English. Circa 1900. Steel curved blade with wide rounded tip. Curved hardwood handle with 3 copper rivets. 11 inches (28cms).

Pair. French c1950 found among old stock French ironmongers 2004 clear out

C1900. Steel and ash. 59.5 inches (151cms). Ref 1900 catalogue of Joseph Breck & Sons Boston. Mass. USA.

French 20C. Aluminium with loop through hole in bag. Reference: Cueille-Fruits ‘Sac Pince’. Manufrance catalogue 1951.

English. 20C. Steel and ash. 77 inches (195cms).

Please contact us if you require further information.

French. Mid 20C. Charente. Black japanned tin. Angled mount.

English Mid 20C. Suede and canvas. Worn like a glove.

French. C1900. Nickle plated egg shaped body with original fibre lining and outrigger springs. These were mounted on canes by user. One 1/4 cusp flap bears recurved serrated teeth to pull off fruit. Socket stamped ‘L’Ideal. E. G. Brevette. SDGD. Egg; 6 inches (15cms) x 5 inches (12.5cms). Overall; 9.5 inches (24cms).

French. 20C. Shop label priced in old francs.

Steel basketwork head. Long reach ash handle. 77 inches (186cms).

French. Early 20C. Apple Picker mounted on long cane with spring loaded leather pads operated by metal lever. Lengths of these tools vary. Also sold in England. Ref catalogue entry. 100 inches (254cms).

French. Early to mid 20C. Head with chestnut tines and brass screws to base with long square section pole in pine wood. Example of ‘art populaire’. 83 inches (211cms).

French. 20C. Two bamboo sections with push connectors. Tin gathering frame. 111.5 inches (283cms).

English. 20C. Bent ply and canvas with steel clips to close bag while loading. When clips are released canvas funnel opens to release fruit.

English. C1900. L 24 inches (60cms) x W 7.5 inches (19cms). x H 9 inches (22.3cms).

Fine steel blade. Fanned tip pressed from rod with 4 longitudinal serrations. Brass ferrule. Ash handle. 13.4 inches (34cms).

English. 20C. By Saynor, Cooke and Ridal. Wide serrated steel blade. Rosewood handle and brass ferrule. Stamped ‘Saynor Cooke & Ridal’ and ‘Obtain Sheffield England’. 14 inches (35.5cms).

Late 20C. Asparagus Knife with serrated tanged steel blade and beech handle. 16.75 inches (42.5cms).

English. 20C. By Saynor, Cooke and Ridal. Wide serrated steel blade. Rosewood handle and brass ferrule. Stamped ‘Saynor Cooke & Ridal’ and ‘Obtain Guaranteed’. 14 inches (35.5cms).

English. Mid 20C. Workaday steel Asparagus Knife with forked blade constructed from bar. Ash handle. Traces red paint. 19 inches (48cms).

French. Early 20C. Wrought from bar of steel with serrated cutting edge. Serrations made unilaterally. Beech handle and brass ferrule. 14.75 inches (47.5cms).

USA. Mid 20C. Pressed steel blade and handle with traces red paint. Stamped ‘USA. Pat. 3-8-1927’. 10.4 inches (26.5cms).

Cranked steel stem with traces red paint. Forked tip. Beech handle. 14.25 inches (36.3cms).

Asparagus Gouge. Wide wrought iron blade. Pale hardwood handle. 15.75 inches (40cms).

French. Mid 20C. Cranked steel gouge. Traces turquoise paint. Ash handle. 18.3 inches (46.5cms).

French. Steel from bar and tanged ash handle with copper ferrule. Stamped ‘Vauvare’. 19.5 inches (49.5cms)

French C1900. Steel with hardwood handle. Blade stamped ‘*****FRERES’. ‘Cat Logo’. 21.7 inches (55cms).

Curved serrated steel blade. Chestnut handle. 17 inches (43.3cms).

French. C1900. Serrated steel blade with tang and ebony handle. Brass ferrule. Fine. 18 inches (46cms).

English. c1900. Wrought steel gouge head forged to steel rod. Stamped ‘Sorby’ + Star logo. Wood handle. 17.7 inches (45cms).

French. C1900. Serrated steel blade with tang and ebony handle. Brass bezel. Fine. 19.3 inches (49cms).

Forged steel gouge on bar. Tanged. Ash handle. 20.4 inches (52cms).

English. 20C. By Saynor, Cooke and Ridal. Wide serrated steel blade. Beech handle. Stamped ‘Saynor Cooke & Ridal’ and ‘Obtain Sheffield England’. 14.4 inches (36.5cms).

Steel from rod with serrated cutting edge. Ash handle and steel ferrule. 17.25 inches (43.5cms).

French. Early 20C. Wrought from steel bar. Fine hammered serrations on one side of blade. Ash handle with steel ferrule. Tang and washer. 16.5 inches (42cms).

English. 2010 by ‘Darlac’ Slough. UK. 10.4 inches (26.5cms).

Germany. Early 20C. Curved blade with point guard. Beech handle. Blade stamped ‘J A Henckels. Solingen. Zwillingswerk’ plus ‘Two man logo’. (“Zwilling”, meaning “twin”, is also the German for the astrological sign Gemini.) The factory is in Germany’s most celebrated cutlery town. On 13 June 1731 Peter Henckels registered the “Zwilling” (German for “Twin”) logo with the Cutlers’ Guild of Solingen. This makes Zwilling one of the oldest trademarks in the world. Henckels makes knives today. 14.75 inches (37.5cms).

Delicate wrought steel gouge. Brass ferrule. Hardwood handle. 10.25 inches (26.3cms).

Serrated steel blade. Rosewood handle imprinted ‘L G Dunster’. 1 brass and 4 steel rivets. 12.4 inches (31.5cms).

English. C1900. Oak handle. Serrated steel blade. 14 inches (46cms).

French. Early 20C. Wide 13 toothed steel blade with tang into chestnut handle. Brass bezel. 17.4 inches (44.5cms).

c1900. Very large Asparagus Gouge. Wrought iron gouge on bar. Beech handle. 25.5 inches (64.8cms).

French. 20C. Tanged and toothed curved blade with beech handle. 20.6 inches (52.4cms).

French. 19C. Fine Asparagus Knife. Crude serrated blade with 14 shallow serrations hammered onto one side of steel edge. Beech handle with later hanging hole.10.5 inches (27cms).

English. 19C. Sharp non serrated pitted steel blade and fine hardwood handle. Brass ferrule. 16.6 inches (42.4cms).

English. 20C. copy. For Blackberrying and other collecting.

American. 20C. J O Wennbourg & Co. ‘Habo.’ ‘No.20’ Pale wood, beech handle and rubberised canvas. Steel prongs attached to wood. L 7.8 inches (20cms) x W 7.7 inches (19.6cms) x H 6 inches (20.3cms).

Swedish. 20C. Red painted galvanised steel. L 9.7 inches (24.6cms) x W 4.7 inches (12cms) x H 3.3 inches (8cms).

American. Late 1930s. All steel. Home Made by Peter Kosar of Archbald Pennsylvania. Used to subsist on mountain blueberries and raspberries in North Eastern Penn. W 8 inches (20.2cms) x L 8 inches (20.2cms).

Czek Republic. 19C. Hardwood. L 7.8 inches (20cms) x W 4.5 inches (11.5cms) x H 2 inches (5cms).

French. 20C. ‘Velay. France.’ Stained beech. L 7.4 inches (18.7cms) x W 5.25 inches (13.3cms) x H 4 inches (10.1cms).

French. C1900. Elm and pine wood with steel nails for teeth. Arte populaire. 10.6 inches (27cms).

English. 19C. Cant Hook. Used to manipulate logs by pulling and pushing. Very similar to the Ice Hook used in North America for manipulating blocks of ice sawn from lakes for refrigeration in the great houses.

French. Early 20C. Chicory Lifter. Forked steel blade and T-handle. 19.5 inches (49.5cms).

French. Early 20C. Forked steel blade and ash T-handle. 22.5 inches (57cms).

English early 20C. Stainless steel and rosewood by C T Skelton & Co. 11.5 inches (28.9cms) x 1.5 inches (4cms).

English. Late 19C. Steel and laburnum with 3 brass rivets. Made by Thos Ibbotson & Co. Stamp not legible. 9.5 inches (24.2cms).

By James Howarth. Sheffield. Tool only: 10.75 inches (27.3cms) x 1.75 inches (4.6cms).

English. 19C. Sutton Birmingham. Featured in Sutton’s catalogue of 1884 and Holtzapffel & Co Haymarket. Garden Tools & Sundries 1926. p3. 11.3 inches (28.8cms) x 1.3 inches (3.4cms).

English. 19C. 10 inches (25.8cms) x 1.3 inches (3.4cms).

English. Sold by the Army and Navy Store seed department. Tool only: 11.25 inches (28.2cms) x 1.75 inches (4.4cms).

English. 19C. H&S. 11.5 inches (29.4cms) x 1.75 inches (4.5cms).

19C. Ellis & Co Sheffield. Made in England. 11.25 inches (28.4cms) x 1.75 inches (4.4cms).

English. 19C. All steel.

English. 19C. Steel scooped blade buttressed to V-shaped socket. Hardwood handle. 3 rivets. 11.3 inches (29cms).

English. Circa 1900. Steel blade length of tool. Mahogany handle with 3 steel rivets. No makers stamp. 11 inches (28cms).

English. late 19C. Steel Fern Trowel with cantilevered bridge. Mahogany handle with 3 brass rivets. 11 inches (28cms).

English.Late 19C. Steel and rosewood with 3 brass rivets. Made by Thos Ibbotson & Co. Stamped on blade ‘Logo’ ‘Thos Ibbotson & Co. Thos Ibbotson founded 1825 was bought out by Marples and son in 1909. 9.5 inches (24cms).

English. C1900. Jointed ash staff and swingle with leather link and binding. Handle length 57.7 inches (146.5cms).
Used to thresh corn by hand. Gradually superceded by machines after 1850 but still used into the 20C by smaller farms.

English. c1930. Ex Sissinghurst. For rose collection – with scissor holder. Woven cane handled basket with steel spike on cane rod. Cane bears traces varnish. 41.5 inches (105.5cms) x 12 inches (30.3cms).

English. Early 20C. Manufactured from oak by ‘Monro Horticultural Sundries Ltd. ‘ Waltham Cross. Herts. UK. (est 1899). JFC Monro is still in business today (2013). L 19 inches (48.5cms) x W 6 inches (15cms) x H 6.5 inches (16.5cms). Ref Monro 1951 Handbook and Catalogue.

English. 1910 – 1935. 36 inches (90cms). Yellow cane with pollen brush screwed into end. Cane with Pollen Dusting Brush and Brass blade cover. ‘Fruit’ and ‘Fleur’. ‘A D Brevets. Cueilleuse – Dubois’
Created and patented in France Sold over Europe esp England First appeared in Suttons catalogues in 1905. as Flower Gatherer (Dubois) at 18/6pence was supplied with brass cap but these are as rare as hens teeth.
Sold by Underwoods 56 Haymarket London. W.
This type of gadget cane is discussed by Catherine Dike, page 249 in Cane Curiosa. She suggests that without a bamboo sheath, this cane should be identified as a garden implement. However, the presence of the extended steel ferrule and the shape of the handle suggest that the present lot can easily be identified as a gardener’s or botanist’s cane.
Dubois made a similar tool except with tiny serrated gripper possibly sold as a watch or jewellery picker from shop window.

British. 1960’s. Long handled Flower Gatherer. ‘The Baronet’. 31 inches (79cms) 14oz. Ref: Woodmans Pinner catalogue 1964.

English. 1860. Manufactured by Walter Thornhill and sold by Underwoods at 56 Haymarket. London. stamped W Thornhill & Co. London. Some of these Gatherers were stamped ‘VcrownR. Underwood. 56 Haymarket. London’. They were offered in Thornhills catalogue in 1860. 3 sizes with slight variations. Longer size 49 inches (124.5cms).

Please contact us if you require further information.

1860 by Underwood Haymarket London. Sold as Conservatory flower gatherer. Pictured in Thornhill’s catalogue of that date. Ref Antiques from the garden by Alistair Morris. Later sold by William Marples & Sons. Sheffield as flower and grape gatherer. This instrument was depicted in Loudon’s Encyclopaedia of Gardening in the 1820’s (figs 414 & 387) as a grape gatherer. Also shown and illustrated in Thompsons Gardeners Assistant 1888 as Fruit and Flower Gatherer. Later sold as Flower and Grape Gatherer by Wm Marples Sheffield.

English. 1910 – 1935. 36 inches (90cms). Black cane with pollen brush screwed into end. Cane with Pollen Dusting Brush and Brass blade cover.
Created and patented in France Sold over Europe esp England First appeared in Suttons catalogues in 1905. as Flower Gatherer (Dubois) at 18/6pence was supplied with brass cap but these are as rare as hens teeth.
Sold by Underwoods 56 Haymarket London. W.

Pistol grip. Steel and beech. Coil sprung head with opposing grabbing blades. Embossed ‘2’. 41 inches (104.5cms).

French. C 1914. Double hinge for medium reach and cutting and holding blades. All steel construction. Advertised as ‘Cueille-Fleurs, Tres Leger a Longue Branche’. 15.75 inches (40cms).

English Early 20C. The ‘Little Gripper’ Patent garden tool. Ref: Harrods catalogue 1907 and Holtzapffel catalogue 1925. p17. Faux tortoishell patterned bamboo stem and engraved brass knop with steel lever. Steel pincer gripper with split pin fulcrum and internal coil spring. Harrods catalogue described a ‘Garden Tool that cuts & holds flowers and fruits, prunes and draws weeds, all without stooping, bending over beds and getting dirty and wet’. 37.25 inches (94.8cms).

Cane with Pollen Dusting Brush and Brass blade cover. Very long model 1910 – 1935
Created and patented in France Sold over Europe esp England First appeared in Suttons catalogues in 1905. as Flower Gatherer (Dubois) at 18/6pence was supplied with brass cap but these are as rare as hens teeth.
Sold by Underwoods 56 Haymarket London.
This type of gadget cane is discussed by Catherine Dike, page 249 in Cane Curiosa. She suggests that without a bamboo sheath, this cane should be identified as a garden implement. However, the presence of the extended steel ferrule and the shape of the handle suggest that the present lot can easily be identified as a gardener’s or botanist’s cane.
Dubois made a similar tool except with tiny serrated gripper possibly sold as a watch or jewellery picker from shop window.

French. 19C. Averruncator style. With blades and with holding bar for flower gathering.

Please contact us if you require further information.

French version of the Rolcut type. By ‘Pradines’. ‘Pradines’ was a trademark from 1865 when secateur production was started. in 1934 Roger Deville bought the trademark. in 1959 the company of 35 employees leaves Les Mureaux Paris and set up in Bauge, Maine et Loire.
With partly serrated cutting and holding blade and white bakelite grip. 23.5 inches (59.5cms).

Please contact us if you require further information.

French version of the Rolcut type. By ‘Pradines’. With partly serrated cutting and holding blade and red painted aluminium grip. ‘Pradines’ was a trademark from 1865 when secateur production was started. in 1934 Roger Deville bought the trademark. in 1959 the company of 35 employees leaves Les Mureaux Paris and set up in Bauge, Maine et Loire. 23 inches (58.5cms).

French/English. Early 20C. Cane with Pollen Dusting Brush and Brass blade cover. Long model 1910 – 1935
Created and patented in France Sold over Europe esp England First appeared in Suttons catalogues in 1905. as Flower Gatherer (Dubois) at 18/6pence was supplied with brass cap but these are as rare as hens teeth.
Sold by Underwoods 56 Haymarket London. The brass cap in this case is a simple push on cap in brass with steel tip without a finial and is not screwed on as was usual. This example almost unused and bears original varnish.

French. C1900. Steel scissors operated by thumb lever on horn handle mounted on long slender nickle plated brass rod. Made by ‘Favier’. 58.75 inches (149cms).

English. 20C. Boxed Flower Picker . 'The Long-Picka' by Joseph Rodgers & Sons Ltd. Sheffield England. Sprung pressure grip handle and cutter assembly sliding in gallery. Sprung stem holder mounted on cutter. Chromium plated throughout. 22 inches (56cms).
A cutler called Joseph or John Rodgers operated out of a building in Hawley Croft close to location of Sheffield’s present day cathedral. In 1730 what are claimed to be his two sons Maurice and Joseph took over.
The mark of The Star and Maltese Cross was originally registered in March 1682 by a Benjamin Rich. However, it is with Rodgers that this mark will forever by associated and they registered it in 1764.
With increasing business in what is thought to have been exclusively Pocket Knives, in around 1780, the firm moved to larger premises at No. 6 Norfolk Street. Eventually, as Rodgers expanded, it would acquire surrounding property until the famous Norfolk Street Works occupied the entire plot. (The property was sold in 1929, and the site, which is now a Bingo Hall, is marked with a plaque.)
Around 1800, Rodgers’ product range broadened into razors, table cutlery and scissors and in 1821 the firm was appointed cutlers to The Royal Family
the company could not escape the decline of Sheffield's cutlery industry. In the late 1900’s the firm endured a tumultuous time. The Egginton Group bought the rights to the name and trademarks in 1986 which meant that fine Joseph Rodgers knives would continue to be produced in Sheffield, the home of cutlery.

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English. C early 20C. Metal 5 tined pair of grabbers with faded green paint. One grabber operated by long metal shaft with ash grip alongside ash rod bearing grabber and fulcrum plate. 39.75 inches (101cms).

English. Silver plated with cutting scissor and bloom holding spring. Stamped ‘DRGM 152343’. 6 inches (15.3cms).

English. 20C. Steel cutting blades and holding spring and grey bakelite handles. 7.5 inches (19cms).

English. 20C. All steel. 6.25 inches. Sold by several manufacturers as Pruning Scissors in other sizes. Ref George Harding 1935 catalogue and Wm Wood 1938.(16cms) x 3 inches (7.7cms).

American. 20C. All steel with green painted handles.Stamped on blade ‘*** Flower Shear USA’. 6.7 inches (17cms).

English. 20C. Wingfield & Co. 6.25 inches (16cms).

Steel with traces of black paint on handles. Stamped ‘Dryad. Leicester’. 6 inches (15.5cms).

English. 20C. Stamped ‘332 Whitely. Sheffield’ and on reverse ‘Sheffield. England’. 6.25 inches (16cms).

Steel and bone. Bone scales. Locking clip and coil spring. 6.7 inches (16.8cms).

Stamped ‘Tiger. Taiwan’. on red handle. ‘Patent. NY. Cut 26824’. 5.5 inches (14cms).

French. 19C. Sprung steel flower snips or topiary snips. Leather holder and brass rivet. Brass chain missing from rivet attachment. Forcette. Paris. 7.5 inches (19cms).

English. 20C Flower Scissors. Stamped ‘Kutrite Sheffield. England’. Red painted handles. Steel with 1 blade serrated. 5.5 inches (14cms).

English. 20C. Steel and green stained beech with spring and clip. Stamped ‘Made in England’. 6.5 inches (16.5cms).

Swiss. 20C. Cut and hold Flower Scissors. Stainless steel and Mahogany with 4 brass rivets. Tempered steel holding spring along blades and fixed to tips. ‘Victoria-Inox. Made in Switzerland. Rostfrei Stainless. Patent Ang’. 7.5 inches (18.5cms).

Italian. 20C. Steel scissors stamped ‘Made in Italy’. 5.5 inches (15cms).

English. 20C. Fedco. Stamped ‘Fedco. Sheffield. England. One blade serrated. 5.5 inches (14cms).

English C1852. Brass with sprung steel holding clip. Stamped ‘Flora. Williams. Patent 8618’. 9.75 inches (24.8cms).

America. C1900. Heavy gauge steel scissor. Stamped USA. 82 and C. Later punched initial ‘F’. 7 inches (17.7cms).

C1900. Flower Scissors in steel with cantilevered action. 8 inches (20cms).

English. C1900. Parsnip Fork. 2 prong steel and ash T-handle. 2 rivets. Stamped ‘Brades. Made in England. 775’. 37 inches (94cms).

English. C1900. Parsnip Fork. 2 prong steel and ash D-handle. 2 rivets. Stamped ‘Brades Co’. 36 inches (92cms).

Silver plated. Stamped ‘F’. 7.2 inches (18cms).

French. 20C. 3 pronged Hay Fork with metal bindings. 72.5 inches (185CMS).

English. Early 20C. Steel blade stamped ‘JA’ and ‘*ussell’. Later ash handle. Blade 32.75 inches (83cms) x 5.75 inches (14.5cms).

Hay knives were later also termed ‘Silage Knives’.

French. Hand forged steel. 16 inches (40.5cms) x 10.75 inches (27.5cms).

French. 20C. Home made with simple bent rod handle welded to back of blade. 21 inches (53cms) x 3.5 inches (9.2cms).

English. 20C. Used for gathering ice in the Ice Houses of the great estates.

French. Early 20C. For collection of small pieces of ice from the icehouse.

English. 20C. ‘Warranted’. Lacquered beech handle and decorative steel 5 prong head. 10.75 inches (27.3cms) x 3 inches (7.9cms).

English. Early 19C. Bronze and mahogany. Used with the Ice Canister for spooning ice for kitchen use. 23.25 inches (59cms) x 2.75 inches (6.8cms).

English. Early 20C. Painted wood. 2 frames and peg.

French. c1900. Cutter and pulling hook. Steel composite cutter with 3 bolts holding cutting edge to socketed mount. Ash shaft with wide bottom end and knop. 45.5 inches (116cms).

French or Belgian. Early 20C. Wrought iron cutting head with hook on socket. Securing screw Ash handle. 55.5 inches (141cms).

English. C1900. Wrought steel with ash T-handle. 43 inches (109.5cms).

Eastern Europe. This device protected the fingers when scooping corn stem and cutting with a sickle. A similar wooden tool was used in the 19C in France but without the divided finger compartments.

English. Early 1900’s. Long handled 5 tine Hay Rake. 63 inches (160cms).

English. 20C. Potato Gathering Rake. Steel with 4 flattened prongs. Ash handle. 49 inches (125cms).

French C1900. Provence hay rake head.

French. 19C. ‘Rateau a pommes de terre. 8 metal teeth. For gathering the potatoes on the ground once lifted. Ref: ‘Outils et Objets de Jardin by Albine.

Gold painted. 10 inches (25.5cms) x 3.75 inches (9.7cms).

English. 20C. Sprung alloy with box.

American. 20C. New England States. Collecting maple sap for syrup production. Dia 10.5 inches (27cms) x H 10.3 inches (26cms).

French. C1900. Wrought steel head with cutter and bark hook on ash shaft with knop end. Used for gathering pine resin or sap. Subimage shows Sap Pot from Provence. 41 inches (104cms).

French. Early 20C. For collecting pine resin. Southern France.

English. 19C. Wrought iron Seed gathering Scissors. Seed heads are snipped and the 2 dished blades catch seeds. 9.5 inches (24cms).

Ash wood spade in one piece. Attached knop on handle. Blade clad in steel with lateral cutter. Decorative inserts on blade wood stamped ‘DG’. 32.5 inches (82.5cms).

Please contact us if you require further information.

Irish. 1800’s. Peat or Turf Cutting Spade. Rough hewn ash bentwood handle and blade support. Iron blade with lateral cutter wrapped to blade support. 43 inches (109cms).

Irish. C1900. ‘Loy’ Spade. Bent sheet metal blade. Pine handle and wedge. The Loy was traditionally used for cultivating the potato. In the 19th century, these were grown in a potato ridge, sometimes known as a lazy bed. Sods were turned from either side to form the ridge. This was sometimes called copin the sods, and the sods forming the sides of the ridge were called cope sods. A sod of earth about 60 cm wide on each side of the intended ridge was lifted by the Loy and turned over so that the grassy sides were together. Narrow ridges were most often made with sets of around twelve sods. Loy ploughing took place on very small farms or on very hilly ground, where horses could not work or where farmers could not afford them and were used up until the 1960s in poorer land. This suited the moist climate of Ireland as the trenches formed by turning in the sods provided drainage. It also allowed the growing of potatoes in bogs as well as on mountain slopes where no other cultivation could take place. 43.3 inches (110.4cms).

Irish or Scottish. 19C. Peat Spade with horn grip and paddle shaped spade clad in folded steel. Traces orange paint. 51.5 inches (130.5cms).

Irish or Scottish. 19C. Peat gatherer with rams horn handle. Wooden spade clad in steel. 47.5 inches (121cms) x 6 inches (15cms).

Southern India. The Windermere Estate.

English. C1900. Curved blade with gathering hook on tip stamped ‘William. WS. Swift’. Beech handle with circumferential tooling. 16.8 inches (43cms).

Straight steel blade with hook at tip. Illegible mark. Beech handle with circumferential tooling to aid grip. 15.8 inches (40cms).

English. 19C. Green painted tin with rusted gold coloured interior. Single catch. Alpine vignette on hinged lid. 2 clips with leather straps. L 13.6 inches (34cms) x W 5.3 inches (13.2cms) x H 3.8 inches (19.5cms).
These were used commonly by plant collectors. The specimens collected in the wild would not be squashed until the collector is ready to arrange and ‘press’ them between newspaper to dry them prior to mounting on herbarium sheets. Many found items are in tin japanned in black and are Edwardian.
Students of Botany in the UK, up until the 1960’s or so were expected to make a herbarium of pressed and dried wild plants. They would collect their specimens in a vasculum and then treat them as I indicated earlier. They were being manufactured as late as the early 60’s.
Professionals and plant hunters (the latter often being country gentlemen and ladies) would do the same, but in earlier times in Africa, the Far East and elsewhere, the vasculum was the standard method of ‘preserving’ parts of plants until they could be pressed. The time difference between collection and pressing would vary between a few hours and no more than a couple of days.
Thus the vasculum is only for temporary holding of plant material.
In order to preserve plants to return them to Europe to grow, the usual methods would be to collect seeds, bulbs, tuber, corms or other organs that go though a cycle of growth and die-back. I doubt that the vasculum would be used for this. Paper bags would do.
A risky way to ship whole plants, on the whole small ones, was to keep them in tea chests, but even then the time scale is rather short, because the plant material will rot. With one of the plants with which I have worked, a cutting in a polythene bag for 2 weeks is just about the limit. I could get the cutting to root and so establish a plant. With bulbs, corms and tubers, there is no real problem.

The first example mentioned in 1704 by the University of Cambridge described a Candlebox pressed into service as a plant collecting box. In early 19C the Vasculum started to grow in use and became very common. One of the oldest Vasculums was in the late 1700’s used by George Don the conservator of The Edinburgh Botanical Garden. Charles Darwin’s vasculum is to be found in the Linnean Society of London.

English. Early 20C. Green painted steel with stenciled decoration around ends and a Lichenstein scene on hinged lid. Separate end compartment. Strap mounts and leather strap. L 17.8 inches (45cms).
These were used commonly by plant collectors. The specimens collected in the wild would not be squashed until the collector is ready to arrange and ‘press’ them between newspaper to dry them prior to mounting on herbarium sheets. Many found items are in tin japanned in black and are Edwardian.
Students of Botany in the UK, up until the 1960’s or so were expected to make a herbarium of pressed and dried wild plants. They would collect their specimens in a vasculum and then treat them as I indicated earlier. They were being manufactured as late as the early 60’s.
Professionals and plant hunters (the latter often being country gentlemen and ladies) would do the same, but in earlier times in Africa, the Far East and elsewhere, the vasculum was the standard method of ‘preserving’ parts of plants until they could be pressed. The time difference between collection and pressing would vary between a few hours and no more than a couple of days.
Thus the vasculum is only for temporary holding of plant material.
In order to preserve plants to return them to Europe to grow, the usual methods would be to collect seeds, bulbs, tuber, corms or other organs that go though a cycle of growth and die-back. I doubt that the vasculum would be used for this. Paper bags would do.
A risky way to ship whole plants, on the whole small ones, was to keep them in tea chests, but even then the time scale is rather short, because the plant material will rot. With one of the plants with which I have worked, a cutting in a polythene bag for 2 weeks is just about the limit. I could get the cutting to root and so establish a plant. With bulbs, corms and tubers, there is no real problem.

The first example mentioned in 1704 by the University of Cambridge described a Candlebox pressed into service as a plant collecting box. In early 19C the Vasculum started to grow in use and became very common. One of the oldest Vasculums was in the late 1700’s used by George Don the conservator of The Edinburgh Botanical Garden. Charles Darwin’s vasculum is to be found in the Linnean Society of London.

These were used commonly by plant collectors. The specimens collected in the wild would not be squashed until the collector is ready to arrange and ‘press’ them between newspaper to dry them prior to mounting on herbarium sheets. Many found items are in tin japanned in black and are Edwardian.
Students of Botany in the UK, up until the 1960’s or so were expected to make a herbarium of pressed and dried wild plants. They would collect their specimens in a vasculum and then treat them as I indicated earlier. They were being manufactured as late as the early 60’s.
Professionals and plant hunters (the latter often being country gentlemen and ladies) would do the same, but in earlier times in Africa, the Far East and elsewhere, the vasculum was the standard method of ‘preserving’ parts of plants until they could be pressed. The time difference between collection and pressing would vary between a few hours and no more than a couple of days.
Thus the vasculum is only for temporary holding of plant material.
In order to preserve plants to return them to Europe to grow, the usual methods would be to collect seeds, bulbs, tuber, corms or other organs that go though a cycle of growth and die-back. I doubt that the vasculum would be used for this. Paper bags would do.
A risky way to ship whole plants, on the whole small ones, was to keep them in tea chests, but even then the time scale is rather short, because the plant material will rot. With one of the plants with which I have worked, a cutting in a polythene bag for 2 weeks is just about the limit. I could get the cutting to root and so establish a plant. With bulbs, corms and tubers, there is no real problem.

The first example mentioned in 1704 by the University of Cambridge described a Candlebox pressed into service as a plant collecting box. In early 19C the Vasculum started to grow in use and became very common. One of the oldest Vasculums was in the late 1700’s used by George Don the conservator of The Edinburgh Botanical Garden. Charles Darwin’s vasculum is to be found in the Linnean Society of London.

English. Late 19C. By Flatters and Garnett Ltd. Black japanned tin. Adjustable leather strap. L 11.5 inches (29cms) x H 5.5 inches (14cms) x D 3 inches (7.5cms).
These were used commonly by plant collectors. The specimens collected in the wild would not be squashed until the collector is ready to arrange and ‘press’ them between newspaper to dry them prior to mounting on herbarium sheets. Many found items are in tin japanned in black and are Edwardian.
Students of Botany in the UK, up until the 1960’s or so were expected to make a herbarium of pressed and dried wild plants. They would collect their specimens in a vasculum and then treat them as I indicated earlier. They were being manufactured as late as the early 60’s.
Professionals and plant hunters (the latter often being country gentlemen and ladies) would do the same, but in earlier times in Africa, the Far East and elsewhere, the vasculum was the standard method of ‘preserving’ parts of plants until they could be pressed. The time difference between collection and pressing would vary between a few hours and no more than a couple of days.
Thus the vasculum is only for temporary holding of plant material.
In order to preserve plants to return them to Europe to grow, the usual methods would be to collect seeds, bulbs, tuber, corms or other organs that go though a cycle of growth and die-back. I doubt that the vasculum would be used for this. Paper bags would do.
A risky way to ship whole plants, on the whole small ones, was to keep them in tea chests, but even then the time scale is rather short, because the plant material will rot. With one of the plants with which I have worked, a cutting in a polythene bag for 2 weeks is just about the limit. I could get the cutting to root and so establish a plant. With bulbs, corms and tubers, there is no real problem.

The first example mentioned in 1704 by the University of Cambridge described a Candlebox pressed into service as a plant collecting box. In early 19C the Vasculum started to grow in use and became very common. One of the oldest Vasculums was in the late 1700’s used by George Don the conservator of The Edinburgh Botanical Garden. Charles Darwin’s vasculum is to be found in the Linnean Society of London.

The 2 images below: Knabe mit Botanisiertrommel by Carl Mittenzwey 1859 and Der Botaniker by Hermann Kern 1908.

English. 1920’s. Sample box of grasses and seeds by Suttons. Quality black painted tin box with brass fittings. Named inside lid ‘Sutton’s Vasculums’. 56 glass phials containing seeds labelled on lid and body. Some body labels detached saved in packet. Original grasses with tied labels. Sutton & Son was established in Reading in 1837 by John Sutton and his son, Martin Hope Sutton. 2000 people worked at the ‘Royal Seed Establishment’ by 1901. In 1974 the company moved to Torquay. L 16.3 inches (41cms) x W 5.75 inches (4.6cms) x H 3.1 inches (7.7cms).

English. Early 20C. Hinged lid impressed with bas relief of stable scene with horses and hunting dogs. Painted on reverse with green and gold design. L 125 inches (31.6cms) x W 4.6 inches (11.7cms) x H 3 inches (7.5cms).
These were used commonly by plant collectors. The specimens collected in the wild would not be squashed until the collector is ready to arrange and ‘press’ them between newspaper to dry them prior to mounting on herbarium sheets. Many found items are in tin japanned in black and are Edwardian.
Students of Botany in the UK, up until the 1960’s or so were expected to make a herbarium of pressed and dried wild plants. They would collect their specimens in a vasculum and then treat them as I indicated earlier. They were being manufactured as late as the early 60’s.
Professionals and plant hunters (the latter often being country gentlemen and ladies) would do the same, but in earlier times in Africa, the Far East and elsewhere, the vasculum was the standard method of ‘preserving’ parts of plants until they could be pressed. The time difference between collection and pressing would vary between a few hours and no more than a couple of days.
Thus the vasculum is only for temporary holding of plant material.
In order to preserve plants to return them to Europe to grow, the usual methods would be to collect seeds, bulbs, tuber, corms or other organs that go though a cycle of growth and die-back. I doubt that the vasculum would be used for this. Paper bags would do.
A risky way to ship whole plants, on the whole small ones, was to keep them in tea chests, but even then the time scale is rather short, because the plant material will rot. With one of the plants with which I have worked, a cutting in a polythene bag for 2 weeks is just about the limit. I could get the cutting to root and so establish a plant. With bulbs, corms and tubers, there is no real problem.

French. 20C. Elongated tin model japanned in green. Condition unused. Original canvas strap. L 19.75 inches (50cms) x W 5.3 inches (13.7 cms) x H 3.75 inches (9.4cms).

English. Circa 1900. Curved blade for cleaning turnip and beet. Ash handle. Missing ferrule. 8 inches (20.4cms).

English. C1900. Debarking Iron. Blacksmith made wrought steel from thick plate with formed socket and riveted mid length ash shaft. 34 inches (86.3cms).

19C. Debarking Iron. Wrought iron oblong shaped blade and ash with large ash knop. 1 rivet. 55 inches (140cms).

Wood and rush. 17.3 inches (44cms).
Subimage shows Large 1 metre diameter Winnow from Estonia C1900. These were hung in the threshing barn doorways where the wind would blow the chaff from the grain. The membrane is maple.

Wood and Rush. 17.75 inches (44.8cms).

Wood with leather membrane. 15.5 inches Dia (39.5cms).

French 20C. Wood and perforated metal diaphragm. 28.25 inches Dia (71.5cms).