Craftsman using a treadle-operated polishing and finishing machine as used in France in the nineteenth century. These machines were used for the surfa

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Craftsman using a treadle-operated polishing and finishing machine as used in France in the nineteenth century. These machines were used for the surface finishing of gold or silver plated decorative ware and jewellery. Items were polished on discs or grinding wheels rotating at high speed using brushes impregnated with abrasives of different sizes and composition. The brushes were of cotton, tampico or other natural fibres, steel or brass wire, and were used with or without an abrasive compound such as emery or polishing paste.

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Size: 3867px × 4526px
Photo credit: © SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: .-., artwork, de, engraving, explorer, french, galaup, illustration, jean-francois, la, maui, navigator, perouse, portraits, surname