A Rare Irish Famine Antique Silk Pin Cushion Disc
This pin cushion is printed on one side with shamrocks and on the other side with an inscription “To Ewans Land, with liberal hand, extend your timely care. The poor to feed, in this their need. From your abundance spare, 1847.” The Irish famine lasted from 1845 to 1852, but the worst year was 1847, known as Black 47.
Pin cushion discs were made and sold as fundraising and charitable tokens, giving the money to famine relief funds. Nowadays they are rarely found.
It measures 5.4cm w.