Early Unknown Lathe 1770

Early Lathe.

Very little is known about this other than it has all the appearances of being very early and exceptionally fine quality....... made fit for a King and for all we know it might have been. It is felt by the previous owner that it might have been made in England, most likely in London possibly by a Huguenot about 1770.

The base is a very dense cast iron, this thing is really heavy for it's looks. It has four columns of the Tuscan order with a curved bracket holding up the chamfered crank and spoked flywheel. The poppets or head and tail stock are brass and wonderfully filed to shape... the key ways are all hand fitted and tapered.... the craftsmanship is fantastic! Simply put I think the whole thing is fantastic so I put it in my office. A number of friends asked what I was going to do with it and I said I'll use as a lamp table.........

It may have had a slide rest? it is not too early.... Peter the Great's lathes did and he died in 1725 .... so who knows?.... and the cast square is is interesting too.... What was it for? 

Source; Rivett68.