Pulley Collection

A China Clay Pit, Leswidden, Harold Harvey (1874-1941)
Oil on canvas, Newlyn School, 1920 or 1924. This painting shows the harsh, labour-intensive working conditions of a china clay pit

SURVEYORS. Surveyors at work on land and sea. Colored German engraving, 1594

Drawing the cork, illustration by William Heath Robinson
How to draw the cork when you can t find the corkscrew, illustration by William Heath Robinson. Credit must appear as: Courtesy of Mrs J. C

James Tangye (1825-1912) in his workshop at Aviary Court, Illogan, Cornwall. Around 1900
Mr James Tangye pictured in his workshop at his home, Aviary Court. He is seated, wearing a hat and holding a cane, amid various pieces of machinery

Davison Newman & co, Creechurch Lane, London c.1920 (b/w photo)
XJF323043 Davison Newman & co, Creechurch Lane, London c.1920 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

ELEVATOR, 1862. The Otis Patent Hoisting Engine, first installed in the A. T
ELEVATOR, 1862. The Otis Patent Hoisting Engine, first installed in the A.T. Stewart Store, later Wanamaker s, in New York City: line engraving, 1862

W Heath Robinson - Opening the Wine Bottle

WW2 defence, illustration by William Heath Robinson
Defence during WW2 -- Stout members of the sixth column dislodge an enemy machine gun post on the dome of St Paul s, illustration by William Heath Robinson. Credit must appear as: Courtesy of Mrs J

Portland Prison, Dorset - Stone cutting using a huge circular saw Date: 1912

Construction of Blackfriars bridge, London
Builders involved in various tasks atop two huge arches under construction. One of the arches clearly shows the scaffolding required to form such a huge structure. Date: August 1764

Limehouse Dock, 1872. Creator: Gustave Doré
Limehouse Dock, 1872. Limehouse Dock in Tower Hamlets used by seagoing vessels to offload cargo to canal barges, for onward transport along the Regents Canal. From, " LONDON

Vignette illustration, Railway Ribaldry by W Heath Robinson -- An early and interesting type of signal. Date: 1935

Tools of an Architect
A plan for a neo-classical building is rested against the tools of the surveyors architects and builders who will construct this edifice

The mechanical powers engraving 1875
American Dictionary of the English Language

Kaiser and Prince of Monaco on boat "Meteor", 1913. Creator: Bain News Service
Kaiser and Prince of Monaco on boat "Meteor", 1913. Albert I, Prince of Monaco (1848-1922) and Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941)

"The Building of the New Castle on the Tyne, 1080", from a picture by W. B. Scott, 1865. Engraving of a painting

The Panama Scandal (engraving)
8631489 The Panama Scandal (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Panama Scandal. Illustration from Black and White)

Abandoned works in the Culebra Cutting during the building of the Panama Canal (engraving)
8631485 Abandoned works in the Culebra Cutting during the building of the Panama Canal (engraving) by Frenzeny, Paul (1840-1902); Private Collection; (add.info)

Exterior view of the Devon Haytor Granite Quarries, 1825 (hand coloured aquatint on paper)
7485271 Exterior view of the Devon Haytor Granite Quarries, 1825 (hand coloured aquatint on paper) by Cartwright, Joseph (c.1789-1829); 23x35 cm; Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford, Shropshire

Interior view of the Devon Haytor Granite Quarries, 1825 (hand coloured aquatint on paper)
7485268 Interior view of the Devon Haytor Granite Quarries, 1825 (hand coloured aquatint on paper) by Cartwright, Joseph (c.1789-1829); 23x35 cm; Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford, Shropshire

Man operating a pulley with lever and fulcrum
6266189 Man operating a pulley with lever and fulcrum; (add.info.: Man operating a pulley with a lever and fulcrum. After an 18th century work.); Photo © Ken Welsh. All rights reserved 2024

Man operating a pulley with lever and fulcrum
7177143 Man operating a pulley with lever and fulcrum.; Private Collection; (add.info.: Man operating a pulley with a lever and fulcrum. After an 18th century work.); Photo © Ken Welsh

Moving heavy gun tubes, illustration from The Western Front, pub. by Country Life Ltd, 1917 (litho)
STC400474 Moving heavy gun tubes, illustration from The Western Front, pub. by Country Life Ltd, 1917 (litho) by Bone, David Muirhead (1876-1953); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection

Building the piers of Tower Bridge, London (engraving)
8631394 Building the piers of Tower Bridge, London (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Building the piers of Tower Bridge, London, view looking north)

Poultry, Prison, Puffin, Pulley, Pulpit, Pulse-glass, Pumping, Puncher, Quarry, Quartet, Quiver, Rabbit (engraving)
8650068 Poultry, Prison, Puffin, Pulley, Pulpit, Pulse-glass, Pumping, Puncher, Quarry, Quartet, Quiver, Rabbit (engraving) by German School

A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming
3732425 A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a moveable anchor vehicle for use at one end of a field to act as a pulley block for rope to which a plough is)

Rigging for sailing ships, including cordage, bale slings, butt slings, can hook slings, ropes, blocks and pulleys
FLO4593384 Rigging for sailing ships, including cordage, bale slings, butt slings, can hook slings, ropes, blocks and pulleys, 18th century

Daniel Masere's original suspension pulley and fire escape machine simplified by Mr
FLO4591200 Daniel Masere's original suspension pulley and fire escape machine simplified by Mr. Forster, painter's easel and indigo mills

A paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon
3732730 A paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon)

A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming
3732424 A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a moveable anchor vehicle for use at one end of a field to act as a pulley block for rope to which a plough is)

Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving)
DUV4220302 Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving); 27x17.5 cm; (add.info)

Vienna: workers and building contractors on a scaffolding during the works for a building
3570607 Vienna: workers and building contractors on a scaffolding during the works for a building; (add.info.: Vienna, Austria 1910 ca. Photographer: Schaschek); Alinari Archives, Florence

Dramatic machinery for a theatre set including flying carriage, boat on moving waves, flats, etc
FLO4591160 Dramatic machinery for a theatre set including flying carriage, boat on moving waves, flats, etc. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary

Story of the life of Moses. Detail of the rope and pulley of the well. Painting by Alessandro di Mariano dei Filipepi
BEN5471136 Story of the life of Moses. Detail of the rope and pulley of the well. Painting by Alessandro di Mariano dei Filipepi known as Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510). Fresco, 1481

Massachusetts State Prison Workshop in Charleston. Detenus making whips, circa 1850. 19th century lithography
NWI4960030 Massachusetts State Prison Workshop in Charleston. Detenus making whips, circa 1850. 19th century lithography.; (add.info.: Massachusetts State Prison Workshop in Charleston)

France: coal mine miners in working clothes with oil lamps, 1895
LUX4788874 France: coal mine miners in working clothes with oil lamps, 1895; (add.info.: France: coal mine miners in working clothes with oil lamps, 1895); Photo © Lux-in-Fine

Dramatic machinery for a theatre set. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal
FLO4591164 Dramatic machinery for a theatre set. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature, Longman, Hurst, Rees

Plans and views of lock gates in operation on canals, 18th century, England
FLO4685683 Plans and views of lock gates in operation on canals, 18th century, England. Copperplate engraving by Mutlow from John Mason Good's Pantologia, a New Encyclopedia, G

A paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon
3732559 A paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a paying-out machinery and pulley of Giffard's Captive hydrogen balloon)

A plough for steam ploughing
3732427 A plough for steam ploughing; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a plough for steam ploughing, using a steel cable to pull the plough from side to side of the field)

The use of pulleys to make it possible to lock and unlock doors without getting out of bed, 1850
3330952 The use of pulleys to make it possible to lock and unlock doors without getting out of bed, 1850; (add.info.: Engraving depicting the use of pulleys to make it possible to lock)

Free Stone Quarries. View near Bath, Somersetshire, 1798 (hand coloured aquatint on paper)
7485274 Free Stone Quarries. View near Bath, Somersetshire, 1798 (hand coloured aquatint on paper) by Hassell, John (1767-1825); 27x35 cm; Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford, Shropshire

Collectivization of breeding in USSR, ca 1930 (poster)
7422855 Collectivization of breeding in USSR, ca 1930 (poster); (add.info.: Agriculture. Collectivization of breeding in USSR. Poster, USSR, ca 1930.); © Archives Charmet

Suspension apparatus for use in spinal disease. From The Household Physician, published c.1898 (engraving)
6116635 Suspension apparatus for use in spinal disease. From The Household Physician, published c.1898 (engraving); Photo © Ken Welsh. All rights reserved 2024

Paper industry: rotary washing machines. Engraving 1867
JAB4121075 Paper industry: rotary washing machines. Engraving 1867; (add.info.: Paper industry: rotary washing machines. Engraving 1867); Photo ©Jaime Abecasis

Woman drawing water from a well - Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration
NWI4883459 Woman drawing water from a well - Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration; (add.info.: Woman drawing water from a well - Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration)

Chocolate making in Moreuil factory. c.1900 (chromo)
2636215 Chocolate making in Moreuil factory. c.1900 (chromo); Private Collection; (add.info.: Food and Beverage. Chocolate making in Moreuil factory. Imagery, France, c.1900.); Photo © CCI

A young Hawaiian diver, 1890 (print on double-weight paper)
3560874 A young Hawaiian diver, 1890 (print on double-weight paper); (add.info.: Hawaiian Islands, United States 1890-1900 ca. Photographer: Unidentified Author); Alinari Archives, Florence

Side elevations of James Ferguson's cranes. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J. Farey Jr
FLO4591262 Side elevations of James Ferguson's cranes. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J. Farey Jr

Coal-measuring equipment with pulleys, winches, and sacks. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J
FLO4591222 Coal-measuring equipment with pulleys, winches, and sacks. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry after a drawing by J

France, Pays de la Loire, Mayenne (53), Chateau-Gontier: Chateau-Gonthier, Heuzard-Digion factory with pulleys
LUX4762474 France, Pays de la Loire, Mayenne (53), Chateau-Gontier: Chateau-Gonthier, Heuzard-Digion factory with pulleys, gear wheels, machinery and tools, 1924; (add.info.: France)

Shepherds and herds between two colonnades Drawing by Hubert Robert (1733-1808)
JEB4915812 Shepherds and herds between two colonnades Drawing by Hubert Robert (1733-1808) Sun 40x51 cm Musee des Arts decoratifs et de la mode Marseille; Musee Borely, Marseille

A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming
3732429 A moveable anchor vehicle used in farming; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a moveable anchor vehicle for use at one end of a field to act as a pulley block for rope to which a plough is)

A 12 hp, single cylinder, ploughing steam engine
3732428 A 12 hp, single cylinder, ploughing steam engine; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a 12 hp, single cylinder, ploughing steam engine)

Family of artisans at work
3561639 Family of artisans at work by Unknown photographer, (19th century); (add.info.: Egypt 1880-1899 Photographer: Unidentified Author); Alinari Archives, Florence

Construction of the London Underground: the worksite at Holland Park
3569056 Construction of the London Underground: the worksite at Holland Park by Unknown photographer, (19th century); (add.info.: Great Britain 1897 Photographer)

A worker using mechanical power to press paper in a mill. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English
FLO4577680 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.; (add.info)

On a battleship: lowering a boat from the main derrick, illustration from The Western Front, pub
STC400483 On a battleship: lowering a boat from the main derrick, illustration from The Western Front, pub. by Country Life Ltd, 1917 (litho) by Bone

Human invention anticipated: Muscular action (engraving)
8657910 Human invention anticipated: Muscular action (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Muscular action)

Herr Kristan von Hamle-portrait of the Minnesinger, or medieval German courtly love poet
2902651 Herr Kristan von Hamle-portrait of the Minnesinger, or medieval German courtly love poet; (add.info.: The poet being lifted up to his lady's window, Illustration from the Codex Manesse)

Man demonstrating ship rescue apparatus, 1919. Creator: Bain News Service
Man demonstrating ship rescue apparatus, 1919. Shows man with a breeches buoy, a rope-based device to rescue people from wrecked ships

The works of the Metropolitan extension railway in Smithfield, 1864. Creator: Mason Jackson
The works of the Metropolitan extension railway in Smithfield, [London], 1864. View from the bottom of Cow-cross and St. John-street towards the south-west

Demolition of Blackfriars Bridge, 1864. Creator: Mason Jackson
Demolition of Blackfriars Bridge, [London], 1864. View from the Surrey bank of the Thames, showing...the scaffolding which has been erected facilitate the removal of materials...[Also visible are]

Prince Leopold laying the Foundation-Stone of a new infirmary at Bishop's Waltham, Hants. 1864. Creator: Unknown
Prince Leopold laying the Foundation-Stone of the Royal Albert Infirmary at Bishop's Waltham, Hants. 1864. The little town of Bishop's Waltham, in Hampshire

Electric machine (Generator) by Francis Hauksbee (1666-1713) perfected by Boze l
XEE4152373 Electric machine (Generator) by Francis Hauksbee (1666-1713) perfected by Boze l ancien - Engraving in " Sciences brought to the grate of all - physics

W Heath Robinson - The Lullaby Bed, to save getting out of bed to rock baby when he is troublesome at night

Barrel leveling, trussing and hooping machine 1875
Two separate devices, the first by a machine which compresses the barrel end wise between two disks and other by iron hooks

Raising the Great Bell for Westminster Clock-Tower 1858
Officially known as the Great Bell but better known as Big Ben, the huge bell fifteen tons in weight was on its side with not a spare inch either end

Granite Quarries, Trawool, Victoria, 1901. Creator: Unknown
Granite Quarries, Trawool, Victoria, 1901. Trawool in central Victoria, on the middle reaches of the Goulburn River, first explored by Hume and Hovell in 1824, was later settled as a sheep station

A scene in an arsenal, c1485-1490, (1943). Creator: Leonardo da Vinci
A scene in an arsenal, c1485-1490, (1943). Nude male figures hoisting a cannon with a pulley in a military storeyard or arsenal

Accident at the Entry Lock of the East India Docks, Blackwall, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Accident at the Entry Lock of the East India Docks, Blackwall, [London], 1858. The vessels were the brig Ocean, of Shoreham, bound to Swansea, with a cargo of copper ore, and the collier brig Lustre

Prince Albert Laying the Foundation-stone of the New Wing of the Licenced Victuallers Asylum, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Prince Albert Laying the Foundation-stone of the New Wing of the Licenced Victuallers Asylum, 1858....the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the above addition to the well-known building

"...The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", illustrated by Gustave Dore, 1876
"And the rain poured down from one black cloud - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", illustrated by Gustave Dore, 1876

Replacing the Statue of Napoleon I. on the Vendome Column, Paris, 1876. Creator: Unknown
Replacing the Statue of Napoleon I. on the Vendome Column, Paris, 1876. The original column was started in 1806 at Napoleon's direction and completed in 1810

The Story of Tamiya Botaro, 1886. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
The Story of Tamiya Botaro, 1886. From A New Selection of Eastern Brocade Pictures

Inauguration of a Life-boat and Life Boat House at Sunderland, 1858. Creator: Unknown
Inauguration of a Life-boat and Life Boat House at Sunderland, 1858. Miss Burdett Coutts has, with her usual wakeful sympathy

The Prince of Wales laying the last stone of the Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence... 1860. Creator: Unknown
The Prince of Wales laying the last stone of the Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence - from a sketch by our special artist in Canada, G. H

Ableman's Narrows, between 1880 and 1899. Creator: Unknown
Ableman's Narrows, between 1880 and 1899

Loading, a New England granite quarry, c1908. Creator: Unknown
Loading, a New England granite quarry, c1908

Ceremony of Laying the Foundation-Stone of the New School-House at the Philanthropic Society's Farm, Red-Hill, [Surrey], 1856. The new School-house is the gift of Mr

Her Majesty laying the Foundation-Stone of the New Military Hospital at Hamble, near Southampton, 18 Creator: Unknown
Her Majesty laying the Foundation-Stone of the New Military Hospital at Hamble, near Southampton, 1856. Ceremony at the Royal Victoria Hospital

The Kitchen, c.1760-c.1771. Creator: Willem Joseph Laquy
The Kitchen, c.1760-c.1771

The Lord-Lieutenant laying the Foundation-Stone of the New Museum, at Dublin, 1856. Creator: Unknown
The Lord-Lieutenant laying the Foundation-Stone of the New Museum, at Dublin, 1856. Ceremony on...the lawn of the Royal Dublin Society's premises

District of Columbia Supreme Court Being Remodeled, 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing
District of Columbia Supreme Court Being Remodeled, 1917

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"Pulley: A Timeless Tool in the Hands of Surveyors, Artists, and Engineers" From the ancient times to modern innovations, the pulley has been an indispensable tool for various professions. In a colored German engraving from 1594, surveyors can be seen utilizing pulleys both on land and at sea to measure and map their surroundings with precision. Moving forward in time, we find ourselves in a China Clay Pit captured by Harold Harvey (1874-1941). Here, workers rely on pulleys to extract clay from deep within the earth's crust. The strength and efficiency of these devices enable them to transport heavy loads effortlessly. In another illustration by William Heath Robinson titled "Drawing the Cork, " we witness the whimsical side of pulleys. This comical depiction showcases how even opening a bottle of wine can become an elaborate affair when ingenious contraptions involving ropes and wheels are involved. James Tangye (1825-1912), photographed in his workshop at Aviary Court, Illogan, Cornwall around 1900, demonstrates that pulleys have long been essential tools for inventors and engineers alike. With meticulous craftsmanship, Tangye harnesses the power of these simple machines to create innovative mechanisms that shape our world. The year 1862 marks a significant milestone as Otis Patent Hoisting Engine introduces elevators powered by pulley systems. First installed in New York City's A. T. Stewart Store (later Wanamakers), this groundbreaking invention revolutionizes vertical transportation forever. Pulleys also make appearances in everyday scenarios depicted by W Heath Robinson. From opening wine bottles with intricate contraptions to defending against enemy forces during World War II using imaginative setups - his illustrations highlight how versatile this humble device truly is. Beyond its role as a tool for individuals or small-scale projects, pulleys play crucial roles in grand endeavors like constructing Blackfriars Bridge over London's River Thames.