Whose image is shown on those cheap needle threaders?
This picture shows a portrait that looks like Athena, but I’ve seen others that look kind of like Caesar.
Does anyone know who is usually depicted, and why?
Well, dude, that is one kewl question, but Google and I are both completely stumped. It looks to me like it’s a standard Dritz brand needle threader, (they’re for sale everywhere at 3 for about a dollar), but dang if I can find out whose picture that’s supposed to be. Looks more Greek than Roman to me.
Here’s a SWAG for you…how about Minerva, Roman goddess of, among other things, sewing?
Yep—Goddess of HANDICRAFTS.
…and also known, of course, as Athena.
The Caesar resemblence on some of them might be coincidental… I mean, how far can you go to distinguish a shoulders-up view of someone wearing armor and a helmet? I have a bust of Athena somewhere which is only recognizable as such by the Ægis she’s bearing-- Were it not for that, you wouldn’t even be able to tell gender.
Whoa! I always thought the image on the needle threader was a bust of George Washington. Seriously. But then I also thought as a kid that my fingers were filled with cooked ground beef. I was wrong about that too.
I emailed the Dritz company last night and received the following email this morning:
So will see if Ms. Summers follows up on this, eh? I’m still betting on Minerva / Athena, though.