Wow - how wonderful you have these where you can enjoy them. Inherited a group of similar sewing items from my Grandmother, who passed at 99 years old in 1982; some are silk threads. Am currently using self-threading needles from her collection!!!! to bury loose threads on my machine quilting....always think of her when I use these, she sewed her dressed completely by hand as a child -- no sewing machines in her early life, my sister has her treadle, she never owned an electric machine.