The Stayin Pin Cube

This Stayin Pin Cube was made in Germany in the 1800s and originally held 100 white glass head pins (there are now around 50). It was designed in a way that prevents the pins from sliding out. The cube is constructed from cardboard which has a subtle diamond pattern and a bit of a gold-sheen. The navy-blue paper labels have gold colored text and images. It has a fair amount of wear, consistent with its age.

These glass-head pins are actually referred to as "toilet" pins. The word "toilet" comes from the French word "toile" which means cloth. These types of pins were used often for pinning pieces of clothing together, attaching accessories, hats, corsages, etc. The design of the pin, with the large head but thin needle shaft, meant they would leave a much smaller hold in the cloth. Ladies kept cubes, tins or other containers on their vanities to keep the pins handy for use.