HOROLOGICAL SHOP TOOLS 1700 to 1900

Horological Shop Tools 1700 to 1900.

By Theodore R. Crom. 1980. 9" x 12", buckram hard cover,casebound, archival heavy coated paper, 694 pages, approximately 1400illustrations, 21 in full color. Contains many reprint pages of early 18th-19thcentury tool plates, five complete reprints of 18th-19th century toolcatalogues, photos of surviving 18th-19th century tools, explains use andhistory of hundreds of such tools. Bibliography and Index. Less than 400copies available. Price...$US 151.00.

• Page xiv. A "Vice" in the English language is both a sin and a tool for holding objects. In the American language a "vice is a sin and a "vise" is a tool. Since many of the tools here are English in origin, the author chose to use the English spelling.
• Page 138. The partnership of Thomas Green and John Wyke ended in 1782. for details see Page 119 of Trade Catalogues 1542 to 1842.
• Page 140. Fig.209. At the top left corner is shown a massive wheel cutting engine. Only two are known to exist, one in the BHI Upton Hall sighed by Wyke & Green, thus prior to 1782. The other one is in the author's collection, sighned only by Thomas Green, indicating it was produced between 1782 and 1811, the period when Thomas Green was on his own. SeeTrade Catalogues 1542 to 1842.
• Page 183, 199. Stubs Plate 14. The uprighting tool is erroneously named a "pitching tool". This was copied by the engraver from the circa 1775 Daniel Mather catalogue. See EARLY LANCHASHIRE HOROLOGICAL TOOLS AND THEIR MAKERSfor the complete Mather catalogue and a discussion of this error.
• Page 225. Daniel Fenn was born in Bedford, some 50 miles north of London. Apprentice records as determined by Mr. Dennis (Who) Moore of the Prescot Watch Museum. See Book 11, Page 45 of Apprentice Records at Kew Record Office, London.
• Page 247. Mr. Bottum also patented a simple little hair spring stregth guage in 1859, one of which is in the author's collection.
• End of entered updates through October 16, 1997

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• Page 8. Francis Thompson was in business on St.Ann's Lane during 1751-54. For more concerning Mr. Thompson, see Horological and Other Shop Tools 1700 to 1900
• Page 25. fig. 28. This is the style engine produced by Huylot in the 1740-60 period. See Page 180.
• Page 55. Fig. 78. What is described as a diestock is correctly named a Tap stock. Mr Roger Davies of Coulsdon, England, a marvelous craftsman brought this to my attention.
• Page 57. Fig. 84. Item 16 holds a screw by its head while the small end of the screw is polished. Item 14 may serve the same purpose as offered for Item 19. The drawing is so indistinct it is difficult to tell. Item 19 could be a small tool for polishing the pivot down inside the verge crown wheel. The author has such a tool in his collection.
• Page 60. Fig 93. Over the years many have discussed when formed cutters were used in wheel cuttting engines, not just "saws". Thiout writing in 1741 illustrates many tools, most of which were in use well before his book plates were engraved and the book published. At the top right hand corner of Thiout's Plate 17 is shown an arbor for a wheel cutting engine which includes a formed cutter. This certainly dates the formed cutter prior to say 1740.
• Page 99. An example of the wonderful vice illustrated, figure 1, exists in the collection of the Conservatoire National des Arts and Metier in Paris. It was quite probably made by Hulot.
• Page 107. Hulot had a two meter diameter master dividing plate used for making dividing plates for horologists. See "Pierre La Rousse The Grand Universal Dictionary 1873". On a wheel cutting engine circa 1740-50 in the author's collection is signed "Divise par Hulot AParis". The A and P are engraved as a single letter, typical of the fine French engravers of the period. See Horological and Other Shop Tools 1700 to 1900 Page 374 for an illustration of this signature, dividing plate and complete engine.
• Page 108. L'art du Tourneur Mecanicien is one volume of a whole series of books on the arts and crafts planned to be written. The project was never completed, but a number ofthe books did get published as did this one.
• Page 160. Fig. 262. Note the negative rake on the fusee cutters at the bottom center of the plate. Negative rake is used for turning brass.
• Page 172. Peter Stubs supplied engraver Joseph Smith with a William Whitmore and a Daniel Mather catalogue to copy from. These two catalogues were much copied from John Wyke's catalogue circa 1760. Thus, the tools in Stubs 1801 catalogue were the tools of the 1750's. Unfortunately there are no catalogues or books between 1760 and 1810 which illustrate tools marketed during that time. See Early Lancashire Horological Tools and Their Makers. The first copper plate printing of the Stubs catalogue in 1801 consisted of fifty copies. By 1805 Stubs was supplying about one catalogue per week to his customers.
• Page 219. Plate Figure 1. A very similar fusee engine exists at the British Horological Institute, Upton Hall, Upton England.
• Page 226. "English Mechanic And World of Science" Oct. 10, 1873, reports "Notice of Removal,- Fenn & Co. General Tool Merchants (Successors to Joseph Fenn, 105 & 106 Newgate Street) will Remove on the 29th Sept., 1873 to their new premises, 10, Railway Approach, London-Bridge. This information furnished by Roger Davies, Coulsdon, England; 25 Sept. 1985.
• Page 362. Figure 750 and 753. At least one other potence tool stamped Yoxon is known. In the Kew apprentice records, Book 10, Page 11 Mr. Dennis Moore has located the name of John Yoxon, watch tool maker, St. Clement-Dome (London) taking an apprentice, Thomas Carruthers, 19 May 1724. This might be the maker of the tool of Figure 753.
• Page 359-360. List of Lancashire, England toolmakers has been greatly expanded by Mr. Dennis Moore at The Prescot Watch Museum, Prescot, England. The information is available to the public, but not yet in print. Additional information appears in other books by this author, including complete reprints of 18th and 19th century tool catalogues and a detailed history of John Wyke and Thomas Green of Liverpool. See Trade Catalogues - 1542 to 1840.
  Daniel Mather of Toxteth Park, just south of Liverpool, published a horological tool catalogue about 1775. At time of writing Horological Shop Tools no copies of the Mather catalogue were known to exist. Since then three copies of the catalogue have surfaced, one unsigned copy in a London collector's library, a fine multi-signed copy now in this author's library, and the Mather & Lassell complete copy in the Chateau des Monts, Le Locle, Switzerland. The author's copy is completely reproduced in Early Lanchashire Horological Tools and Their Makers with comments and Mather history.
• A bit of information to add to the list.
  Bower, John. A magnificant wheel cutting engine from the Bond Chronometer shop, Boston is at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
  Mills, William 9 Woodbridge Street, Clerkewell, London. Mills continued John Bower's business, producing lathes, including rose engines, at least two of which survive.
  Ford & Company, makers of engine and oval lathes, weighing machines, 1760 to 1778. Became Ford, Whitmore & Brunton about 1778. See Page 119 herein. For extensive information about this firm. See Trade Catalogues - 1542 to 1840.
  Gratzel, Phillipp of south Germany, 18th century, wheel cutting engine.
  Kircheim, Thomas. early 1700 wheel cutting engine.
• Page 410. Figure 833. The tool shown with the saw inserted is now back in service of the case making trade. It was given in 1997 to Gideon Levingston, gifted case maker of Bath, England for regular use.
• Page 445. The cylinder milling tool shown in Figure 891, with the identification in Figure 892, C.R. in a shield, represents Constant Renaud a Ballenans, Varrin (probably a small Swiss cimmunity), circa 1880.
• Page 454. Fig 906 and 907 have incorrect and reversed captions. Figure 906 illustrates the mainspring almost completely wound, with most of the cable, catgut or chain on the fusee. Figure 907 shows the positon when the mainspring is run down and the stop on the fusee has come home, leaving a bit of gut on the fusee. Incidentally these two illustrations show the rare "Reverse Fusee" believed by its users to put less load and hence less wear on the pivot holes.
• Page 457. Figure 911. Mr. Warren G. Ogden, Jr. was the owner of the Berthoud fusee engine. Around 1983-4 Mr. Ogden most kindly and without prior notification mailed the tool as a gift to this author. Sometimes it pays to wish, although it was never anticipated this wish would come true. One day it is expected the tool will be housed at the Smithsonian Institutin along with the author's other antique horological tools, at the same price Mr. Ogden demanded, a simple thank you.
• Page 479. Figure 938. This very sensitive micrometer was used in developing coefficients of temperature elongation of metals. The dial indicator was attached to a base mounted on a larger base, at the far end of wich was adevice for securing a metal bar to be tested. The other end of the small rectangular bar, perhaps nine to twelve inches long, was butted just barely in touch with the rectangular bar shown projeced from the dial indicator in Figure 938. Beneath the test bar were several small lamps which provided a uniform heating to the bar. As the bar warmed and elongated, recordings were made of temperature change and elongation. I do not know how the temperature was measured. A complete example of the entire device is located in the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metier, Paris.
• Page 546. Figure 1091. The tool negative has been reversed, so that in the caption, right is left and left is right.
• Page 559. Figure 1114. Caption correction, Mr. Randall remained in Switzerland only eighteen months.
• Page 561. Figure 1118. Mr. Parkes referred to these items as "double sticks".
• Page 584. Figure 1155. Dr. Torrens spent much time in Switzerland with the horological workers. He could have aquired this machine-a-raboter almost anywhere.
• Page 589. The Plate dates back to at least 1804 as published in earlier books.
• Page 618. Wijbe Wijbrandi was working in 1600. He wrote that he made his own files. At that time few if any professional toolmakers were catering to the horological trade.
• Page 637. Since publication two more engines have surfaced, a Wyke and Green in the British Horological Institute and a very similar one by Thomas Green, now in the author's collection. See Trade Catalogues - 1542 to 1840.
• Page 641. See Early Lanchashire Horological Shop Tools and Their Makers for a nice view of Frog Lane when Samuel Nelson was located there in 1774.
• Page 678. Mr. Van Hoesen's name is incorrectly spelled in the index.
• Page 673. Index. Bluing Tool is located alphabetically incorrect. It should come some ten lines earlier.
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• End of entered updates through December 29, 1997
  

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  1). Horological Wheel Cutting Engines 1700 to 1900 page
  2). Horological Shop Tools 1700 to 1900. page
  3). Horological & Other Shop Tools 1700 to 1900 page
  4). Trade Catalogues 1542 to 1842 page
  5). An Eighteenth Century English Brass Hardware Catalogue page
  6). Early Lancashire Horological Tools & Their Makers page
  7). A list of other publications with articles by Theodore R. Crom page
  8.) Ordering Information page
  9.) Photo Gallery page
  10.) About the Author: Theodore R. Crom page
  11.) Other Horological and Related Internet Links page
  

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