Object number
55/54/1-2
Description
This is a cooper's anvil, also known as a 'bick iron', with a base made of a solid wooden block and an upright iron pillar with a T-shaped top with two holes in it. It is used for forming the iron hoops of a cask, with the holes being used when punching the rivet holes in the hoops. It was used in the cooper's shop at H. & G. Simonds Ltd., known as the Bridge Street Brewery, in Reading.
Physical description
1 cooper's anvil: wood; metal; fair condition
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – [Coopering – General Card, 55/37–55/56 and 55/66–55/68] – 'This set of Cooper's tools came to the Museum from the Cooper's Department, Messrs H & G Simonds The Brewery, Reading. Although the majority of the tools are modern, indeed some of them were never used, the tools are nevertheless the same as have been used for centuries by both urban and rural coopers.'
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External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_10697.tif - High resolution image
