German Celluloid Tape Measure | ||
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Posted 3 years ago
tubbyk
(22 items)
The piece I acquired is the tape measure egg in the first photo. It really intrigues me, although I’ve been too scared to try to pull the tape out or dismantle it. The second photo is of a piece I found on the net that seems to have been made by the same maker. A lot of the textures and patterns are replicated. So if I go by their information it’s Celluloid and German. Does anyone know anything more about it? Age or exact maker? Many Thanks.
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Interesting piece...I bet the tape has some clues..Maybe a name to trace time period?
Thank you. Is there normally a makers name on the tape? I’d hate to break the casing trying to get the tape out, but I’d love to know more about it. Celluloid does get very fragile over time.
Does the tape itself look like it is made of celluloid, or just its case? (or both?) If the tape is such, I'd also be afraid to disturb it but if it is cloth-ish I'd be tempted to try to carefully fish a small bit out, just to see if it had a name on it...?
AnythingObscure, Thanks, the tape isn’t cloth. Could be either celluloid or a thin metal. When I’m feeling brave I might peel the blue strip back and see if I can extract some of the tape. I don’t know if both sides of the ‘egg’ are supposed to separate, revealing the tape, or if they’re fixed and the tape just unfurls if I start pulling it out. I’m an art and jewellery girl, so sewing stuff is out of my comfort zone to fiddle with.
By the pic/title of the auction ad you show (of a similar thing) I'd be inclined to think the measuring tape would unroll from inside the 'egg' (out from between the ends of the blue part) and probably was at least intended to be springloaded like a conventional small tape measure. Yours might have 'unsprung' itself if its looped end (auction pic, again) has either slipped inside, or broken off entirely.
With only your pic to go by, I don't think I'd try to pry on the blue strip at all, and only*might* try to twist the egg halves *very gently* for any very slight movement that could indicate they thread together on some kind of inner post. Frankly I don't think I'd expect that, either.
The measuring tape inside *should* be on some kind of reel. Before I'd do much of anything to it, I'd try carefully moving that from outside (thru the ends of the blue piece) with some kind of semi-blunt little tool -- if it does still move around in there, perhaps you'll be able to turn it enough to re-find its end. IF the tape is *not* metal I'd stop there, as you already pointed out, old celluloid becomes quite brittle. (sometimes even flammable?!) If it is metal (or even if not) there could be a clue to its maker on its first few inches that'd then be worth trying to unspool a little bit to see. GOOD LUCK!! :-) :-) :-)
Thanks so much for your advice. I’ll let you know the result when I try to get the tape out.
tubbyk, I think Anything Obscure has given you good advice on proceeding with further investigation of your vintage tape measure.
In the mean time, here is another with similar texure to some of its metal housing:
*snip*
Antique Germany Sewing Tape Measure Pin Cushion Combo
1 1/2" x 1" | Metal | Green
This antique sewing tape measure features a velvet pin cushion top and textured metal base. The middle is covered in a green patterned strip stamped Germany. The velvet is discolored and shows signs of wear. It came to me with writing on the bottom stating "Antique 200yrs old" which I have left intact. The end piece of the tape is missing and it no longer fully retracts. Marked with inches on one side and centimeters on the other.
*snip*
https://www.vintagerenude.com/products/antique-germany-sewing-tape-measure-pin-cushion-combo
I tend to doubt that "200 years old" information, but it does strike me that it might be the same maker, and the tape itself seems to be cloth.
The fact that it's stamped "GERMANY" suggests that it's new enough to have needed the country name of origin for export purposes to an English-speaking nation, but old enough that it isn't "West Germany."
Another one with that same textured metal on the housing; however, not only is the 'enameled' part of the housing stamped with "GERMANY," the cloth tape itself is stamped "Germany."
The vendor seems to think the vintage is circa 1910:
*snip*
Vintage from the 1910s
A sweet beautiful jem of a tape measure. Lovely condition. Beautiful Floral design with pink enamel. Marked germany on the enamel and tape itself. Push button restraction tight and works perfectly. A tiny treasure. A must have for any sewing notion collector.
*snip*
https://www.etsy.com/listing/109009151/antique-tiny-tape-measure-sewing-notion?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details
Thanks so much, keramikos. Yes, I doubt it’s 200 years old. Pretty sure the invention of celluloid doesn’t extend back that far. But that floral example does have the same metal texture on it, so the company who made these must have been around for a while.