Adolph Bruhn & Son Collection

[Mobyturns]

Browsing by theme 'Bruhn Collection' - Museum Victoria (http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2720/bruhn-collection)

The Museum of Victoria has been steadily improving access to a collection of wood turning artefacts from Adolph Bruhn & Son, one of the last large scale wood turning production workshops / factories to close in Australia. They traded from about 1897 to the 1990's with the collection being circa 1970-1990.

It is a very interesting snapshot into the life of a production wood turner with artefacts from tools, clothing, samples, and templates, plans etc all now preserved and catalogued on line.

Hope you enjoy.

[artful bodger]

Wow! thanks for posting that Moby. Looked through half of the pictures, will look at the rest later on.
It's good to see that a museum considers the woodturning trade as a worthwhile trade to exhibit. Perhaps they suspect as I do that it's a dying trade.
Might have to go and have a look next time I'm on the north island.

[chuck1]

Yep dying trade! I was 1 of 4 apprentice's in 1994 to complete the woodturning course at lidcombe tafe!
It's good to know that these things are kept for posterity! And how did you find out about this? Thanks for sharing!

[Mobyturns]

Yep dying trade! I was 1 of 4 apprentice's in 1994 to complete the woodturning course at lidcombe tafe!
It's good to know that these things are kept for posterity! And how did you find out about this? Thanks for sharing!

I've been following it for a couple of years and have sent them a couple of emails requesting better access to the collection via online. So let all your wood turner mates know about it & hopefully they will put some more resources into cataloguing the collection and improve access. Some amusing descriptions in there. If I live in Vic I would volunteer my services to assist.

[chuck1]

I've been following it for a couple of years and have sent them a couple of emails requesting better access to the collection via online. So let all your wood turner mates know about it & hopefully they will put some more resources into cataloguing the collection and improve access. Some amusing descriptions in there. If I live in Vic I would volunteer my services to assist. I'm up to page 40! And yes the descriptions are something! I do like the grind on the couple of gouges I looked at! And the drawer knobs!? I would call them finials for furniture or curtain rail knobs! it's all very interesting I must say! And nice designs!

[Paul39]

I also found some of the tools most fascinating.

Photographing and cataloging hundreds or thousands of objects to put on line is tedious, and museums are usually under funded. At times young people without exposure to many old things or processes are hired or volunteer to do cataloging.

Some misleading and sometimes amusing descriptions can result.

An email to the museum citing the object with an accurate description may help them.

I have done so to the Smithsonian Institution here in the US to no avail.

Thanks Moby for posting.

[Mobyturns]

I have done so to the Smithsonian Institution here in the US to no avail.

Thanks Moby for posting.


I have contacted the M of V a number of times offering correct descriptions & to put them in contact with expert turners who may wish to also assist & I have offered but what would we know?

[Paul39]

I have contacted the M of V a number of times offering correct descriptions & to put them in contact with expert turners who may wish to also assist & I have offered but what would we know?

Yaa, and that is a very nice round handle on the tool rest.