d.rickman

The black tatting shuttle, may be silver, my mother had one.

Michjmf09

Thanks Janey and all who replied. Again, makes perfect sense now. My last bit of ignorance was that the red cased object was a needle threader. It’s a bad pix but it said “button whole cutter”. At least that was labeled. Turns out it was money well spent. Also had some vintage large Bakelite buttons and some lovely small mother of pearl buttons on the original card.

OurWorkbench

After I posted, last night, I found out that "N.R. CO." is "Novelty Rubber Company" and that they also made rubber buttons based on Charles Goodyear patent for "hard rubber" process. I found a couple of tatting shuttle sites that mention Novelty Rubber Company. http://pages.suddenlink.net/tatmeist...rubber-co.html and about two thirds the way down the page of https://tattingcollector.weebly.com/...-shuttles.html

Thanks for some bait for more "bunny trails"

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Michjmf09

Holy cow! That’s amazing. Ironically enough I also found what I think is an NR and Co. rubber button as well. After these posts I took a relook at some of the buttons from this lot. I really think I have some with quite a bit of age. I cannot thank you enough. I think I’m a good researcher but I’m paling in comparison to you! I saved that tatting page in my favorites. Ridiculously helpful. And to think, I had that bag in my hand and was ready to put it down because it was 10 dollars. Never leave anything behind!!!! You think I would know this after years of scavenging...

OurWorkbench

Years ago I wanted to learn to tat. I think it is neat. Never did learn to do it. I have a couple of tatting shuttles that use round bobbins. I just found a picture of a long bobbin tatting shuttle at http://needlebar.org/cm/displayimage..._display_media I was actually looking for something else

I think it is interesting about "rubber" items that aren't somewhat soft - like tatting shuttles, buttons and pipe stems.

That is looking like quite a "find" with not often seen items.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

mjkgquilt

OurWorkbench -- buy a Coats & Clark "Learn How Book" from ebay or Amazon. There are photos/pictures in the book showing how to tat.

OurWorkbench

I'm sure I have at least one of those, plus a Reader's Digest craft book that has how to tat. I think I may have done one picot and that was it.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

mjkgquilt

OurWorkbench, it took me 25+ years of trying before Tatting clicked one evening. Keep trying.