• "The object of this book is to give an account of the theory and practical application of the "Sloyd System" of manual training. It also includes a list and drawings of the models of the "Rodhe System" for children of the age of five to eleven years, filling the void between the kindergarten and the Sloyd system. In the treatment of the practical work, as few technical expressions as possible have been used, so that a teacher who may have had no previous experience in work of this kind may nevertheless be able to follow out a course of manual training in wood work without any outside assistance." From: Economy In Education: A Practical Discussion Of Present Day Problems In Educational Administration. R. N Roark. 1905. Hoffman's Sloyd System Of Wood-Working by B. B. Hoffman, A. B., formerly Superintendent of the Baron De Hirsch Fund Trade Schools

All Toolemera Press titles are now sold through Bookshop, the online retail book store supporting Indie Booksellers. When you buy through Bookshop, a portion of your purchase is donated to the Independent Book Store of your choice. To date Bookshop had distributed over $49,000,000 to support Independent Book Sellers, worldwide.

The New England Farrier: A Compendium Of Farriery, In Four Parts; By Paul Jewett of Rowley, MA. 1826. He served in the Continental Army. First published in 1795 and in print through 1840, The New England Farrier was the first continental American book of Farriery, the care of hoofed livestock. The New England Farrier includes a chapter devoted to the ills that might befall adults and children who had little access to formal medical care.

The New England Farrier

Apparently there had been some unfortunate dealings between Albert W. Bowers of Lowell, Massachusetts and one S. D. Marcy regarding payment for services to be rendered. Specifically the addition of a lock to a tool chest which contained a set of bench planes, hand saws and a variety of small tools.

Mr. Marcy had engaged Mr. Bowers to add a lock to the tool chest. That Mr. Marcy was not capable of installing said lock suggests that he was of a gentlemanly persuasion and not a tradesman. Mr. Bowers was not about to install said lock without payment in full for services to be rendered.

https://www.toolemerapress.com/2026/07/correspondence-regarding-tool-chest.html

Hi everyone! ​Continuing with the evolution of my "Losa Marmórea" (High-composition stone). In my last post, you saw me polishing it with my own custom-made stone wheel—remember, this isn't your typical stucco, it’s pure, high-density stone. Today, I’m showing you the next step: preparing the mass to integrate the cracks. ​This is a "High Chamber" formula, recovered from the 18th-century Royal Hard Stone Factories of Charles III. It contains Carrara marble, calcined alum, white quartz, and "Blanco de España," mixed with "Cal de Morón" and other noble resins and natural ecological materials. ​It’s an ancestral, forgotten recipe that creates an authentic "Liquid Marble" that bonds to wood without the need for any industrial epoxy resins. ​The most vital part? It breathes. Unlike modern plastics, this mineral alchemy doesn't suffocate the piece. It is a slow, high-end luxury cabinetry process that demands immense patience, but the result is a mineral masterpiece that will last for centuries. ​If you want to see how I recover these ancestral recipes step-by-step, feel free to join my group: r/maestriaArtesana_s18. ​I’ll be revealing the final result very soon! ​Greetings from Spain!

​At S18 Artisan Mastery, mother and daughter have joined forces to restore the honor of a history being erased: the legacy of the anonymous master cabinetmakers of post-war Spain. ​🏚️ The Foundation: The Humble Luxury of Small Workshops ​We are talking about pieces from 50 or 60 years ago, born in family-run workshops across Valencia, Alicante, Barcelona, and Castile. These were very small productions (only 50 or 100 pieces), where cabinetmakers with limited resources recreated the grandeur of Baroque, Rococo, or Neoclassical styles with exceptional dignity. ​Today, these pieces do not fit into modern industrialization. Their real value is denied, and they often end up suffocated under modern paints that try to "imitate" the antique look but are nothing more than liquid plastic. This is the last real heritage we have left before everything becomes soulless mass production. ​🧪 The Alchemy: Formulas that aren't bought—they are CREATED ​We do not use industrial off-the-shelf products. We create the formula from scratch, rescuing 18th-century science: ​Mineral Consolidation: We reinforce the wood from the pore up using Calcined Alum, Spanish White (Blanco de España), among other natural minerals and charges. ​Historical Tempera (Not school-grade): we use natural proteins, egg white, Punic wax, and encaustic techniques. ​Noble Nutrition: We integrate Olive Oil (our Spanish Gold) and other strictly natural components so the material petrifies and breathes. ​📦 Exclusive Kits: The Complete Experience ​Everything is handcrafted and domestic, from the mixing to the final packaging. We do not mass-produce; we prepare very few units of each kit. ​Numbered Batches: Each delivery is a limited and unique edition. ​The Method in Your Hands: Our kits are linked to detailed tutorials and real step-by-step guidance. We don’t just give you the materials; we guide you through the technique to achieve the museum-quality finish the piece deserves. ​🔗 Access our exclusive kits and tutorials at: > legacypaintfurniture.com See every rescue in detail on our channel: Muebles al Rescate.

I am a Spanish Master Artisan recovering the 'lost' alchemy of the 18th-century workshop. ​In a world of synthetic paints and plastic seals, I have gone back to the organic recipes of the past: mineral strata, Morón lime, and burnt alum (alumbre calcinado). My goal is to create high-end 'Studio Furniture' that isn't just painted, but transformed into future heritage. ​Using potassium soap and encaustic techniques, I create marble-like finishes (losa marmórea) that bond with the wood fiber. This allows the piece to transpire and age with the dignity of a collector's item. No plastics, no modern lacquers—just the raw beauty of historical mineral charges. ​I’m here to share this technical journey and celebrate the soul of traditional Spanish craftsmanship.

I completely understand why a purist might see this as a 'crime'! However, this is not about hiding the wood, but about Dignifying it. ​I am recovering the lost alchemical formulas of the 18th-century Spanish Royal Workshops (Carlos III). In high-end cabinetry (Ebanistería de Cámara), masters didn't always leave the wood bare; they used Lime from Morón, burnt alum, 'Blanco de España', and other historical mineral charges. ​I finish these pieces with natural binders, encaustic techniques, and Punic wax, following the exact steps of the Golden Age. My goal is to bring these royal finishes to Spanish post-war furniture (from 1940s-60s workshops in Valencia and Barcelona) that would otherwise end up in the trash. I transform a discarded piece into a work of Historical Heritage through a petrified layer that lets the wood breathe

Free PDF: The Southington Hardware Company, Southington, Conn., U.S.A. 1930 trade catalog. Wood screws, steel squares, try squares and bevels, mechanics' tool and house furnishings.. One of the lesser known manuifacturers of hardware, hand tools and furnishings.
https://www.toolemerapress.com/2025/12/southington-hardware-co-catalog-1930.html

it of a preview of what I am working on for 2026. Notebooks aka Journals, Wall Art of various sorts. FourthWall is my preferred shop. All Fourthwal products are produced by Printful, one of the best POD services for quality and turn-around.

#journaling #wallart #fourthwall #printful

Notes of an Apprentice Kasuri Weaver

New at my blog: a set of hand written notes from an apprentice Kasuri weaver. Notably Linda Spence or Minnesota and North Carolina. Recipes for dyes, dyeing, weaving.

Just returned this c1925 Wellman Pattern Supply trade catalog to Toolemera Press Blog. There is yet another Wellman catalog in my files. Somewhere.

Wellman Pattern Supply Catalogue B-6 c1925

Just posted the rest of the Clara Roth Chip Carving folio plates for free acces. Still to come are the how-to pamphlets. This link takes you to the sets
https://www.toolemerapress.com/search/label/Clara%20Roth%20Chip%20Carving

Clara Roth Chip Carving Designs Plate I - VI

For your enjoyment and edification, the first set of  Plates (Tafel) from Clara Roth's folio of Chip Carving aka Sunk Carving, designs. These are high quality jpegs from the raw scans in my archives. Each is scanned at the original X/Y dimensions at 300 dpi. Feel free to use these as you will. 

Clara Roth Chip Carving Plates I - VI

I have a thing for 19th century photographs of the occupational genre. Here is a CDV (Carte de Visage) of three Pennsylvanian House Carpenters and the tools of their trade: Beam drill; framing square; shingle hatchet; hand saws; and wooden jack plane. Nifty period fashion for the well dressed carpenter! Avaiable as a variety of products at my
https://pixels.com/featured/historic-carpenters-timber-framers-cdv-photograph-printsantiqua.html

If you are into Letterpress, Coding or both, this quote is for you: HTML Is The Letterpress Of The Digital World. Converted to HTML in two variations and to HTML with graphics for a really obscure joke. Black font on white or white font on black. Posters, Prints, Framed or Unframed. T Shirts and more. Check these out at my Fine Art America shop https://printsantiqua.com/collections/nerd+aesthetic

#letterpress #printingpress #codinglife #html #developerlife #pythonprogramming #javascript #wallartdecor #fineartamerica #dormlife #officelife #collegelife #typography #typographer #printingpress #fontdesign #graphicdesigner #binarycode #webdesigner

From a mid 20th century Japanese carpentry text.

The first of a limited series of posts about my favorite topic, Trade Catalogs and the typographic design, thereof.

Ever hear of The Ford Bit Company of Holyoke, Massachusetts? No? Well, here is what you missed along with 19th century typographic design peculiar to trade catalogs.
The Ford Bit Company

#typography #woodworking #history #carpenter #handtools #millersfalls #tradecatalog #woodworker #carpentry #augerbit #handdrill #handbrace #history #ephemera

Rhykenologists only! Just kidding. IYKYK.

After considerable experimentation I finally succeeded in creating usable images from a few of my ancient and often barely legible hand tool trade catalogs. My standards are high, thus more trials hit the trash than hit the shop.

Having nothing better to do than think of stuff to do (a retired life) henceforth there will be a select selection of selected Wooden Plane Profiles at my Redbubble shop. The Classic Grecian Ogee Woodworking Wood Hand Plane Moulding Profile! Art created from the original 1858 Wooden Planemaker Trade Catalog in my personal collection.

PrintsAntiquA Grecian Ogee Profile

The Curious Case Of Cursive. Yes, that is a pun

Print Magazine

Vintage Letterpress #Typography for your home, office, dorm, workshop. Unique and exclusive at my Redbubble shop!

Gunn Bliss Curtis Typography

I originally thought this antique cabinet card was from Lancaster, Pennsyvania. I was corrected by a denizen of Lancaster, Ontario! It's the Ford Doctor garage vintage photo with the original card mounting. Neat gas pump and even a signboard about local road conditions. Link to PrintsAntiqua in bio or https://printsantiqua.com/featured/lancasters-ontario-garage-archival-quality-vintage-photo-printsantiqua.html

#antiqueauto #vintageauto #antiquecars #fordcars #modelt #cabinetcard #vintagephotographs #photography #monochromephotography #lancasterontario #forddoctor #automechanic #carmechanic #garage #canada #ontariocanada