In the old days when clothes

were sewn and mended at home

instead of bought ready-made,

spools of thread were household

essentials. You would see a spool

cabinet in any country store, usually

on the counter. They were

shaped like a miniature chest of

drawers, with lettering on the

front of each drawer, often on a

plaque or window, telling you

the company’s name, the type of

thread and colors of thread stored

in that drawer.

This one is a different stylewhich

may be one reason why it

sold for $1,063 at an auction by

Case Antiques. It is cylindrical,

with a stenciled glass door that

leaves the contents visible. A revolving

case ensures that you can

get a look at everything inside.

When it was filled with spools

of thread, customers’ eyes must

have been drawn to the colors

and motion.

Merrick, the thread company

this cabinet advertises, was

known for this type of display.

Like any company, they wanted

to distinguish themselves from

the competition. And not just

to get customers’ attention: In

1893, Merrick Thread Co. was

sued by Coats, another thread

company that would later merge

with Clarks, becoming J&P

Coats Ltd., which is still producing

thread today. Coats claimed

that Merrick thread spools were

marked with a design too similar

to theirs, creating confusion between

the two companies’ products.

The case was dismissed.

However, considering the patent

date of 1897 on this cabinet, its

unusual design may have been

intended to assert Merrick’s

identity.

* * *

Q: I have a hammered copper

candy dish marked “Gregorian,

Made in U.S.A.” I’ve had it for

69 years. What is it worth today?

A: Gregori Copper was

started in 1946 by P.R. Gregori

and his brother, Fred. At first,

they worked out of their parents’

garage in Capistrano Beach,

Calif. In 1948, they moved into

a building in San Clemente. P.R.

Gregori designed the pieces and

took care of manufacturing while

Fred was the salesman. Pieces

were hand-hammered and finished

with a bluing process. They

were lacquered and baked so the

copper would keep its color. The

company was sold to Sunbelt in

1968 and moved to Albuquerque,

New Mexico, later. Sunbelt

sold the company to a company

in Lemmon, South Dakota, in

1989, and the name became Gregorian

Inc. This company made

wholesale copper and silver jewelry

for at least 20 years. Gregorian

Inc. is now a manufacturer

of farm and ranch equipment,

portable steel buildings and garage

doors. A 5-inch Gregorian

hammered copper candy dish recently

sold for $12 and a 7-inch

candy dish sold for $17.

* * *

Q: I’d like information about

the maker of a plate I bought

at a house sale. It’s decorated

with blue and white flowers and

leaves and is marked “Windsor,

W.R. Midwinter, Porcelon, Burslem,

England.”

A: William Robinson Midwinter

founded his pottery in

Burslem in 1910. It was one of

the largest potteries in England

in the late 1930s. Production

was limited under wartime restrictions

during World War II.

When the restrictions were lifted

in 1952, new lines of dinnerware

with contemporary designs and

shapes were introduced. The

company ran into financial difficulty

and merged with J. &

G. Meakin in 1968. It became

part of the Wedgwood Group

in 1970. Meakin & Midwinter

(Holdings) Ltd. closed in 1987.