Craftsman Collection (#96)

Button Maker: Stamping out metal buttons. Blank held in place and weight holding die for pattern being work was raised by rope and pulley wheel and dropped on blank

A man makes attractive floor mats from dried palm fronds near Liwonde

A wood carver puts the finishing touches to a Chiefs chair. These two-piece, three-legged stools with high, decorated backs are beautifully made from hard wood and have become popular with tourists

A potter fashions cooking pots by the coil method, shaping them by eye alone. Surprisingly, craft skills such as pottery and basket-making are the sole preserve of men in Southwest Uganda

A Lamu man strings the back of a traditional Lamu-style chair embellished with marquetry. Situated 150 miles north-northeast of Mombasa, Lamu town dates from the 15th century AD

A skilled craftsman puts the finishes touches to a replica of a Pate Island chair. Wood carving is the most important craft in Lamu and sustains the greatest number of artisans

A fisherman repairs the sail of his wooden sailing boat, known as mashua, along the waterfront of Kisingitini, a natural harbour on Pate Island

A skilled craftsman with traditional tools carves a wooden door from hardwood in Lamu town. Wood carving is the most important craft in Lamu and sustains the greatest number of skilled craftsmen

Boat builders constructing a large dhow in the boat yard at Sur

A Cloissonne Worker, c1887, (1901). Artist: Mortimer L Menpes
A Cloissonne Worker, c1887, (1901). From Japan - A Record in Colour, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1901]

Finishing Touches, c1887, (1901). Artist: Mortimer L Menpes
Finishing Touches, c1887, (1901). From Japan - A Record in Colour, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1901]

The Carpenter, c1887, (1901). Artist: Mortimer L Menpes
The Carpenter, c1887, (1901). From Japan - A Record in Colour, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1901]

Bronze-Workers, c1887, (1901). Artist: Mortimer L Menpes
Bronze-Workers, c1887, (1901). From Japan - A Record in Colour, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1901]

A Metal-Worker, c1887, (1901). Artist: Mortimer L Menpes
A Metal-Worker, c1887, (1901). From Japan - A Record in Colour, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam & Charles Black, London, 1901]

Martin and Co. Promenade, Cheltenham, 1909. Antique magazine advert of Martin and Co. Jewellery, Cheltenham. From British Military Prints, by Ralph Nevill. [The Connoisseur, London, 1909]

Rope Making, 1797. From Encyclopaedia Britannica. [Andrew Bell, London, 1797]

Bead Stringers, c1880, (1904). Artist: James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Bead Stringers, c1880, (1904). From Whistler As I Knew Him, by Mortimer Menpes. [Adam and Charles Black, London, 1904]

Bead Stringers, Venice, c1904. Artist: Thomas Robert Way
Bead Stringers, Venice, c1904. After James McNeil Whistler (1834-1903). From The Studio Volume 32. [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1904]

Workshop of the Arts and Crafts technical school, Flensburg, Germany. c1908.Workshop of the Kunstgewerbliche Fachschule at Flensburg. From The Studio Volume 44

Navajo Silver and Turquoise Jewellery, 1931. From The Studio Volume 102, [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1931]

The Modeller, 1891. Artist: Charles Shannon
The Modeller, 1891. Housed at the Tate Britain, London. From The Studio Volume 46. [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1909]

Artificers, 14th century, (1910). The costume of artificers (skilled craftsmen) of the reign of Edward III (ruled 1327-1377)

Craftsmen, tentmakers bazaar, Cairo, Egypt, c1922. Artist: Donald McLeish
Craftsmen, tentmakers bazaar, Cairo, Egypt, c1922. A print from Peoples of all Nations, Volume III, edited by JA Hammerton, The Fleetway House, London, c1922

Paulus and Adam van Vianen, Dutch silversmiths, c1870. Artist: H Sluyter
Paulus and Adam van Vianen, Dutch silversmiths, c1870. A print from Nederlands Geschiedenis en Volksleven in Schetsen, by J Van Lenner and J Ter Gouw. (Leiden, AW Sijthoff, c1870)

A potter and his wheel, fashioning a vase of Awata porcelain, Kinkosan works, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Artisans from Burma (Myanmar), 1895. Artist: E Ronjat
Artisans from Burma (Myanmar), 1895. From The Universal Geography with Illustrations and Maps, division XVI, written by Elisee Reclus and published by Virtue & Co. Limited (London, 1895)

Tinsmiths in a tinsmiths shop, India, 1922. Artist: R Gorbold
Tinsmiths in a tinsmiths shop, India, 1922. From Peoples of All Nations, Their Life Today and the Story of Their Past, volume IV: Georgia to Italy

Tradesman, 19th century. Possibly a blacksmith

Clockmaker, 16th century (1849). Artist: Jost Amman
Clockmaker, 16th century (1849). A 19th century version based on an original 16th century wood engraving. From Le Moyen Age et la Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, Ferdinand Sere and A Rivaud

Craftsmen, Cairo, Egypt, Africa, 1936. Artist: Donald McLeish
Craftsmen, Cairo, Egypt, Africa, 1936. Age-old designs woven on modern cloth. From Peoples of the World in Pictures, edited by Harold Wheeler, published by Odhams Press Ltd (London, 1936)

William Morris, Poet, Socialist, and Craftsman, (1923). Artist: Rischgitz Collection
William Morris, Poet, Socialist, and Craftsman, (1923). Published in The Outline of Literature, by John Drinkwater, London, 1923

A watch cap maker at work, 1911-1912. Artist: AL Hitchin
A watch cap maker at work, 1911-1912. From Penroses Pictorial Annual 1911-1912, The Process Year Book, volume 17, edited by William Gamble and published by AW Penrose (London, 1911-1912)

Engine-Room Artificer, 1937. Artist: WA & AC Churchman
Engine-Room Artificer, 1937. Churchmans Cigarette Series, The Navy At Work

Turning wooden bed legs, c1942. From The Studio Volume 124. [The Studio Ltd, London & New York, 1942]

Glassmakers in the 14th century, (c1900). Fire in the artistic industry, French advertising for Liebig Meat Extract

Clog makers, Japan

A Cooper, 1737-1742. Artist: Bouchardon
A Cooper, 1737-1742. An itinerant barrel-maker with his tools. Part of a series called Paris Street Cries, by Bouchardon

A coopers workshop, 16th century, (1870). Artist: Jost Amman
A coopers workshop, 16th century, (1870). A wood engraving from The Arts of the Middle Ages and at the Period of the Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, (London, 1870)

Artificers, 15th century, (1910). A group of workmen with their tools from the time of Edward IV (1461-1483). Illustration from British Costume during 19 Centuries by Mrs Charles H Ashdown, (London)

Mercury and His Children. Illustration from the Housebook, 1480s. Artist: Master of the Housebook
Mercury and His Children. Illustration from the Housebook, 1480s. From a private collection

Portrait of the Jeweller Johann Melchior Dinglinger, c1721. Artist: Antoine Pesne
Portrait of the Jeweller Johann Melchior Dinglinger, c1721. Johann Melchior Dinglinger (1664-1731) was one of Europes greatest goldsmiths

Italian musical instrument maker Antonio Stradivari in his workshop, (1926). Artist: Aleksey Kravchenko
Italian musical instrument maker Antonio Stradivari in his workshop, (1926). Stradivari (1644-1737) is regarded as the greatest craftsman of stringed musical instruments

Goldsmith, 1828. Artist: Marlet et Cie
Goldsmith, 1828. A lithograph from L Inde Francais, 1828. From the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

Fabric Painters, 1828. Artist: Marlet et Cie
Fabric Painters, 1828. A lithograph from L Inde Francais, 1828. From the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

Shoemaker, c1845. A shoemaker sits by his bench working on a boot or shoe, his tools on a tray beside him. On the bench stand the leather and the sole for a boot

Making pots without a wheel, Nigeria, c1966

Brush Maker, 1823. A craftsman at a bench prepares brushes to receive backing. Around the workshop are brooms, brushes and mops of various sizes. From The Book of English Trades. (London, 1823)

Button Maker, 1823. Stamping out metal buttons. A blank is held in place and a weight holding the die for the pattern being worked is raised by a rope and pulley wheel and dropped onto the blank

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Craftsmanship is an art that transcends time and spans across various fields. From the meticulous strokes of Gustave Caillebotte's brush capturing the intensity of planers in action, to Arnold Bocklin's portrayal of a centaur observing the village blacksmith, these artworks remind us of the skill and dedication required to master a craft. Intriguing glimpses into history take us back to medieval times, where we witness a goldsmith delicately shaping precious metals into intricate jewelry. Meanwhile, Mr. George Lailey immerses himself in the ancient craft of wooden bowl making at Bucklebury, Berks, preserving traditional techniques for future generations. The manufacturing process comes alive as we observe cork balls being meticulously crafted at Chingford in 1922. The watchmaker's steady hands bring life to intricate timepieces while revealing their inner workings. And through an oil painting from the 1770s, we catch a glimpse of an iron forge bustling with activity as sparks fly and metal takes shape under skilled hands. The blacksmith's forge becomes a sanctuary where fire meets steel, transforming raw materials into functional works of art. A farrier tends to horses' hooves with precision and care—a testament to both craftsmanship and animal welfare. Metallurgy emerges as a powerful force during the Industrial Revolution with Fourchambault Forge standing tall as a symbol of progress and innovation. Terracotta rhubarb forcers showcase how even everyday objects can be elevated through craftsmanship—combining functionality with aesthetic appeal. These diverse examples highlight that craftsmanship knows no boundaries—it exists within every profession and discipline, and is born out of passion, honed by experience, and passed down through generations—a timeless tradition that continues to inspire awe today.