LaceNews is very proud to have the opportunity to interview David and Christine Springett about the ongoing sale of their historic bobbin collection on Ebay.
LaceNews: Why are you selling your amazing collection?
David & Christine: We are selling the lace bobbin collection for it has served its purpose, which was research. Christine does not use them (she prefers mine!) and as we had enjoyed collecting them and understand the thrill of collecting, and the pleasure of owning, we felt it would be good to give other collectors that same opportunity.
David & Christine: We are selling the lace bobbin collection for it has served its purpose, which was research. Christine does not use them (she prefers mine!) and as we had enjoyed collecting them and understand the thrill of collecting, and the pleasure of owning, we felt it would be good to give other collectors that same opportunity.
LaceNews: As a well documented collection did you ever consider donating it to a museum?
David & Christine: No. Having been given the opportunity to visit many museums with considerable collections, during our researches, we realized that they are already crammed full of bobbins (beautiful bobbins), most of which are in storage. Our collection is well documented in the book. What fun for collectors, in years to come, to still be able to find a bobbin from our collection. Each bobbin sold will have it’s own certificate with picture and details making verification easy.
David & Christine: No. Having been given the opportunity to visit many museums with considerable collections, during our researches, we realized that they are already crammed full of bobbins (beautiful bobbins), most of which are in storage. Our collection is well documented in the book. What fun for collectors, in years to come, to still be able to find a bobbin from our collection. Each bobbin sold will have it’s own certificate with picture and details making verification easy.
LaceNews: Is it hard to let go?
David & Christine: Again the answer is no. We have really enjoyed collecting, we have enjoyed owning & now is the time to let them go.
LaceNews: Your posts say that you have been collecting bobbins since 1977. What inspired you to start?
David & Christine: We began collecting bobbins to help us understand how bobbin makers from the 19th Century worked and to be inspired by their varied decoration. It was very exciting to come upon a form of decoration, on a bobbin, which we had not seen before. It would cause me to experiment, it would provide me with different directions to follow.
LaceNews: When did you decide to write the book “Success to the Lace Pillow”? What inspired you to undertake that work?
David & Christine: The book came about after looking at bobbins and noticing that they had similarities. We began putting them in groups, same head shape, same lettering etc. Then we realised that we could recognise various bobbin makers work, so we began our research. This is detailed in “Success…”. During our researches there were a couple of occasions where early information had disappeared & that was frustrating. So having identified numerous makers and gathered useful information it seemed logical to publish the information so that it would not be lost.
LaceNews: The title of your book “Success to the Lace Pillow” has always confused me a bit. The book is the seminal work on English Midlands bobbins, why not call it something more on topic?
David & Christine: We decided to call the book “Success to the Lace Pillow” after an inscription on a bobbin. In fact it was from an election bobbin “success to the pillow lace” which we failed to collect. It seemed too dull to call the book “collecting lace bobbins” and so we settled on that “Success..”, it just seemed appropriate.
David & Christine: We decided to call the book “Success to the Lace Pillow” after an inscription on a bobbin. In fact it was from an election bobbin “success to the pillow lace” which we failed to collect. It seemed too dull to call the book “collecting lace bobbins” and so we settled on that “Success..”, it just seemed appropriate.
LaceNews: Is there any information you would add if a new edition were to be printed?
David & Christine: There will always be new information which can be added. A descendant of Joseph Haskins contacted us and he provided an extra piece of background information. But, so far, there has been nothing major to add to the book.
David & Christine: There will always be new information which can be added. A descendant of Joseph Haskins contacted us and he provided an extra piece of background information. But, so far, there has been nothing major to add to the book.
LaceNews: David, you are an outstanding bobbin maker. And you have put a personal stamp on your own bobbins – how do you compare yourself with the older makers?
David & Christine: Well Joseph Haskins was a bobbin maker with a remarkable skill. He turned well and had a great eye for design. He was working on treadle lathe with no electric light, he had to hand saw all his bone and wood, his workshop did not have central heating (maybe no heating at all), his tools were most probably blacksmith made yet he produced delicate and exquisite work. I, on the other hand, had all the mechanical benefits, light, heat, electric lathe and yet I could not match what he did. Joseph Haskins is Christine’s second favourite bobbin maker.
David & Christine: Well Joseph Haskins was a bobbin maker with a remarkable skill. He turned well and had a great eye for design. He was working on treadle lathe with no electric light, he had to hand saw all his bone and wood, his workshop did not have central heating (maybe no heating at all), his tools were most probably blacksmith made yet he produced delicate and exquisite work. I, on the other hand, had all the mechanical benefits, light, heat, electric lathe and yet I could not match what he did. Joseph Haskins is Christine’s second favourite bobbin maker.
LaceNews: Will you continue to make bobbins?
David & Christine: I don’t make bobbins any more but I write woodturning books and give woodturning demonstrations.
David & Christine: I don’t make bobbins any more but I write woodturning books and give woodturning demonstrations.
LaceNews: What is next from the Springetts?
David & Christine: Christine continues to write lace books and develop Bedfordshire lace patterns. See www.cdspringett.co.uk We attend a number of larger lace fairs keeping in touch with our lacemaking friends.
David & Christine: Christine continues to write lace books and develop Bedfordshire lace patterns. See www.cdspringett.co.uk We attend a number of larger lace fairs keeping in touch with our lacemaking friends.
LaceNews: Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk! A lot of lace lovers are following your auctions and looking forward to every new listing.
David & Christine: Finally, for those who buy bobbins from our collection…thank you, we hope that you will enjoy them as much as we have.
David & Christine Springett.
LaceNews 