Edwardian silver lion pin cushion by Adie & Lovekin – £1600 at Great Western Auctions.
Appealing to a range of different types of collectors, Victorian and Edwardian animals pin cushions have their own niche in the novelty silver field.
Some, such as chicks, pigs and elephants are relatively easy to find. Others, such as foxes, cows and camels, were made in much smaller numbers. Among the rarest of all forms is the lion, measuring just over 2¼in (6cm) long, made in the first decade of the 20th century by specialist Birmingham smallwork maker Adie & Lovekin.