A Needle and Thread: A Tale for Girls, Antique Children’s Book by Emma J. Barnes (c.1890s)

A Needle and Thread is a beautifully timeworn antique children’s book by Emma J. Barnes, published in Edinburgh by W. P. Nimmo, Hay & Mitchell. Bound in its original blue cloth with decorative gilt detailing, it is a quiet, moral tale typical of late-19th-century children’s literature - thoughtful, restrained, and rich in atmosphere.

To the first blank page, there is a handwritten inscription reading “Alice Ferris, April 1920”, offering a tangible glimpse into the book’s past life and the hands it once belonged to. This personal detail adds a gentle sense of provenance and history, anchoring the book in real lived time.

Inside, the book features delicate black-and-white illustrations and closely set text, printed on softly age-toned paper. The book shows honest signs of age and use throughout, including light wear consistent with its age and one page with a small tear, shown in the photographs.

A characterful piece for collectors of antique children’s books, those drawn to domestic and textile history, or anyone who values objects that carry their stories.