If it is on a wooden spool, I would display it in a canning jar and enjoy looking at it ....other threads...put it around your finger like you would dental floss, and pull to pop. Do a test one with new good thread first...
If the old thread pops easy, pop it right into the trash. It will pop in you machine as you try to use it....

I have hundreds of wooden spools of thread, many dating back to the 40's or before. Silk, cotton, rayon, nylon and combos. You all say to keep them, that they are collectibles. They are only collectible if there is a market for them...which there isn't that I know of.

I do not use the last layer that has been in direct contact with a wooden spool because of the acid and I do test it for breakage before starting, otherwise, if the color is right, I use it regardless of age. Never had a problem yet. For heavy use, show or heirloom quilts I use new threads.

i wonder how we could find out if there is a market for them. i have a bunch of them too. guess could try selling them on e-bay and see what happens, huh. i sure would like to turn all mine into "dollars".

I sold some last year on Ebay. Make lots of them, like 15 for ?????, check to see the prices. Maybe the lot for $3.99. Don't list more than 2 sets at a time...you will be flooding the market...I wouldn't list more than 1 set, but all this is your decision.

thanks i might try it some time. but 15 for $3.99 - that's only $.25 apiece. i'd just as soon keep them or give them away to my friends.

I should have said, as a starting price.....Sorry for the opps.

oh that's ok i did go look on ebay and there's tons of them for sale with nobody even bidding on them. maybe in another 100 years they might be worth something, lol.

I had a lot of old thread given to me on wooden spools, I took it and put it in a basket and sat it in my sewind room. Just found some old needles in thier wraper which I think I will put with it.

that's what I thought! I have a few, and hanging onto them! :D

I hang onto my old wooden spools.. I have seen dolls made of them, also doll furniture made with them that was really cute.. besides, I'm a packrat.. and that's what packrats do... :P :P