Can you identify any of this?

[little alison]

Thanks Monica.
But sorry, this isn't much clearer, is it?

What does everyone make of the whole thing?

[Forfarian]

Until the 1960s UK phone numbers had alphabetical letters as part of the number. So Dumbarton 1234 was DUM 1234, etc. So if this phone number has no letters and pre-dates 1960 it’s probably not a UK number.

I wouldn't bet on that. It was quite common to see adverts in local shops etc with just the numbers. What would make me question the number is that it has too many digits!

Our home phone number when I was a child had just the town name and two digits. If you wanted to phone someone in Dumbarton you asked the operator to get you 'Dumbarton 1234' or whatever the number was.

The first big change was that our two-digit number was turned into a four-digit one. That made it possible to have automatic dialling, but I think you still had to ask the operator for long-distance numbers.

I had a friend who lived in Kirkcaldy, and the code for Kirkcaldy was OKY2 - which when dialling went all numeric became 0592. Many places got the code that corresponded to the abbreviation for the town name - Forfar got 307 and Forres got 309, Perth got 738, and so on. Later on, the initial 1 was added, and later still all numbers were converted to a five-digit code and six-digit number.

I don't think there was ever a time when numbers had just two digits followed by 3 digits.

[Ruskie]

Nice to see the photos. 

Yes, it's old, but I wouldn't hazard a guess at age as I think it would be difficult to estimate, as style of both the work and the frame probably covers several decades - fabric looks old as does back of frame but could be as recent as 1950's (as a really rough guesstimate). And of course the needlepoint may have been sewn years before it was framed. 

One of the experts on the photo dating board may be able to help though.

The first number looks like a 4 to me.

The only thing I am wondering as this appears to be a hand written label, is that this could have been a very small business as they did not have commercially printed labels. And so there may be no records online them as a business.

That doesn't help you of course.

I like it. It would look very nice on my bedroom wall. 

[little alison]

Thanks for the opinions!
1950s seems way too new to me though. I am still waiting to hear from my sister as to where it came from....she may have clues she doesn't realise she has.

Now wondering if the actual writing style is any help.

[Ruskie]

Sorry Alison, I wasn't suggesting that this WAS 1950's, but I've seen similar backing paper on frames from a similar era (just pointing out that it is not a dating clue).I've also seen similar embroidery patterns in my local haberdashery.

Unsure if writing would be a clue ...maybe. It's written in a neat copperplate style with pen and ink, but that style of writing is hard to date too as this is the style people often use as their 'neat' writing. (including my daughter just yesterday when experimenting with pen and ink  )

I think your initial idea about date and place estimate via the phone number is still the best idea - it's just a matter of finding someone who can help.

Lets hope your sister can shed some light on it -it might make all the difference.

[little alison]

I've been trying another tack.
If I google 'needlepoint framed round' I get a pair with very similar framing (minus the bow) in the Images- but can I find them on the site!!!! No.
Frustrating.

[loobylooayr]

Is it an auction site?
Sometimes images show up on Google search but because the auction for that item is over, the item can no longer be viewed on site.

[little alison]

It's something called Etsy.

My sister thinks the embroidery was in my father's house when we were clearing it after he died.
He was born in Scotland.....but he had married again, and it could have come from her....I don't somehow think he would have been very keen on it! Unless it was from his parents, but I don't recollect it in their house.

[little alison]

I've now discovered that there were phone nos in America like this - two digits - three numbers.
(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_number) 

Rural American nos before 1933?      Or before 1920?  (not very specific here)
Or New York nos after 1930.......

It could be 4S-598?