Ivory coloured glove stretcher

Made from thermoformed cellulose nitrate, this glove stretcher is in imitation of ivory and thought to date from the late 19th century or early 20th century. Glove stretchers were used to ease tight kid leather gloves to fit on the fingers and to help restore the shape of the fingers of gloves after they had been washed. The pointed ends would have been inserted into each finger and the handles compressed together, forcing the ends to splay out and stretch the leather. This example has a metal spring mechanism and metal rivets.

AIBDC : 008707