Look at the hidden gem that we found right on our own shelf!
We procured these pins from Hamilton Bell when we first began to offer entomology supplies. The original description bullet points were:
- Fine Quality Black Steel, Glass Heads
- 38 mm Long, 0.55 mm Diameter
- Plastic Vial contains 100 pins.
- Made in England
Fine quality black steel insect pins with glass heads. Size 4. Measures 38 mm long and 0.55 mm in diameter. Plastic vial contains 100 pins. Made in England for Hamilton Bell Co., Inc., Montvale, New Jersey.
Honestly, they had been at the back of the shelf for a while, as we moved locations and we hadn't had the chance to put them in their proper place. Fast forward to our current situation, when we opened a vial to get a better picture, and found this...
Vintage pins inside the vial! The paper envelope at the top and bottom had been torn off to allow it fit inside the vial, but the color is vibrant and clear. Additionally, with the original manufacturer's packaging, we found the former description a bit erroneous. The correct description bullet points are:
- Fine Quality Black Steel, Nylon Heads
- 38 mm Long, 0.55 mm Diameter
- Plastic Vial contains 100 pins.
- Made in Austria
Fine, black enameled insect pins with nylon heads. 100 pins inside a reusable plastic vial. The inside label reads, "Trade Mark Original Emil Arltz Insect Pins" and has an image of an elephant within a green circle. (The last name is questionable because of the cursive font.) The number 4 at the bottom identifies the size of the pins. They are brand new, unopened, packaged by Hamilton Bell.
We do happen to have other pins available from that original manufacturer, and can confidently say that they were made in Austria. Despite the inaccuracies, discovery is always fun and we truly enjoyed this surprise. We hope you do, too!