Saturday, January 24, 2009

Nuns Boilproof Thread Catalog 1923

This is a lovely catalog put out by T. Buettner & Co of Chicago in 1923. The company was active from the early 1900's through the Twenties, maybe Thirties. I tried to find out more about this company and that name...Nuns Boilproof, but my Googling ability failed me. If you know any more about this please share.
I have some wonderful pages to show you from this catalog, stick around.
Is that suppose to be a Nun? It's such a hell fire image for a Nun to to be around.

This is embossed on a leatherette type paper...it was meant to be kept around.

Such luscious colors! "A size and twist for every purpose."

15 comments:

  1. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation but "a size and twist for every purpose" just sounds dirty. It's probably a caption on FABULON somewhere, or should be...

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  2. T. Buettner and Co. was a Chicago, Illinois and Germany based art needlework company. Two brothers started the company it was around during the turn of the century and through the late 1930s -- maybe even into the early 1940s. It was known for many art needlework items and one of them is Nun's Embroidery and Crochet Thread and the Buettner books on different needleart topics.

    You have found a nice piece of Buettner ephemera -- and no the cover is not suppose to be a nun -- though, on first glance, it does bring up the visual image of hades and brimstone - it is not meant to -- I suppose they are boiling linen -- maybe doing a little dyeing of fabric. If you ever want to part with the piece -- I would be glad to take it off your hands as I am from Illinois and researching Buettner & Co. I could understand completely why you would want to keep this piece though -- it is very interesting looking.

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  3. I am a fiber hoarder, as I do a lot hand work (mostly cross stitch, but also all kinds of embroidery and needlepoint.) My mother is always going to thrift stores, and amid a stash of embroidery floss she found for me are several of the Nun's Boilproof Two-Ply High Luster threads - one label is completely intact, although the skein is partly used - color #409 (a spring green). Another label is cut about in half, with the color numnber half on the scraps left of the skein - color #313, a lovely blue. Also in the stash were several scraps of colors with no labels - yellow, orange-yellow, pink, pale blue, and light blue. They have a different feel from the modern pearl cottons, much softer. And the colors are still great!

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  4. I found 2 skeins of Nun' boilproof two ply high luster, one is color 324 1/2 (14 yards, size 3) and one is color 482. Also 2 Nun's boilproof flochette eight ply; one is color 312 and one is color 352. All are in perfect condition, and never even been opened.

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  5. They are all dated 1923

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  6. I have a dresser set with numbers for Nun embroidery thread. I would love to have a copy of your color chart. Then I could try and use DMC's closest to the colors asked for. Today I was looking through some of my items and decided to try and find out something about Nuns Co. Boy, was I surprised to find your site first thing.

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  7. You can get a color chart, just click on the image above, then click again and print it out.
    It's great that folks have shared so much knowledge here. Still wonder about that name...does it have to do with actual Nuns being famous for their fine embroidery?

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  8. Oh wow!! I wonder If and why T Buettner may have published quilt kits. I have one that says it is copyrighted in 1933. trying to match the colors was tricky in 1995
    BJH

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  9. It was great to learn so much about the Nun's brand. I inherited a large volume of perle coton and embroidery floss from my grandmother and didn't know much about it's origins. I recently added them to my Etsy shop - MyGrandmothersCrafts

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  10. I literally had 100's of skeins of Nun's. Like you, could not find much about the company. I had the color chart also. Sold a bunch of it on ebay still have alot left. It was in an auction box my Dad purchased, he was going to burn it! There is even one with that is mis-labeled for color.

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  11. I found today at a "shed sell" behind a local historical house, an 18 by 42 almost finished embroidered dresser scarf. Since it's unfinished, you can see stamped across the bottom "No. 6126, 18x42 dresser scarf, Copyright T.B. & Co. Chicago 1938 Made in USA on other edge it says "embroider with Nun's boilproof embroidery thread and crochet with Nun's boilproof cordonnet. On wash day (which was always Mon.), my grandmother boiled all the clothes, sheets and embroidered linens as needed. This is a beautiful piece and she stopped mid flower as seemed to run out of blue thread??

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  12. Nice to know about this company my daughter found a table cloth dated 1936 pattern # 4831 with the color to be stitched in #322 hard to tell what it is does any one have any ideas?

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  13. Just received a 4m skein of Nun's Art & Craft Fibersilk (rayon) color 309. Thanks for posting the color chart & other info!

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  14. Glad to find this info. I have a number of vintage hoops and one is a Nun's with the dial to tighten. So neat. Going to sell it at my brick and mortar shop or maybe my etsy shop. I love history :) Laura

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  15. I have a partly worked vintage tablecloth (thrift store find), stamped No. 6389 - 53" x 53" - Copyright 1939 - T.B. & Co. - Chicago - Made in U.S.A. - Embroider with Moss Yarn. Some of the pink and purple flowers have been worked in a floss where the color varies from dark to light; don't know if it's still made. Thanks for identifying T.B. Co.

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