Antique Gold Pin

A safety pin in antique gold. Each one is dipped in a chemical bath by a craftsman in Japan, one at a time, so that the surface oxidizes.

Antique gold pins in classical shapes are not hard to find. What we aimed for here was to give a plain safety pin a classic look.

The depth of the color and its unevenness differ from pin to pin, so no two look the same.

Fibula, c. 900–800 BCE
Italy. Bronze, 6.8 cm
The Cleveland Museum of Art
1970.109

The safety pin goes back to the fibula, a fastener that held clothing closed in ancient Greece and elsewhere more than 3,000 years ago.

In 1849 Walter Hunt of New York patented the form we know today: a single length of wire given a spring and a clasp.

Its uses now run from holding papers together to pinning on race numbers, yet the real job of a safety pin is still to fasten clothing.

So that this tool can serve as an accent in what you wear, we took away the shine of new metal and moved the color toward one that sits well with vintage clothing and old tools.

Pinned through the collar points of a shirt, it works as a collar pin that lifts the tie knot. On a lapel or a hat ribbon, it becomes a small accent of metal.

It arrives in a white envelope printed with the D.C.WHITE logo in navy.

A safety pin that settles into well-worn clothes where new hardware would stand out, and adds the texture of age to what you wear.

Size: 55 mm overall length

Material: steel

Made in China / Finished in Japan

Notes on use

The pin passes through the cloth, so it will leave a hole.

The finish uses a chlorine-based chemical, so depending on the fabric, sweat and humidity, the cloth where the pin is fastened may discolor.

On dark fabrics this can appear as fading, and on light fabrics as a brown, rust-like stain.

Please do not use it on delicate materials such as silk or thin fabrics.

Before use, test it on an inconspicuous spot such as the inside of the garment.

Do not leave it fastened for long periods while wet, and always remove it before washing or dry cleaning.

Color and unevenness come from the finishing process and differ from piece to piece.

The surface has no coating, so the color will keep changing with use and storage conditions.

We cannot offer compensation for holes or discoloration in fabric. Please use it at your own discretion with this understanding.