Thursday 8 September 2011

Sepia Saturday 91 - Triangles in Perspective

I've taken Alan's "triangle of interaction" as the theme for this week.  Within his picture there is not one triangle, there are, at least, 4.

I've taken two photographs of my Great Grandfather with two of his sons, and the Apprentice, hooping a wheel at their Blacksmith shop in Coxwold.  I apologise for the quality, they have come to me via a rather circuitous route which may have involve them being photocopied at one stage.

 In this image the rim has been put on water poured on to shrink it to the wheel as can be seen by the steam.  There are a number of triangles, with the main one being between Robert and his sons Jack (in shirt sleeves) and Henry looking intently at the wheel as the rim shrinks.  A lesser one involves Robert, Henry and the boy with his gaze waiting for the order for more water.
All four are involved in a sort of lozenge or kite shape of interaction.

In this image, the wheel must have cooled, the ground looks wet and Robert ( he has is own triangulation formed with his rather handsome moustaches) and Jack examining the new rim and the boy hammer in hand ready to strike.
A lesser triangle is formed with Henry but he is now in a passive pose, sitting with something in his hand.

15 comments:

  1. Wonderful action pictures, no matter what the quality. I saw this being done on BBC’s ‘Victorian Farm’ I believe. Fascinating stuff.

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  2. These pictures were very educational for me as I had no idea how rims were put on wheels.

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  3. Ah, very good with the triangles. And wonderful shots of people working. Rare.

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  4. Good to see a wheel being made in the 'old fashioned' way. Pictures like these must not be lost.

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  5. A pictorial geometry lesson of the best and most interesting kind. The less than perfect quality of the images somehow makes them even more interesting, drawing you in to search out what is going on.

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  6. While the quality of the photos may leave a little to be desired, the content is magnificent. I'm going to admit to being a little jealous - there's not many who have such vibrant occupational photos of our ancestors.

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  7. Fabulous finds indeed no matter by what route you received them. And, who knows, maybe someone will see this post who has the originals!

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  8. Great stuff, Mike. We had a Wheelwright in our family, too. No photographs, unfortunately.

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  9. I learned something with these photos!

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  10. I had to look at the 2nd, enlarged; it could be a painting with exquisite shadows. Dark and haunting of a time ago.

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  11. Nice photos but it's hard for me to read with the light print and the busy background :-(

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  12. Wonderful photos. I agree with Brett, very rare and priceless to have family occupational action photos.

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  13. Amazing triangular visions in this. Awesome to see a wheel being made like that!

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  14. I love these two photos! Making things was jolly hard physical work in them days!

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  15. What an amazing privilege to literally look into your family's past! I'm blown away...wish my ancestors had had the foresight to stash away a few pictures of their own.

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