Pitchforks Collection

Haymaking in the 1930 s

Hay forks, Northern Oregon farm, Morrow County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Hay forks. Northern Oregon farm. Morrow County, Oregon

La Guerre des Paysans (Le Rassemblement), c. 1875 (oil on canvas)
621702 La Guerre des Paysans (Le Rassemblement), c.1875 (oil on canvas) by Meunier, Constantin Emile (1831-1905); 117x176 cm; Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels

Mephistopheles arrives in Hell with Faust (chromolitho)
735814 Mephistopheles arrives in Hell with Faust (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mephistopheles arrives in Hell with Faust)

The crime of a bull (Colour Litho)
2777886 The crime of a bull (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The crime of a bull)

Manchester Bull-Hunt, 1819 (hand-coloured engraving)
2562153 Manchester Bull-Hunt, 1819 (hand-coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Henry Hunt (1773-1835)); The Stapleton Collection; English

Farm ox cart with hay, farm workers, pitchforks, European
Farm ox cart loaded with hay, farm workers with pitchforks, European. Vintage 19th century photograph

Peasants attacking the balloon of Jacques Charles and the Robert Brothers after it came down at Gonesse
3648074 Peasants attacking the balloon of Jacques Charles and the Robert Brothers after it came down at Gonesse, 27 August 1783 (engraving) by German School

The emergency intervention of a young peasant armed with a trident saved the life of a little girl... (colour litho)
2778292 The emergency intervention of a young peasant armed with a trident saved the life of a little girl... (colour litho) by Beltrame

Very Unpleasant Weather or the Old Saying verified Raining Cats
2492425 Very Unpleasant Weather or the Old Saying verified Raining Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks, published by Thomas McLean, 26 Haymarket, August 1st 1835 (hand coloured engraving) by Cruikshank

Haying Scene, 1836 (oil on wood panel)
1079429 Haying Scene, 1836 (oil on wood panel) by Durand, Asher Brown (1796-1886); 61.9x28.9x1.3 cm; Collection of the New-York Historical Society

Raining Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks (engraving)
602573 Raining Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks (engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; (add.info.: Very unpleasant weather, or, The old saying verified - Raining Cats)

To pursue it with forks and hope, from The Hunting of the Snark
1202325 To pursue it with forks and hope, from The Hunting of the Snark, an Agony in Eight Fits, by Lewis Carroll, pub. 1876 (engraving) by Holiday

Battle for civil use in the Marche region, inhabitants of a village who attack the shepherds... (colour litho)
2815642 Battle for civil use in the Marche region, inhabitants of a village who attack the shepherds... (colour litho) by Beltrame

Norwegian girl during harvest (colour photo)
3102818 Norwegian girl during harvest (colour photo) by Norwegian Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Norwegian girl during harvest)

London Going out of Town or The March of Bricks and Mortar
2562216 London Going out of Town or The March of Bricks and Mortar, 1829 (hand-coloured engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English

The Pigs Possessed, or the Broad bottom d Litter running headlong into the Sea of
2632306 The Pigs Possessed, or the Broad bottom d Litter running headlong into the Sea of Perdition, 1807 (coloured engraving) by Gillray

Don Giovanni in Disguise (chromolitho)
735465 Don Giovanni in Disguise (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Don Giovanni in Disguise)

The Witches, 1510 (woodcut)
5858420 The Witches, 1510 (woodcut) by Grien, Hans Baldung (1484/5-1545); 38.9A--27 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; (add.info.: second of two states); German, out of copyright

British soldiers helping French farmers during the Second World War. 14th March 1940

Farmhands seen here building a haystac, Circa 1952

Barnet Industrial School - Hay Harvest
Boys with pitchforks load hay onto a wagon at the Barnet Industrial School, Hertfordshire. Date: early 1900s

Crystal Palace, glass blowers
Glass blowers at Chances Works, Spon Lane, Birmingham manufacturing glass for the Crystal Palace Date: 1850

Mad Dog, pub. 1826 (hand coloured etching)

Very Unpleasant Weather or the Old Saying verified Raining Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks, 1835
Very Unpleasant Weather or the Old Saying verified Raining Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks, published by Thomas McLean, 26 Haymarket, August 1st 1835, (hand coloured engraving)

The Destruction Of Charles Balloon Paris France August 27 1783 Jacques Alexandre CA©sar Charles 1746 - 1823 French
The Destruction Of Charles Balloon Paris France August 27 1783 Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles 1746 - 1823 French Chemist Physicist And Aeronaut From The Book Wondeful Balloon Ascents Or The Conquest

Mayford School, Woking - Farmyard
Farmyard at Mayford School, near Woking, Surrey. Boys with pitchforks work at a haystack. Another carries buckets. Date: circa 1930

WW2 - British Land Girls at work
WW2 - Four British Land Girls at work with hay-laden pitchforks resting on their shoulders. Date: circa 1942

Suffragette on Bonfire West Chislehurst 1908. A group of of men with pitchforks place two suffragette figures on top of the bonfire at West Chislehurst, Kent

Cartoon, Polish view of German reservists, WW1
Cartoon depicting a satirical Polish view of the German reservist army (or Landsturm) with makeshift weapons including pitchforks during the First World War. Date: September 1914

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"Pitchforks: A Historical Tool of Labor, Rebellion, and Resilience" In the haymaking fields of the 1930s, under a scorching sun, farmers toiled with pitchforks in hand. These humble tools were essential for gathering and tossing hay into neat piles, ensuring a bountiful harvest. Centuries earlier, an engraving from Harper's Weekly depicted the aftermath of John Brown's invasion in the South. The image showcased angry Southerners brandishing pitchforks as they confronted this act of rebellion against slavery. Another engraving from 1806 illustrated "The Process of Thrashing. " Here, pitchforks played a vital role in separating grain from its husks – an arduous task that required strength and precision. Dorothea Lange captured the essence of hard work on a Northern Oregon farm in 1939. Her lens immortalized farmworkers wielding pitchforks while loading hay onto carts – their resilience etched into every line on their faces. Artistic depictions also found inspiration in these formidable tools. In "La Guerre des Paysans, " painted around 1875, peasants armed with pitchforks rallied together against oppression and injustice. Even literature embraced the symbolism behind these sharp prongs. Mephistopheles arrived in Hell alongside Faust carrying his trusty pitchfork – a visual representation of evil's arrival amidst chaos. But not all associations were negative; some tales held moments of heroism. A color lithograph recounted how a young peasant armed only with a trident saved a little girl's life during an emergency intervention - showcasing bravery born out of necessity. Pitchforks even made appearances during unusual events like bull-hunts or when peasants attacked Jacques Charles' balloon after it landed unexpectedly at Gonesse in 1783 - demonstrating versatility beyond agricultural labor. Through history’s ups and downs, one thing remained constant: the pitchfork's ability to adapt.