Tool Collection (page 100)

Joseph Whitworth, British engineer and inventor, c1880. Whitworth (1803-1887) produced the standard screw thread which bears his name and invented numerous machine tools

Natives of the Arctic, 1825-1835. People dressed in animal skins, using a thong drill to make fire (blister method). From Costume Antico et Moderno. (Rome, 1825-1835)

Smelting of ores (gold, silver, copper and lead), 1556. A workman beats clay to make lute to line a furnace. On the floor are various tools needed during the smelting process

Lead smelting, 1556. From De re metallica by Agricola (Georg Bauer). (Basel, 1556)

A Sawrian, 1836. Artist: John Scott
A Sawrian, 1836. Cartoon on Gideon Mantell (1790-1852) the English geologist who discovered a saurian, the Iguanodon, near Cuckfield, Sussex, in 1820

Interior, Thomas Firth & Sons Norfolk Works, Sheffield, c1890. Twelve men, each with a work station facing a window, hand-cutting files from blanks of crucible steel

General view of an Alum works in the Whitby area, Yorkshire, 1814. Artist: Havell & Son
General view of an Alum works in the Whitby area, Yorkshire, 1814. Steeping crumbled ore in water in pits to dissolve out salts which will be processed to produce alum

Glass manufacturing, 1760. Making crown glass by blowing (left) and plate glass by casting (right). Glass workers were susceptible to cataracts caused by the glare of the furnace

Button Maker, 1823. Stamping out metal buttons. A blank is held in place and a weight holding the die for the pattern being worked is raised by a rope and pulley wheel and dropped onto the blank

The Cutler, 1823. Knife blades are shaped at a forge in the background and sharpened on a grindstone turned by a wheel operated by the boy on the right

The Railway Carriage Companys works, Oldbury, West Midlands, 1869. The forge, showing the mass production of components at about 40 identical forges

Pen grinding room, Hanks, Wells & Cos factory, Birmingham, West Midlands, 1851. More than 50 women sit at individual grindstones finishing metal pen nibs

Glass cutters at their wheels, c1870. The vessel to be cut is held against a rotating wheel powered by steam through belt and shafting

Model of a joiners hand saw, c1816. The saw is marked with a crown and WR patent, and has a steel blade and brass handle. Photographed with a coin for scale

Pewter-making, c1750s. Plate taken from volume VIII of Encyclopedie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonne de Science, des Arts et des Metiers

Cutlery-making, c1750s. Plate taken from volume II of Encyclopedie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonne de Science, des Arts et des Metiers

Turning wood, 1754. Artist: I Hinton
Turning wood, 1754, taken from the New and Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences - Supplement (1754) by J Barlow. The plate shows two scenes of wood turning with two different kinds of treadle

Silver Bowl from a Sarmatian Tomb, 4th-5th century. The Sarmatians were a large confederation of Iranian people during classical antiquity, flourishing from about 5th century BC to 4th century

Paleolithic Quartz Flake Tool from Olduvai, 1 to 2 million years old

Roman soldiers building a fort, Trajans Column, Rome, c2nd century. Triumphal column in Rome, Italy, commemorating Roman emperor Trajans victory in the Dacian Wars. Completed in AD 113

Roman relief of a Shop Selling Knives, c2nd century

Roman Soldiers building fort in the Dacian Wars, Trajans Column, Rome, c2nd century. Triumphal column in Rome, Italy, commemorating Roman emperor Trajans victory in the Dacian Wars

Roman soldiers building a fort in the Dacian campaign, Trajans Column, Rome, c2nd century. Triumphal column in Rome, Italy, commemorating Roman emperor Trajans victory in the Dacian Wars

Roman soldiers working on construction, Trajans Column, Rome, c2nd century. Triumphal column in Rome, Italy, commemorating Roman emperor Trajans victory in the Dacian Wars. Completed in AD 113

Roman relief of a shoe-maker or repairer from Rheims, France, c1st-2nd century

Bronze Artefacts Chisel, Axes, Sickle from Bavaria, South Germany, Bronze Age, 12th-8th century BC
Bronze Artefacts Chisel, Axes, Sickle from Bavaria, South Germany, Bronze Age 12th-8th century BC

Paleolithic Polishing Stone for Sharpening Bone Harpoons from Dordogne, c50, 000BC-c10, 000 BC
Paleolithic Polishing Stone for Sharpening Bone Harpoons from Dordogne, c50, 000-10, 000 BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most

Paleolithic Stone Lamp from La Mouthe, France, 50, 000BC-10, 000BC
Paleolithic Stone Lamp from La Mouthe, France, 50, 000-10, 000BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools

Paleolithic Flint Handaxe from Chelles, 500, 000 to 100, 000 BC, (c20th century). Seine et maine France: Chellean, lower levels

Viking Burial of Man with Axe, Spear, Sword, Knives, Shield and Belt Buckle, 9th-10th century. Norway: Reconstruction of a burial

Iron Implements from the Celtic, Iron Age, Oppidum at Manching, Germany, 1st century BC

3 bronze sickles, Buckinghamshire, London and Ireland, c1100BC-700 BC

Bronze Axe, Bronze Age, Yorkshire, c1800BC-1600 BC

Bronze Flanged Axe from a hoard at Arreton Down, Isle of Wight, c1600BC-1400BC
Bronze Flanged Axe from a hoard at Arreton Down, Isle of Wight c1600BC-1400BC

Two Bronze, Celtic Iron Age Sword Blades, France, 800BC-400 BC
Two Bronze, Celtic Iron Age Sword Blades, France, 800-400 BC

Roman Iron Agricultural Tools at Chatillon-Sur-Seine. France, c1st-2nd century

Paleolithic Engraving on bone of a Man from Mas d Azil, France, c50, 000BC-c10, 000 BC
Paleolithic Engraving on bone of a Man from Mas d Azil, France, c50, 000-10, 000 BC. Paleolithic age is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive

Laying a Hedge using a Billhook, Yorkshire, England, c1960. Artist: CM Dixon
Laying a Hedge using a Billhook, Yorkshire, England, c1960. Farming is an important part of rural history. Laying hedges is just one of the techniques which can be used to manage hedgerows

Hoeing Root Crops, England, c1960. Artist: CM Dixon
Hoeing Root Crops, England, c1960. Farming is an important part of rural history. A hoe is an ancient and versatile agricultural hand tool used to shape the soil, control weeds, clear soil

Celtic Axehead, 6th century
Celtic Iron Age axehead with horseman decoration, from cremation burial no. 641 in Hallstatt, Austria, 6th century

Roman olive presses in the city of Sufetula

Ritual axe-head in the shape of a leopard from Crete, now in the Archaeological Museum in Heracleion

Minoan gold votive double-axe, 16th century BC
Minoan gold votive double-axe from Arkalokhori, Crete. Now at the Archaeological Museum in Iraklion, 16th century BC

The Harvesters Vase from Crete, 16th century
The Harvesters Vase from Crete, now in the Archaeological Museum of Herakleion, 16th century

Western inuit bronze adze haft

Flint polishing stone from Neolithic France
Flint polishing stone for finishing Neolithic stone tools, about two foot long, from France

Italian earthenware plate, Erysichthon felling a tree in grove of Ceres, 16th century
Depiction of Erysichthon felling a tree in the sacred grove of Ceres (Ovids Metamorphoses VIII), on an Italian earthenware plate, from the V&As collection, 16th century

An indian sculpture of a group of marine deities, 1st century
An indian sculpture of a group of marine deities in Gandhara style, from the British Museums collection, 1st century

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Tools: Unveiling the Artistry of Craftsmanship Through Time" From shoeing horses in 1844 to coopers meticulously crafting wooden barrels, tools have played an integral role in shaping our world. In Edwin Henry Landseer's masterpiece from 1938, we witness the dedication and skill of these craftsmen. Blacksmiths, with their trusty tools from 1875, forge iron into magnificent creations that withstand the test of time. Meanwhile, miners toil away at the coalface in South Wales, relying on their specialized tools for a hard day's work. In Norfolk a98_13558, we catch a glimpse of a blacksmith expertly wielding his hammer outside his fiery forge. The Welsh women road builders demonstrate their strength and determination as they construct pathways through South Wales using simple yet effective tools. But it is not just practicality that defines these tools; artistry can be found even in unexpected places. A set of glass eyeballs reminds us of the intricate craftsmanship required to create prosthetics that restore sight and confidence. Leon-Maxime Faivre's "Deux meres (Two Mothers)" transports us to 1888 when mothers relied on various tools to care for their children - nurturing love being one such tool essential for raising future generations. Traveling back further in time, we encounter medieval goldsmiths diligently working on exquisite pieces that adorn royalty and nobility alike. Gold Lunulae and Axehead discovered in St Merryn, Cornwall provide evidence of early Bronze Age craftsmanship at its finest. Lastly, Aleksandr Gerasimov's portrayal captures Lenin during the tumultuous period around 1930-1939 when political ideologies were reshaping nations. Here too lies another kind - ideas wielded by influential figures who shape history itself. Through these glimpses into different eras and tradesmen at work with their respective tools, we come to appreciate how these humble objects have shaped our past and continue to shape our present.