Antique & Vintage
Figural & Stylized
Sewing Birds / Sewing Clamps

Sewing birds / sewing clamps make for a great antique collectible.  

Most of the antique sewing birds / sewing clamps listed on these pages originate from two different long time / old time collections of antique and vintage sewing clamps and antique sewing accessories.  There is a near endless variety and no one collection could ever have them all.  There is a collection of sewing clamps in Lincroft, NJ at Brookdale Community College that numbers over 400 and another larger one that the Smithsonian has. 

Sewing clamps / birds can be utilitarian and very plain and simple, or figural, very complex and decorative, or all manner of forms and combinations in between.  Each of the sale pages we have is focused on a different form or style, from figural birds, to other animals, to those made of ivory, or those with just simple clamps  and more. 

Please be sure to visit all the different pages as there are many to see and we have broken them up into different categories.

On this page we will be listing the most easily recognizable and most popular form of sewing clamps / sewing birds---sewing clamps that are fashioned after birds, and are easily recognizable as birds, like the full bodied robin or other similar examples.  Some of these vintage clamps have spool holders or pincushions, and almost every one is different from the next.  And each is guaranteed to be original, vintage, and not a reproduction or knockoff like most found on eBay.  This is the most widely found type that has been reproduced, but all of the examples offered on this page are legit. 

Antique Nickel Plated Sewing Bird w/ 2 Pincushions This is a great looking antique sewing clamp / bird with one pincushion below the bird and another smaller one on its back.  The pin cushions are original and nice.  It is the form that has been most widely copied and is still being made and sold today, but even a simple comparison reveals that this is a completely different and much nicer piece than those.  This one does not have the patent date which the fakes one do have. 

It is a whole different model or class from the example above as well.  Like apples and oranges or Corvettes and Chevettes---both cars, but different.

The bird itself is not just a thin sheet of brass.  The wings are solid and very heavy.  The other big difference is the clamp portion.  This one is not cast---it is machined, and engraved with its decoration or design.  It is very detailed, and very well done.  The differences from a new one are stark.  A special and rare sewing bird / clamp that will stand out from, and is heads and tails above the rest.

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Excellent . . . . . . $395.00

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Vintage Full Body Robin Brass Sewing Bird  This is a bit different from what is typically referred to as a full body robin sewing clamp.  It is a bit larger, and it does not have a pin cushion.  The molding for the design is different as well.  I do not see any marking either.  The way it opens and closes is also different in that the top and bottom of the bird's mouth tries to open.  It works, but not real well.  It is a great looker, but move on if you are wanting a user.  Nice!

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Very Good   . . . . . .  $175.00

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Antique Polished Steel Figural Sewing Clamp w/ Shell Pincushion  This unusual figural sewing clamp has a stylized animal clamp below the unusual shell pincushion.  The bird / critter has a nose or beak, but it could represent any number of different animals.   The spring to operate it is good.   The U shaped clamp portion is decorated with a shield and a lot of filed scallops and beveled edges.  It is a finely crafted example that  is about 6 1/2" tall, and the seashell pincushion is about 2" long.  A very nice piece of mid 19th century to Victorian era workmanship!!

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Excellent . . . . . .  495.00    SPECIAL SALE $375.00

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Stylized Antique Steel Sewing Clamp w/ Pincushion At first glance this a lot like one of the clamps from the other stylized clamp page.   A closer examination, and seeing them side by side, reveals a host of differences.  They may have been made by the same hand, but they are quite different.  This sewing clamp / bird is only 5" tall and 4" long.  Side by side the difference in size is dramatic.  The head is also a different shape, and a lot more file work was put into shaping this one's head with its rounded shape and peak at the middle.   This is a good looking sewing bird / sewing clamp that has been cleaned and polished and is ready for display or to be put back to use. 

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Very Good . . . . . .  $495.00    SPECIAL SALE $375.00

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Antique Polished Steel Figural Sewing Clamp w/ Pincushion & Winder   Most of the clamps on this page are a third of the size of the similar designed sewing clamps on the other stylized critter page.  This one is only 5 1/2" tall, and about 3" long from spool winder to the nose.  

The pin cushion is nice and its holder has a nice turned post.  The spring is strong, and it grips fabric well.  The number 13 is stamped inside of the curved tail.  The wooden thread spool at the back is nice, and an added feature not seen very often.   There is a name embossed on the little plaque on the front of the clamp.  It looks to say XXXX  Siebel in script and is very faint.  A very nice piece of mid 19th century to Victorian era workmanship!!

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Excellent . . . . . . 395.00    SPECIAL SALE $350.00

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Antique Polished Steel Figural Sewing Clamp w/ Pincushion & Winder Most of the clamps on this page are a third of the size of the similar designed sewing clamps on the other stylized critter page.  This one is only 5" tall, and about 3" long from spool winder to the nose.  

This is a very nicely worked example, and a slightly nicer finish and detail form the others.  The  pin cushion is original and its holder has a nice flared lip.  The spring is strong, and it grips fabric well.  The wooden thread spool at the back is removable, and a nice added feature not seen very often on these smaller clamps.   Another very nice piece of mid 19th century to Victorian era craftsmanship!!

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Excellent . . . . . .  $495.00    SPECIAL SALE $375.00

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Antique Figural Steel Sewing Clamp w/ Pincushion   This figural iron sewing clamp / bird  is  6" tall, and about 4" long from the nose to tail.   The head was carefully done and has an interesting design nose and small eyes.  The spring is good, and this sewing clamp has a great stylized flattened and curled tail you push on to open the mouth.  The fabric of the pin cushion is a replacement that looks good.  This one has not been cleaned or polished and has a great original patina that only 19th century iron can develop.  Another very nice piece of mid 19th century to Victorian era craftsmanship!!

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Very Good . . . . . . . $395.00    SPECIAL SALE $295.00

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We can help you sell your quality Antiques in this and other categories of Antiques.

If you have similar antiques or collectibles you want to sell please see our
FAQ Page, the Appraisal / Selling Page, and the Selling Your Collection Pages for further info about selling with us.

To view examples of the types of antiques and collectibles we have previously sold and are always interested in helping you sell please visit our Past Sales Archive Pages at our sister website www.AntiqBuyer.com.

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