2:05 PM
COLLECTIONS:
Archives, Libraries, historical societies and other people have helped me to get a handle understanding the Arabia Steamboat Museum's collection.
I just snapped this photo of the reading room at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester Massachusetts where I have been talking with staff about the Steamboat Arabia. And just like you, they are amazed at the collection in Kansas City and research has only scratched the surface what lessons this vast collection of artifacts taken from one sunken steamboat called Arabia can tell.
As you can see- lots is going on. There's a man on the left who is reading vintage newspapers in bound volume, others are reading books and making entries in their computers. And I hope to dive in with the rest of them to follow the paper about the world of the 1850s.
Can anyone identify the tools in this ambrotype?
I titled this posting as "Seeking Information from Fellow Bloggers." When you see this title, it means I need your insight so do email me your guesses, web links or other info.
Thank you for your help,
Elizabeth
Thank you for your help,
Elizabeth
2 comments:
It's hard to tell since it's a bit blurry, but most of what you see are knives and awls. I've got three knives and seven awls in my kit so far. He'd also have a pair of nippers, lasting pliers, and a shoemakers hammer. There's countless other tools that are used, but those are the absolutely necessary ones he'd have easily at reach. His bench side probably is full of tacks, grease pot, lasts, leather bits, and who knows what else. I usually do 18th century shoemaking and I love that his leather apron still looks just like mine! He looks like he's burnishing a sole (or maybe just posing with a finished boot).
What ColeV said - there might be a rasp and closing block (or an old last) in there as well. By the 1850s, there were hundreds and hundreds of different shoemaking tools out there.
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