Trowel and Masonry Tool Collector Resource : History

Please note

Because of the lack of published trowel and masonry tool histories, the information here is based on other sources that may be less reliable and certainly are incomplete. These include eBay and tools that I purchase myself that are the starting points for my research. I will write what I know as I learn it. If what you read here interests you, please check back often and look for revisions and corrections. Scanned catalogs are on Archive.org as pdf files. A few are links to other websites. Your photos and information are welcome. Please click on any picture to enlarge it. Comments are welcome, but any with links will be deleted as possible spam.

Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Historic Photographs of Brickyards From Glass Plate Negatives

The first 2 of 3 I will post here.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Traditional White Clothing for Bricklayers, Stone Masons, and Plasterers

Universal Overall Co., Chicago

Traditional clothing for bricklayers, stone masons, and plasterers was more formal than it is today. Plasterers and some stone cutters and masons customarily wore white or cream-colored shirts, pants, and coats. In the USA today, some painters wear white work clothing, but the other trades do not. White painter’s pants, shirts, and overalls are still sold and even made in the US.

Credit for the 1913 Philadelphia photograph is here on Flickr and for the 1976-77 Brooklyn photograph is here on Flickr.

Bricklayers, Frankford Ave. El construction, Philadelphia, 1913

Goldblatt Tool Co. 1939

Italian bricklayers in Brooklyn, NY, 1976 or 1977

Practical Bricklaying by Howard L Briggs

Goldblatt Tool Co. 1939

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Ancient Egyptian Masonry Tools and Techniques

Here are sites with some information on ancient Egyptian masonry tools and techniques:

Ancient Egypt Tools

Composition and development of ancient Egyptian tools

Chisels in Ancient Egypt

Mines and Quarries of Ancient Egypt

How did they build the pyramids?

Egyptian bronze chisel

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Medieval Plasterer's Trowel

This is identified as, "A complete cast copper alloy plasterer's / bricklayer's pointing tool / trowel, of probable Medieval to Post Medieval dating (14th to 17th Centuries AD)." It is from Cheshire East, UK. http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/445044