gems, lapidary arts, ancient lapidary, lathe, pole lathe

For some years the present writer has been interested in the rural industries which still survive in a number of our villages. In several instances the very primitive pole-lathe still plays an important part, and wherever it was seen a point was made of securing a photograph. The first example which came under notice was that belonging to a bowl-turner in Berkshire, which is shown in Figure 353. In this case a strap will be seen, which is fixed to the treadle under the lathe, and passes upwards, taking a turn round the mandrel, or “mamper,” on its way to the end of a long, pliable pole above, to which it is attached. When the treadle is pushed down, the mandrel is caused to revolve, and the pole is bent. When the pressure of the foot is released, the pole flies back and causes the mandrel again to revolve, but in the opposite direction. There is not, therefore, a continuous rotary motion in one direction, as in the modern lathe, and this has its advantages, as will be noticed in Figure 351. In this the bowl-turner is seen at work on a wooden bowl with a handle which could not possibly be produced by machinery that is continuously turning the work in the same direction.