Useful Collection

House carpenter planing a board on a bench. His workshop contains carpentry tools such as saws, hammer, chisel, as well as finished products such as a door, rafters, ladder, etc

Jeweller at his bench with leather covers. His tools include files, drills, hammer, pliers, wire drawer and crucible. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades

A saddler making a saddle in his leather workshop
A saddler in leather apron making a saddle in his workshop. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

A weaver weaving fabric on a loom in a cottage. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Basket maker weaving a basket from willow taken from an osier-bed. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810

Retro Large Multi Tool Folding Pocket Knife Fork S
UNITED STATES - Circa 1960s: Retro Large Multi Tool Folding Pocket Knife Fork Spoon Scissors Saw Can Opener Corkscrew Screwdriver Awl. (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile/Getty Images)

Screw pine, Pandanus utilis
5855219 Screw pine, Pandanus utilis; (add.info.: Screw pine, Pandanus utilis. Handcoloured copperplate stipple engraving from Antoine Jussieu's "Dictionary of Natural Science,")

Sandbox tree, Hura crepitans
5855220 Sandbox tree, Hura crepitans; (add.info.: Sandbox tree, Hura crepitans. Handcoloured copperplate stipple engraving from Antoine Jussieu's "Dictionary of Natural Science,")

Screw pine, Pandanus utilis
5855218 Screw pine, Pandanus utilis; (add.info.: Screw pine, Pandanus utilis. Handcoloured copperplate stipple engraving from Antoine Jussieu's "Dictionary of Natural Science,")

Still life with a bee
Brig Barkow

Gravity
Brig Barkow

Still life with grapes and a bee
Brig Barkow

Hand mill from the Cova de l Or (Beniarres, Alicante)
5974504 Hand mill from the Cova de l Or (Beniarres, Alicante). by Prehistoric; (add.info.: Hand mill from the Cova de l Or (Beniarres, Alicante). Made of sandstone, length of 50 cm); Index Fototeca

A specific display of a useful material (b / w photo)
6007729 A specific display of a useful material (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A specific display of a useful material)

The square, or useful hand (b / w photo)
6006048 The square, or useful hand (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The square, or useful hand)

Animals beneficial to man (coloured engraving)
5998836 Animals beneficial to man (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Animals beneficial to manPrint published by Pellerin & Cie, Imagerie D Epinal)

Useful quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa. Handcoloured copperplate engraving after a botanical illustration by Walter Fitch from William Jackson Hookers Botanical Magazine, London, 1838

A turner in apron using a foot-powered treadle lathe or turning bench. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Type founders making metal type near a furnace
Type founders making metal type for a printing press near a furnace. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Plumber heating lead in a fire to fix lead pipes on a building site. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810

Type founders making printing type in a workshop. The caster pours hot metal into letter moulds and then throws the letters to a polisher who sits at a polishing stone

Soapmaker cutting hardened soap with a copper
Soap boiler making soap in a factory. A man stirs a vat of boiling fat and ley, while another cuts the hardened soap with a copper wire in wooden frames

Straw-hat makers, women and girl, sewing hats from braided and plaited straw in a milliners shop. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts

Apothecary in his shop using a mortar and pestle to prepare a medicine. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810

Currier shaving animal hides with a knife to make leather for shoes, boots, saddles, bookbindings, etc. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts

Shipwright driving wedges into the stern of a ship
Shipwright or ships carpenter standing on a scaffold and driving wedges into the stern of a ship with a wooden trunnel. At his feet, his auger, axe and punch

Blacksmith using hammer and tongs to beat a piece of red-hot iron heated in a forge. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810

Sawyers cutting timber into planks with a large saw in a saw-pit. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810

Stone mason carving a stone with mallet and chisel on a bevel. In the background, another mason cuts a block of stone with a saw

Cooper hammering a metal hoop on a hogshead barrel. On the walls are tools such as saws, axe, spoke-shave, stock and bit, adze and auger

Hat maker ironing the brim of a hat made from beaver fur. In the background, an apprentice works the felt in a battery (hot-water kettle)

Waterman on his rowboat ferry on the River Thames, London. His coat and silver badge identify him as a skilled rower registed at Watermans Hall

Woman spinner in bonnet and apron spinning wool yarn on a spinning machine. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Wool comber using heated wool combs to pull a fine sliver of wool to be spun into yarn. Washed raw wool in a basket, and a clay comb-pot to heat the combs in the foreground

Potter making a clay vessel on a wheel driven by a labourer turning a crank. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

A worker using mechanical power to press paper in a mill. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Wheelwright hammering a metal cover onto a wooden wheel in a yard. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Woman spinning yarn on a spinning wheel in front of a cottage. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Gentleman painter with paintbrush in front of an easel in his atelier. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Watch maker in apron seated at his bench making metal gears. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Trunk maker making a leather chest in his workshop. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Wool-comber combing out wool remove short fibres. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

Rope maker twisting rope yarns together on a rope walk while an apprentice turns a wheel to revolve the hook. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades

Tin-plate worker in apron beating tin on an anvil with a mallet surrounded by tin buckets, pots, urns and utensils. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades

A metal worker using a wire-drawing machine to make thin wire. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

English mariner with sextant on a beach in front of a lighthouse and tall ship. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Phillips, London, 1818

In the Italian Colony, where Old Women are Useful (b / w photo)
5215443 In the Italian Colony, where Old Women are Useful (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: In the Italian Colony, where Old Women are Useful)

Some stones useful in building (colour litho)
6009005 Some stones useful in building (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Some stones useful in building)

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"Mastering the Art of Craftsmanship: Unveiling the Secrets Skills" The house carpenter meticulously plans every cut, ensuring precision and durability in every board. With leather covers protecting his workbench, the jeweler delicately crafts intricate pieces that will stand the test of time. In a humble cottage, a weaver skillfully intertwines threads on a loom, creating beautiful fabrics to warm homes and hearts. Step into the leather workshop where a skilled saddler brings comfort and elegance to horse riders with each stitch on their custom-made saddle. Witness the ancient artistry as a basket maker weaves wonders from supple willow branches, transforming them into functional works of art. Retro Large Multi Tool Folding Pocket Knife Fork S - an all-in-one companion for those who value versatility in everyday tasks. A still life captures nature's bounty; grapes glisten invitingly while a bee hovers nearby, reminding us of nature's usefulness in sustaining life. Gravity – an unseen force that guides our world and enables countless useful applications in science and engineering. Another still life reveals beauty in simplicity; a single bee perches upon objects symbolizing utility and practicality at its finest. Discover the timeless ingenuity as you explore Cova de l Or's hand mill from Beniarres, Alicante – an artifact embodying centuries-old milling techniques. The black-and-white photo showcases a specific display highlighting materials essential for various useful purposes throughout history. In another captivating black-and-white image, witness the power behind human hands shaping squares – tools designed for ultimate usefulness. From woodworking to metalworking, weaving to farming tools - these glimpses into different trades remind us of humanity's endless pursuit of making things both beautiful and functional.