Description

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ANTIQUE FOLK ART BUTTERFLY PEN WIPE
Found in Iowa
Circa 1840-1870

A 19th Century Butterfly Pen Wipe made of black and cream velvet, similar to a clothing fabric. three layers of butterfly’s wings sandwiched which are stiff backed having the closest heart shape. Each wing border has thread cross stitching with interior portion done in a metallic thread. Centrally is the butterfly body shaped and stuffed with line thread piping. This Folk Art Butterfly Pen Wipe is very visual and charming.

Overall in very good antique condition – no repairs or replacements..
It measures 8″ wide when laid flat, by 6″

Pen wipers came in a wide array of shapes and sizes and were popular throughout the 1800s. Pen wipers were considered a necessity during the 19th century. Pen-wipers were originally pieces of fabric, often felt, and the portion the pen was wiped upon.
Dark colors, especially black, were commonly used as they hid the ink marks better.

There were numerous references to pen-wipers in school-related books published throughout the 1800s. For instance, in 1841, a report by the Board of Commissioner of Common Schools in Connecticut noted that “each desk should also have a sponge, pen wiper, and pencil holder.”[2] The Teacher’s Assistant, published in 1859.

This was noted by one writer in the 1830s:
Pen-wipers were popular items because anyone who wrote anything needed help to keep the nib of a pen, whether it be a dip or fountain pen, in perfect working order. This could be accomplished by cleaning the ink from the nib so that the pen would not clog, and pen-wipers helped in that task.

Inventory: AC-MIC 1238

SOLD

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