71/137

James Howarth (Manufacturer)

An auger is a boring tool used in a variety of woodworking trades. This is a shell auger, the shank of which is fixed through the T-shaped turned wooden handle. The shank is marked '7/8 J. Howarth, Sheffield'. The auger is part of the Reeves Collection which was donated by R. & J. Reeves and Son Ltd., agricultural machinery manufacturers of Bratton Iron Works, Wiltshire.

1 auger: metal, wood

MERL Miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 10 March 2014 – The Reeves Collection was donated by R. & J. Reeves and Son Ltd. of Bratton Iron Works near Westbury, Wiltshire. The firm, which manufactured agricultural machinery, was well-established by 1849, and went into final receivership in 1970, when the Collection was donated to MERL. Bratton Iron Works was demolished in 1973. A detailed list of all of the objects in the Collection can be found in the accession file for 70/235. Records relating to the firm can be found in the MERL Archives, reference TR REE., MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: SHELL AUGER // Accession number: 71/137 // … // Recorder: JMB // Date: New sheet 27.11.87 // Description: Shell auger with stem of bit fixed through T shaped wooden handle by bending iron over. Turned wooden handle. // Inscription: 7/8 J. HOWARTH, SHEFFIELD on stem of auger // Dimensions: Total length: 39.0 cm // Handle length: 36.0 cm // Bit length: 15.0 cm // Bit width: 2.0 cm’, Reeves Collection Object List (accession file 70/235) – ‘Accn. No.: 71/137 // Classification: CRAFTS // Description: Auger. Metal blade, squared and jointed through handle and fixed with nut, ending in scoop and semi-circular projection at end. Wooden horizontal handle with central cylinder and tapering at ends before widening to form hard grips. Inscription on handle in capitals, ‘C.N. Smith, ¬– N. Hillman’.’

Sheffield

Metal, Wood