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Catalogue of Bone Lace Bobbins by A R Archer Ltd
Citation preview
E d i t i o n 3 7
Finest Quality Bone Lace Bobbins
A R Archer Ltd
2017
NEW FOR 2017
FREE P&P ON ALL UK
ORDERS
Catalogue of Bone Lace Bobbins
Makers of finest quality bone lace bobbins for over 30 years.
All bobbins are hand made.
Bobbin Index……………..……….. 2 - 3
Bobbins………………………………....4 - 16
Inscribed Bobbins……………...……17
How to Order……………….…………..18
Bobbin-a-Month Club……………19
Hours of business: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
Combe Lodge
Suckley
Worcester
WR6 5DR
Tel 01886 884135
Email [email protected]
www.ararcher.com
or www.ararcherltd.co.uk
Registered Office: Combe Lodge, Suckley, Worcester. WR6 5DR. Company Number 4516394 Cardiff All designs copyright A. R. Archer and Ben Archer 2017
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
2
A
Angel’s Fishing Rod 12
Acorns 5
Anemone 13
Apples 5
Apple Blossom 6
Apple Rings 7
Apple Tree 7
Autumn 13
B
Ba Ba Black Sheep 15
Baby Bobbin (Pink or Blue) 17
Baluster 11
Beach Huts 11
Bees 8
Bellflower 4
Bluebells with Babe 13
Blue Paradise 8
Brambleberries 5
Busy Bees 9
Butterflies 8
C
Californian Poppy 7
Caterpillars 8
Centrepiece Mauve 9
Centrepiece Aqua 9
Cherries 5
Cherry Blossom 6
Cherry Rings 7
Cherry Tree 7
Christmas Baubles 9
Christmas Candle 9
Christmas Cracker 9
Clematis 4
Clematis Niche 7
Cocktail Rings 7
Column Clematis 6
Column Rose 6
Column Sweet Pea 6
Column Wisteria 6
Cottage Garden 5
Cranesbill 13
D
Daffodils 4
Daffodils with Babe 13
Daisy Print NEW 8
Daydream 4
Dizzy
Dizzy in Pink NEW 11
Doctor Foster 14
F
Forget-me-Not 4
Four Leaf Clover 9
Foxgloves 4
Foxtrot Pink 4
Foxtrot Blue 4
Freesia 13
Frieze 4
Fuchsia 4
G
Genie 10
Grapes 5
H
Hickory Dickory Dock 14
Himalayan Poppy 7
Honey 4
Honeysuckle with Babe 5
HM Coronation
Commemorative 16
HM Diamond Jubilee 16
HM QEII 90th 16
HM Sapphire Jubilee NEW 16
HM The Longest Reign 16
HRH Prince George 16
HRH Princess Charlotte 16
Humpty Dumpty 14
I
Icelandic Poppy 7
Incy Wincy Spider 14
Indian Summer 8
Initialled bobbins A to Z 17
Inscribed bobbins 17
Iris 4
Iris with Babe 12
J
Jack & Jill 15
Jack and the Beanstalk 14
Jasmine Niche 7
Joy 11
K
King’s Lattice 10
L
Ladybirds 8
Lavender Bush 12
Lighthouse 11
Linum 11
Little Bo Peep 15
Little Boy Blue 14
Little Miss Muffet 14
Lupins 4
M
Marigolds NEW 5
May Blossom 6
Mermaid 10
Mixed Spray 6
Monday’s Child Set NEW 10
Monday NEW 10
Tuesday NEW 10
Wednesday NEW 10
Thursday NEW 10
Friday NEW 10
Saturday NEW 10
Sunday NEW 10
Moonlight Emerald NEW 8
Moonlight Blue NEW 8
Moonlight Gold NEW 8
Moonlight White NEW 8
Mother ‘n’ Babe with
Bellflowers 13
Mother ‘n’ Babe with
Clematis 13
Mother ‘n’ Babe with
Fuchsia 13
Music Notes 5
O
Oxeye Daisy 13
P
Pansies 4
Passion 9
Paw Prints 17
Pears 5
Pear Rings 7
Pear Tree 7
Bobbin Index
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r . c o m
3
Q
Peas 9
Pincushion Flower 12
Pink Paradise 8
Pitter Patter (Pink or Blue) 17
Plum Tree 7
Poppet 11
Poppies 4
Poppies with Babe 12
Potpourri 11
Primroses 12
Purple Print NEW 8
Pussycat, Pussycat 15
Q
Queen’s Lattice 10
Quince Blossom 6
R
Rainbow 5
Rapunzel 15
Reflection Yellow 10
Reflection Mauve 10
Rhapsody Red 9
Rhapsody Mauve 9
Roses 5
Rose Niche 7
Rose Print NEW 8
Roses Around the Door 11
Row, Row 15
Rub a Dub Dub 15
S
Serenity 4
Snowman 10
Snow Woman 10
Special Anniversary Bobbin
16
Spray of Lavender 6
Spray of Lilies 6
Spray of Roses 6
Spring Garden 4
Spring Showers 4
Spring 13
Standard Fuchsia 12
Standard Lilac 12
Standard Magnolia 12
Standard Rose 12
Strawberries 5
Summer 13
Summer Breeze:
Pink 12
Lilac 12
Blue 12
Gold 12
Sunflowers 5
Sweet Autumn 13
Sweet Bellflowers 11
Sweet Harmony 11
Sweet Pea (Blue) 6
Sweet Pea (Pink) 6
Sweet Pea (Red) 6
Sweet Pea (Violet) 6
Sweet Pea Profusion 9
Sweet Rosie 11
Sweet Springtime 13
Sweet Summer 13
Sweet Tulips 11
Sweet Winter 13
T
Tapestry 4
Temptation 8
Three Blind Mice 15
Treehouse 11
Tumbling Tomatoes 9
Tulips 5
Tulip Print NEW 8
Tulips with Babe 12
U
Up, Up and Away 11
V
Vase 5
Verdant 4
Violets 5
Viola Tricolour 13
W
Welsh Poppy 7
Wildflower Drift 5
Wild Garden 5
Winter 13
Wisteria Niche 7
Wrap Around 11
Almost every bobbin in this
catalogue is available as a
Honiton.
Please mark any order
accordingly.
HONITON
BOBBINS
HONITON
BOBBINS
Past Designs
Bobbin Index
Bespoke Bobbins
Should you require a
bespoke design, inscription
or both please don’t
hesitate to contact us for
an informal chat. We are
always happy to look at
individual design require-
ments.
Plans are afoot this
year to display many
of our past designs on
our web site and
make them available
to order.
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
4
From left: Lupins £22.40 Daffodils £18.65 Clematis £18.65 Forget-me-Not £19.45 Iris £21.95
From left: Fuchsia £18.65 Foxgloves £22.70 Poppies £20.65 Bellflower £18.40 Pansies £21.50
Rai
ndr
op
s in
sid
e
From left: Tapestry £24.70 Frieze £24.70
From left: Spring Garden £23.35 Spring Showers £28.55 Verdant £25.95
From left: Foxtrot Pink £25.55 Foxtrot Blue £25.55
From left: Serenity £24.55 Daydream £24.75 Honey £27.85
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
5
T e l 0 1 8 8 6
Gra
pes
insi
de
From left: Tulips £19.30 Acorns £19.25 Sunflowers £19.55 Roses £18.65 Violets £21.70
From left: Apples £18.50 Pears £18.50 Cherries £19.15 Strawberries £26.35 Grapes £29.15
From left: Brambleberries £28.15 Rainbow £19.55 Music Notes £20.65
From left: Honeysuckle With Babe £29.25 Marigolds £29.25
From left: Wildflower Drift £31.45 Vase £28.20 Cottage Garden £28.30 Wild Garden £28.60
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
6
Columns
Sweet Peas From left: Sweet Pea Blue £20.95 Sweet Pea Violet £20.95 Sweet Pea Pink £20.95 Sweet Pea Red £20.95
Blossoms
From left: Quince Blossom £27.75 May Blossom £27.75 Cherry Blossom £27.75 Apple Blossom £27.75
Baby bobbins inside
From left: Spray of Roses £18.60 Spray of Lilies £18.60 Mixed Spray £21.35 Spray of Lavender £18.60
Sprays
From left: Clematis Column £24.60 Wisteria Column £24.60 Sweet Pea Column £24.60 Rose Column £24.60
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
7
Poppies From left: Californian Poppy £29.95 Himalayan Poppy £29.95 Welsh Poppy £29.95 Icelandic Poppy £29.95
Niches From left: Rose Niche £32.85 Clematis Niche £32.85 Jasmine Niche £32.85 Wisteria Niche £32.85
Baby bobbins inside
The Orchard From left: Cherry tree £28.75 Pear tree £28.75 Plum Tree £28.75 Apple Tree £28.75
Fruit Rings From left: Apple Rings £23.75 Pear Rings £23.75 Cherry Rings £23.75 Cocktail Rings £23.75
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
From left: Moonlight Emerald £24.50 Moonlight Blue £24.50 Moonlight Gold £24.50 Moonlight White £24.50
8
From left: Bees £23.20 Butterflies £23.20 Caterpillars £23.20 Ladybirds £23.20
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
Floral Prints From left: Rose Print £24.10 Purple Print £24.10 Tulip Print £24.10 Daisy Print £24.10
From left: Blue Paradise £25.95 Pink Paradise £25.95 Indian Summer £32.50 Temptation £28.55
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
From left: Christmas Baubles £24.70
Christmas Cracker £26.20
9
From left: Sweet Pea Profusion £34.50 Passion £29.65 Busy Bees £34.60
Bee
s in
sid
e
From left: Tumbling Tomatoes £31.45 Peas £31.45
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
Christmas Candle £32.50 Front & side view
Swee
t p
ea r
od
in
sid
e
From left: Rhapsody Red £27.40 Rhapsody Mauve £27.40
Centrepiece In Mauve or Aqua £26.95
Four Leaf Clover £32.80
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
10
From left Queen’s Lattice £43.40 King’s Lattice £43.40
Genie £38.60
Mermaid £37.75
Snowman £29.95 Snow Woman £29.95
Wea
rin
g a
Bac
kpac
k
Monday’s Child...
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is happy and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living,
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day is bonnie and blithe and good and gay.
£33.50 each
From left: Reflection Yellow £30.20 Reflection Mauve £30.20
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
11
From left: Sweet Bellflowers £32.50 Sweet Tulips £30.70 Pot Pourri £26.75 Wraparound £32.30 Poppet £30.70
From right: Linum £33.85 Baluster £27.05 Sweet Harmony £30.40 Joy £30.40 Sweet Rosie £34.60
From left: Dizzy in Mauve Dizzy in Pink £35.65
From left: Lighthouse £34.60 Up, Up and Away £42.95 Roses around the Door £41.75 Treehouse £38.35 Beach Huts £37.25
Litt
le p
ers
on
insi
de
Litt
le p
eop
le in
sid
e
Litt
le p
ers
on
insi
de
From left: Poppies with Babe £29.95 Iris with Babe £28.45 Pincushion Flower £30.20 Tulips with Babe £29.95 Angel’s Fishing Rod £27.05 Lavender Bush £27.90 Primroses £30.40
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
12
With baby bobbin inside
From left: Standard Magnolia £31.25 Standard Rose £31.25 Standard Lilac £31.25 Standard Fuchsia £31.25
From left: Summer Breeze Pink £31.25 Lilac £31.25 Blue £31.25 Gold £31.25
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
13
With baby bobbin inside Sweet Seasons
Four Seasons
From left: Spring £25.75 Bees inside
Summer £25.75 Mouse inside
Autumn £25.75 Apples Inside
Winter £25.75 Snow inside
From left: Sweet Springtime £30.70 Sweet Summer £30.70 Sweet Autumn £30.70 Sweet Winter £30.70
From right: Mother & Babe with Fuchsia £31.45 Cranesbill £30.40 Viola Tricolour £31.45 Oxeye Daisy £31.45 Daffodils with Babe £26.60
From left: Mother & Babe with Clematis £31.45 Mother & babe with Bellflowers £31.45 Freesia £29.35 Bluebells £31.45 Anemone £26.90
Front and side view
Incy Wincy Spider £35.45
Incy W
incy S
pid
er
Clim
bed u
p t
he w
ate
r spout,
dow
n c
am
e t
he r
ain
and w
ashed p
oor
Incy o
ut.
Out
cam
e t
he s
un a
nd d
ried u
p a
ll t
he r
ain
In
cy W
incy S
pid
er
clim
bed u
p t
he s
pout
again
.
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
14
Dr Foster £40.90
Hickory Dickory Dock £38.60
Little Miss Muffet
£39.95
Dr
Foste
r w
ent
to G
louceste
r in
a s
how
er
of ra
in,
He s
tepped in a
puddle
r
ight
up t
o h
is m
iddle
and n
ever
went
there
again
.
Hic
kory
Dic
kory
Dock a
mouse r
an u
p t
he c
lock
The c
lock s
truck o
ne t
he m
ouse r
an d
ow
n,
Hic
kory
dic
kory
dock
Little M
iss M
uff
et
sat
on a
tuffet
eating h
er
curd
s a
nd w
hey,
When d
ow
n c
am
e a
spid
er
who s
at
dow
n b
esid
e h
er,
And f
righte
ned M
iss M
uff
et
aw
ay.
Hum
pty
Dum
pty
sat
on t
he w
all, H
um
pty
Dum
pty
had a
gre
at
fall,
All t
he k
ing’s
hors
es a
nd a
ll t
he k
ing’s
men,
Could
n’t p
ut
Hum
pty
togeth
er
again
.
Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales
Little Boy Blue £36.85
Gold
en e
gg insid
e
Little B
oy B
lue c
om
e b
low
your
horn
, The s
heep's
in t
he m
eadow
the c
ow
's in t
he c
orn
. But
where
's t
he b
oy w
ho looks a
fter
the s
heep? H
e's
under
a h
aysta
ck fast
asle
ep.
Will you w
ake h
im? N
o,
not
I -
for
if I
do,
he's
sure
to c
ry.
Humpty Dumpty £29.35
Front and side view
Jack & The Beanstalk £42.95
Front and side view
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r . c o m
15
Jack & Jill £33.55
Row, Row £39.10
Rub-a- Dub Dub £41.95
Pussycat, Pussycat £41.95
Rub-a
-dub d
ub,
thre
e m
en in a
tub a
nd w
ho d
o y
ou t
hin
k t
hey
be.
The b
utc
her,
the b
aker
the c
andle
stick m
aker
all p
ut
out
to s
ea.
Pussycat,
pussycat,
where
have y
ou b
een,
I’ve b
een t
o L
ondon t
o v
isit t
he q
ueen.
Pussycat,
pussycat
what
did
you t
here
, I
frig
hte
ned a
mouse f
rom
under
her
chair.
Row
, ro
w,
row
your
boat,
gently d
ow
n t
he s
tream
, M
err
ily, m
err
ily,
merr
ily life is b
ut
a d
ream
.
Ba b
a b
lack s
heep h
ave y
ou a
ny w
ool, Y
es s
ir, yes s
ir t
hre
e b
ags
full.
One for
the m
aste
r and o
ne f
or
the d
am
e a
nd o
ne for
the little b
oy
who liv
es d
ow
n t
he lane
Jack &
Jill w
ent
up t
he h
ill to
fetc
h a
pail o
f w
ate
r,
Jack fell d
ow
n a
nd b
roke h
is c
row
n,
and J
ill cam
e t
um
-bling a
fter.
Little B
o P
eep h
as lost
her
sheep
and d
oesn’t k
now
where
to fin
d t
hem
, Leave t
hem
alo
ne a
nd t
hey w
ill com
e h
om
e,
Waggin
g t
heir t
ails b
ehin
d t
hem
.
Little Bo Peep £43.30
Thre
e b
lind m
ice,
Thre
e b
lind m
ice,
See h
ow
they r
un, see h
ow
they r
un,
They a
ll r
an a
fter
the f
am
er’s w
ife,
Who c
ut
off t
heir t
ails w
ith a
carv
ing k
nife,
Have y
ou e
ver
seen s
uch a
th
ing in y
our
life
, As t
hre
e b
lind m
ice.
Ba Ba Black Sheep £38.35
Rapunzel £39.95
Front and side view
Three Blind Mice £34.60
Front and side view
Front and side view
Front and side view
View of all 3 sides
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
16
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
Illustrated is the Golden Wedding bobbin. Silver, Ruby and Sapphire are also available. Inscribed with two first names and two dates with appropriately coloured text with matching floral decoration. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need to talk over your requirements.
£29.95
Special Anniversary Bobbin
From left: HRH Prince George £32.50 HM Queen’s 90th £31.45 The Longest Reign £31.45 Sapphire Jubilee £31.45 Coronation Commemorative Bobbin £34.90 Diamond Jubilee £34.60 HRH Princess Charlotte £32.50
Royal Commemorative Bobbins
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
17
Sp
ac
e f
or
full
na
me
an
d d
ate
- r
em
ain
ing
sp
ac
e is
fill
ed
with
fo
ot
prin
ts
A B
Illustrated below are just some
ideas for inscribed bobbins. If you
have your own idea for an in-
scribed bobbin please don’t hesi-
tate to contact us for an informal
chat.
If you would like to order one of
the designs below please be sure
to write the text you would like
clearly on the order form.
We do our best to fit all inscriptions
onto a bobbin but please bear in
mind that the more text there is
the less room there is for decora-
tion. If you’re in any doubt please
contact us for a chat about your
requirements.
Baby Bobbin Pink or Blue £29.95
C
A £26.35 B £26.35 C £26.35 D £26.35 E £26.35
E D
Pitter Patter Pink or Blue £26.20
Initial Bobbin £21.50
Sp
ac
e f
or
on
e f
irst
na
me
an
d o
ne
da
te (
esp
ec
ially
lo
ng
na
me
s m
ay
be
a p
rob
lem
– p
lea
se c
on
tac
t u
s if y
ou
are
no
t su
re)
An
y in
itia
l fr
om
A
to
Z in
th
e
style
illu
stra
ted
.
Inscribed Bobbins
Sp
ac
e f
or
a p
et’
s n
am
e a
nd
/or
da
te -
re
ma
inin
g s
pa
ce
is f
ille
d w
ith
pa
w p
rin
ts
Ple
ase
sp
ec
ify t
he
co
lou
r yo
u w
ou
ld lik
e
Paw Prints £26.20
18
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r . c o m
Waiting Time For Standard Orders
We make every effort to get standard orders made in a timely fashion. However, we
do have pre-existing commitments to Bobbin-a-Month Club orders which take up a
considerable part of each month. Consequently this leaves only a certain amount of
time available each month to make standard orders.
Over the past years our waiting time has been as low as 8 weeks and as long as 14
months! We will of course endeavour to give you an approximate delivery time
when you place an order but please be aware, with every part of the production
process relying on one pair of hands, it is simply not possible to calculate a reliable
long term dispatch date.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
To place a standard order and make payment:
by phone: just ring with a list of the bobbins you would like and you can either send us a cheque or
make a card payment over the phone. Call: 01886 884135.
by mail: fill out the enclosed order form and return it to us enclosing a Pounds Sterling cheque or fill in
the card payment section. Send it to A R Archer Ltd, Combe Lodge, Suckley, Worcester WR6 5DR
by email: We are happy for you to send an order via email but we cannot accept sensitive card
information via email. Please use either conventional mail or the telephone for your card details.
Tel: 01886 884135
Payment Types: We all major cards and UKP cheques made payable to “A R Archer Ltd”.
Shipping: All UK orders = free P&P
International orders = up to £175 = £6.50 Orders over £175 = free (All orders insured)
Prices for Standard Orders: All standard orders will be charged at the prices in force at time the order is placed.
Guarantee & Returns Policy
1) You may cancel your order at anytime within the first 14 days of placing your order.
2) If you wish to cancel your order after this time please contact us as soon as possible and we shall endeavour to meet your request. Please be aware that all bobbins are made to order – once an order has entered the production process (usually 14 days prior to despatch date) it may not be cancelled.
3) Notification of faulty goods should be made within three days of the goods being received. All goods supplied by us are warranted as being suitable for the purpose for which they are designed, under fair conditions.
Our liability under this warranty will be limited to the replacement and free repair against goods acknowledged by us to be faulty, providing such faults have not been caused by your misuse, negligent handling or improper care of the goods.
4) If you do need to return any goods, please remember to wrap the package securely as it may not be possible to offer a refund or replacement on goods which have been damaged in transit.
Should you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01886 884135 between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. You can email us at [email protected] or via the website.
How to Place an Order NEW FOR 2017
FREE P&P ON ALL
UK
ORDERS
19
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r l t d . c o . u k
Bobbin-a-Month Club
How it Works
The Bobbin-a-Month Club is very simple - all that’s required is a minimum order of 12 bobbins.
You may distribute your bobbins in any way you wish, two one month and one the next for exam-
ple. Every month when we send you your bobbin(s) we will also enclose a payment request slip
for the following month’s order. You can either send payment in the form of a Pounds Sterling
cheque or complete and return the card payment form that will be attached to your request
slip.
At times we do have a waiting list to join the Bobbin a Month Club and we will advise if this is the
case and the anticipated waiting time when your order is received.
Free P&P Postage and packing is free on UK orders.
International Orders postage: For International orders of two or more bobbins per month postage
is free. However, on international orders of one bobbin a month we will charge the postage cost
in force at the time of dispatch less the cost of our standard UK postage.
In the event of an international order going missing we will send a replacement BUT any future
order will either need to be insured at the customer’s expense or the risk of loss is assumed by the
customer.
Pricing Policy for Bobbin-a-Month Club Orders
Any Bobbin-a-Month Club orders that bridge the price review on January 1st each year will
benefit from receiving the first 3 month's orders of the New Year at the previous year's prices. We
always endeavour to keep any price increase to a minimum.
To join the Bobbin-a-Month club please fill in the enclosed order form and send it to us
either:
by mail: send it to us enclosing a cheque or fill in the card details for your first month’s bobbin(s)
to: A R Archer Ltd, Combe Lodge, Suckley, Worcester WR6 5DR
by email: We are happy for you to send a Bobbin-a-Month Club order via email but we cannot
accept sensitive payment card information via email. Please use either conventional mail or the
phone for your card details. Email: [email protected]
by phone: just ring with a list of the bobbins you would like and you can either mail us a cheque
for your first month's bobbins or make a card payment over the phone. Call: 01886 884135
T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5 T e l 0 1 8 8 6 8 8 4 1 3 5
w w w . a r a r c h e r . c o m
A R Archer takes its name from my father Anthony Archer. An accomplished and much respected crafts-
man, he spent many years making furniture before then making the slightly unusual transition to becoming
a maker of chess sets. These he sold around the world but, being before the days of the world wide web,
getting known was an expensive and far trickier affair than it is today. It was during these years that he
learnt the fine turning skills that would later serve him so well as a bobbin maker.
He turned his talents to bobbin making in the late 1970’s after a chance enquiry from a customer in his
shop. Within three months of making his first wooden bobbin he had to start a waiting list and it was only
shortly after this time he embarked on making his first bone bobbin. Within a relatively short period of time
the demand for bone bobbins far outstripped that of the wooden bobbins and, turning to the exclusive
production of bone bobbins, the business was in need of an extra pair of hands. It was at this time that my
mother Susan Archer joined the business and took on the role of preparing the bone blanks and then
painting the engraved bobbins. By the mid 1980’s there was a waiting list of two years and the only way of
hoping to get a bobbin sooner was to find them at one of the half dozen or so lace days they attended
every year. I know these were times that both my mother and father thoroughly enjoyed but sadly in 1990
my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness which left him unable to work with almost immediate ef-
fect.
It was at this time that I stepped into the breach and took on the rather daunting challenge of working to
my father’s standards. I had grown up around the tools of his workshop and when I left school I spent many
a happy hour being taught the finer points of turning. In the last couple of years of his life he taught me the
skill of freehand engraving which, little did we realise then, was rather sadly in the nick of time. We were
fortunate that my father was with us for a further year and in this time I also had the benefit of being able
to use him as the ultimate quality control for my work. In early 1991 my father died and I carried on the
business as a partnership with my mother until the mid 1990’s when she decided it was time to hang up her
paint brush and devote more time to her life long passion of gardening. I now run the business with my wife
Vicky who, between looking after our two children, keeps on top of all the administration.
In these nearly thirty years that I’ve been running the business the advent of the digital age has changed
the world of the craftsman in many ways, not least by giving many of us international exposure via the
internet. However, I like to think that if my father were to walk in to my workshop today he would be able
to recognise every tool in front of him. He was a great believer in taking the very best skills and techniques
and developing them to achieve new and exciting things. With the
increased pressure the digital age has brought to move to more auto-
mated means of production my ambition is that the words “hand
made” should always be synonymous with the best of what is possible
and combine skills and technique with innovative design.
I hope this brief history of the business is of interest and helps explain
how Archer bobbins came about, who my father was and how I fit
into the picture. I hope you enjoy this catalogue and if you have any
comments or feedback please get in touch.
About A R Archer
20
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Published Feb 2017