick outside edge with narrow, flat surface. Flat surface then tapers to a smaller, beveled surface that creates shearing area. Outside edge slightly beveled outwards. Blade has medium-lenght taper at its tip that terminates in sharp point. Thumb blade on top of overlap joint. Finger blade is mirrow image of thumb blade. Blades also stop at beveled area behind pivot point that is mirrored on other side.

Material:

Metal
Steel

Dimensions:

H-0.7 W-3.2 L-10.4 inches

Provenance:

From the estate of Charles Symonds, Loudon, NH, purchased at T.R. Langdell auction, June 28, 1980. The Symonds family included leatherworkers David H. Symonds (1804-1877) and his son George Symonds (1838-1930) of Concord, NH. The family also lived in Hopkinton, NH.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase