Furnace Collection (#3)

Lever-operated bellows (woodcut)
8655513 Lever-operated bellows (woodcut) by Italian School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lever-operated bellows)

The Hooping of the Cases, and Carrying of the Porcelain to the Furnace (engraving)
8661518 The Hooping of the Cases, and Carrying of the Porcelain to the Furnace (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Hooping of the Cases)

Iron smelting furnace, India (b/w photo)
8655523 Iron smelting furnace, India (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Iron smelting furnace, India)

Medieval steelworks (woodcut)
8655509 Medieval steelworks (woodcut) by German School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Medieval steelworks)

Sectional view of a furnace ventilation shaft typical of many coal mines
5307486 Sectional view of a furnace ventilation shaft typical of many coal mines.; (add.info.: Sectional view of a furnace ventilation shaft typical of many coal mines)

Nitric acid manufacturing
5312109 Nitric acid manufacturing; (add.info.: Engraving depicting nitric acid manufacturing using cast iron cylinders in a furnace)

An engraving depicting an English rotating furnace for the manufacture of sodium carbonate by the Leblanc process
5311608 An engraving depicting an English rotating furnace for the manufacture of sodium carbonate by the Leblanc process, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc

A puddling furnace
5311743 A puddling furnace; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a puddling furnace and shingling hammer. Dated 19th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

An engraving depicting an English rotating furnace for the manufacture of sodium carbonate by the Leblanc process
5311443 An engraving depicting an English rotating furnace for the manufacture of sodium carbonate by the Leblanc process, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc

An engraving depicting Thomas Savery's steam engine of 1699 used for pumping water from mines
5311302 An engraving depicting Thomas Savery's steam engine of 1699 used for pumping water from mines. Double furnaces (right) with boilers, whose steam passes to cylinders (p, p)

A woodcut engraving depicting the separation of lead from silver or gold in a cupellation furnace, 16th century
5311032 A woodcut engraving depicting the separation of lead from silver or gold in a cupellation furnace, 16th century; Universal History Archive/UIG

Four Turkish men forging weapons in their workshop, 1890 (print on double-weight paper)
3566840 Four Turkish men forging weapons in their workshop, 1890 (print on double-weight paper); (add.info.: Turkey 1890 ca. Photographer: Albert); Alinari Archives, Florence

Steel-converting furnace and mould for crucible manufacture. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by
FLO4591446 Steel-converting furnace and mould for crucible manufacture. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J

Cross-sections and plans of blast furnaces, early 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees
FLO4590774 Cross-sections and plans of blast furnaces, early 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature

Little Workers: Glass Blowing (colour litho)
8629551 Little Workers: Glass Blowing (colour litho) by Hardy, Evelyn Stuart (1865-1935); Private Collection; (add.info.: Glass Blowing)

Copper smelting, India (engraving)
8663747 Copper smelting, India (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Copper smelting using bellows made from animal hide, India)

Separating gold and silver in a furnace (woodcut)
8663741 Separating gold and silver in a furnace (woodcut) by German School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Separating gold and silver in a furnace with a removable cover)

Smelting iron and manufacturing iron bars, 16th Century (woodcut)
8655510 Smelting iron and manufacturing iron bars, 16th Century (woodcut) by German School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Smelting iron and manufacturing iron bars)

Roasting gold ore
863652 Roasting gold ore; (add.info.: Roasting gold ore in order to recover the precious metal. From 1683 English edition of Lazarus Ercker "Beschreibung allerfurnemisten mineralischen Ertzt)

Assaying copper and lead
863650 Assaying copper and lead; (add.info.: Assaying copper and lead: prepared and weighed ore (1) and assay oven (2). From 1683 English edition of Lazarus Ercker "Beschreibung allerfurnemisten

Casting cannon: tapping furnace to allow molten metal to run into the moulds a feet of workmen on left
530558 Casting cannon: tapping furnace to allow molten metal to run into the moulds a feet of workmen on left. On right, puddler is skimming off impurities

Laboratory for refining gold and silver, showing typical laboratory equipment
540745 Laboratory for refining gold and silver, showing typical laboratory equipment. 1, Athanor or Slow Harry, a self-feeding furnace maintaining a constant temperature. 2, 2

Cotton mills, Shaw (b/w photo)
8652385 Cotton mills, Shaw (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cotton mills, Shaw)

A diagram depicting a Finery Furnace used in converting pig iron into malleable or bar iron
5311284 A diagram depicting a Finery Furnace used in converting pig iron into malleable or bar iron: a sectional view of the bottom of a Finery Furnace

Sectional view of a puddling furnace, 19th century (engraving)
5309473 Sectional view of a puddling furnace, 19th century (engraving); (add.info.: Sectional view of a puddling furnace (3), hard rollers (5, 6) and various small foundry tools

A wash still containing about 20, 000 gallons of boiling mash
5310073 A wash still containing about 20, 000 gallons of boiling mash; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a wash still containing about 20, 000 gallons of mash, heated by a fire underneath)

The production of steel
5310211 The production of steel; (add.info.: Engraving depicting the production of steel - Sheffield: the cast house, showing the removal of the crucible or melting pot from the wind-furnace (centre)

An engraving depicting Thomas Savery's steam engine of 1699 for pumping water from mines
5311355 An engraving depicting Thomas Savery's steam engine of 1699 for pumping water from mines. Double furnace (right) with boilers, whose steam passes to cylinders (P, P)

Furnace for enamelling watch dial plates and Henry Bone (1755-1834)'s enamelling furnace
FLO4591908 Furnace for enamelling watch dial plates and Henry Bone (1755-1834)'s enamelling furnace. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by John Farey from Abraham Rees

Plan of a blast furnace works, early 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by David
FLO4590865 Plan of a blast furnace works, early 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by David Mushet from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts

Alembic still with cucurbit flask and stil-head, alcohol still, and subliming aludel or Hermetic vase
FLO4590751 Alembic still with cucurbit flask and stil-head, alcohol still, and subliming aludel or Hermetic vase. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal

Sections through furnaces for the reduction of antimony. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees
FLO4590732 Sections through furnaces for the reduction of antimony. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature

Elevations and sections through an iron-smelting furnace, early 19th century
FLO4590713 Elevations and sections through an iron-smelting furnace, early 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by David Mushet from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or

Calcining (roasting) tin ore, 1876 (engraving)
3478854 Calcining (roasting) tin ore, 1876 (engraving); (add.info.: Calcining (roasting) tin ore: Cornwall. Woman is feeding crushed ore through hopper into Calcining furnace below

Assay laboratory for gold and silver, 1574 (engraving)
863685 Assay laboratory for gold and silver, 1574 (engraving); (add.info.: Assay laboratory for gold and silver. 1) Furnace: 2) Sheet of iron onto which assays are poured: 3) Parting flask

Refining gold
863684 Refining gold; (add.info.: Refining gold: furnaces, 2, 2, and operator, 9. The man near 4 is gradually heating a crucible surrounded by a ring of burning coals)

Assaying of silver
863654 Assaying of silver; (add.info.: Assaying of silver: 1&3, moulds for making cupels: 2&4, the cupels: 8, man moulding cupels)

Assaying copper
863653 Assaying copper; (add.info.: Assaying copper: Furnaces (1, 4), ore (3), bellows (5), and aeolipile (6) to supply draught to furnaces. Pot in which flux is prepared (8)

Smelting copper
863647 Smelting copper; (add.info.: Smelting copper. From a 1683 English edition of Lazarus Ercker "Beschreibung allerfurnemisten mineralischen Ertzt- und Berckwercksarten" originally)

Artist's reconstruction of casting weapons in the Iron Age. Left background, heating metal in furnace
531503 Artist's reconstruction of casting weapons in the Iron Age. Left background, heating metal in furnace. Right, pouring molten metal into mould. Centre, Mould opened and cast object removed

Phoenix Iron Works, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, 1873. Engraving
530437 Phoenix Iron Works, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, 1873. Engraving.; (add.info.: Pig Iron: tapping furnace and running molten iron into moulds to form pigs - From The Science Record)

The Hermetic Vessel, c1760. Hermetic vessel in the alchemical furnace. The serpent within the vase symbolises
542162 The Hermetic Vessel, c1760. Hermetic vessel in the alchemical furnace. The serpent within the vase symbolises the earthy substances of which the Philosopher's Stone is made

Seaham Colliery, County Durham, England, showing the head gear above the shaft, and work in an active coal seam
526813 Seaham Colliery, County Durham, England, showing the head gear above the shaft, and work in an active coal seam. The central vignettes show two models of miner's lamp, the Davy, left

The Clasp Maker's Workshop. By Jost Amman, 16th century (woodcut)
529948 The Clasp Maker's Workshop. By Jost Amman, 16th century (woodcut); Universal History Archive/UIG

The Baker (colour litho)
8650389 The Baker (colour litho) by Pletsch, Oskar (1830-88); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Baker. Illustration for Buttercups)

Casting pewter vessels (engraving)
8663701 Casting pewter vessels (engraving) by French School, (18th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Casting pewter vessels. From Denis Diderot's Encyclopedie, 1771)

Glassmaking, Baruther Glashutte, Germany (colour litho)
8663947 Glassmaking, Baruther Glashutte, Germany (colour litho) by Seeck, Otto (1868-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Glassmaking, Baruther Glashutte, Germany)

Pouring of a large casting in an iron foundry (colour litho)
8663946 Pouring of a large casting in an iron foundry (colour litho) by Montan, Anders (1845-1917); Private Collection; (add.info.: Pouring of a large casting in an iron foundry)

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"Furnace: A Journey Through Time and Industry" Step into the world of furnaces, where history intertwines with innovation. From the detailed maps of Sheffield in 1797 to the captivating Novgorod Icon depicting the Last Judgement, these glimpses into our past reveal how furnaces have shaped civilizations. In Peder Severin's masterpiece "The Iron Foundry, " we witness the birth of industrialization in 1885. The rhythmic dance of molten iron captures both the power and beauty found within these fiery chambers. Travel back even further to biblical times as King Nebuchadnezzar confronts his fate in "King Nebuchadnezzar and the Fiery Furnace. " This tale reminds us that furnaces have long been symbols of trials and transformation. Artists like Thomas Harris immortalize scenes from daily life, such as "The Iron Forge Viewed from Without" or "The Forge. " These works transport us to a time when skilled craftsmen harnessed fire's energy to shape metal into useful tools. But they are not limited to metals alone; they also play a vital role in other industries. In Charles Frederic Ulrich's painting, we see glass blowers on Murano Island perfecting their craft with intense heat and precision. Fast forward to modern times with images like "Blast Furnaces" by an unknown artist from Park Gate Iron and Steel Co. These towering structures symbolize progress, showcasing how technology has advanced over decades. Furnaces continue to evolve, adapting to new materials like steel showcased at Govan Ironworks in Glasgow during 1950 or zinc production at Vieille Montagne factory captured on paper around 1860. Each step forward represents humanity's relentless pursuit of innovation. As we explore this diverse collection spanning centuries, it becomes clear that they are more than mere machines—they embody human ingenuity and resilience. They remind us of our ability to harness the elements and shape our world.