Just got back from a trip to PA, which included a visit to the Mercer Museum. Wow, what a treat. Way too much to take in in one walk through. Lots of neat stuff, collected back when such things weren’t as thin on the ground as they are now. If you have the chance, go there. His book, Ancient Carpenters’ Tools, I’d read many years ago, I’m now inspired to reread.
Regards,
Ray
Replies
Ray,
I have heard about this place. Of course never seem to find the time to visit. I live about 50 miles from there, this will be on my list of to do's when next i get a weekend off! Thanks
FE
Yea, the Mercer museum is an interesting place. I lived in lower Bucks county back in the 50's and we got our mail from Lenon's General Store. These mailboxes are in the museum now. Haven't been inside in years but ride past it when I get up that way.
Roy Underhill did one of his programs from there. I grew up not too far from there and never knew that it existed until Roy's show educated me.
I think there was a story in a real old FHB about how they poured the roof by mounding up dirt on a scaffold and just laying tiles on dirt and pouring.
Joiner, The building itself is a marvel, as it was one of the first poured concrete structures of the times. The exterior appears as a rectilinear castle -like building, BUT!, once inside, it opens up to a vast vaulted, un obstructed naturally lit open space.
All the displays are accessed by a continuously spiraled walkway (Somewhat like a modern parking garage.) The walk,(More like a stroll)is open to a never ending panorama of tools, fixtures and displays of wares fashioned by hundreds of craft people from years bygone.
Wagon makers, watchmakers ,barrel and shingle makers; It's endless. Even suspended from the ceiling, a complete covered wagon among other hand hewn objects of our forefathers (And mothers too.)
The thousands of tools used and laid out on workbenches were hand crafted as well.
One thinks of a silversmith or a weaver entering his little shop at dawn and gazing at a work in progress with all the associated tools laid out waiting right where they've lain overnight.
Conveiniently located, are elevators for those who prefer hopping to the various levels .
If anyone cares to visit, start out in the spring, as the whole area abounds with quaint antique and craft shops, a large open air fleamarket (My favorite)and Restaurants,carousel (For the kids)and duck ponds and winding paths .
Also ton's of benches to cool your heels.
Bucks County is horse country and the panorama is stone built homes and white railed fences stretching serpentine across rolling green turf. A treat to the eye and the soul. Steinmetz.
stein,
Mr. Mercer was a marvel, for sure. Apparently his fear of fire was the impetus for the innovative (for its time) use of concrete for the building. Recently opened prior to my visit was the room Mercer used as his office, up in the top of one of the towers. It featured a cast-in -place concrete desk, and raised paneling-- made of plaster. You failed to note in your description of the museum's many, many rooms, that the doors to the exhibitions are all of steel.
Also worthy of note, is the hangman's scaffold, or gallows, on display. Taken from a jail, it's in an exhibit on crime (burglary tools and weapons) and punishment. Creepy, but fascinationg! You look up through the open trapdoor at the beam from which the rope is strung.
Regards,
Ray
Join, Funny that I missed that section
displaying burglar tools. I am a retired locksmith
and would have loved to have seen
the 'Tools of the other Trade'
I'm guessing they featured a 'Masterkey'? (aka, crowbar)I also failed to notice the steel doors too; My bad!I DO recall, at every display, imbedded in the concrete
wall is a distintive hand made and hand fired
clay tile which was made especially for Mercer at
a nearby ceramic/pottery /tile manufacturer. A great place to buy fine decorated tiles for your hearth etc etc. Bought two for my daughter in law to be built into a coat and hat stand I never made (Plans sold by Norm)One of these days, I'll take the trip to Doylestown for my third visit
with my son (The tool and die maker) Thanks for the reply. Steinmetz.
stein,
Keep going up. The crime display is right near the top of one of the towers.
Regards,
Ray
Thanx Ray. Will do.
Mercer collected what was then mundane and would not survive the coming Industrial Revolution for us to see toady.
Quite a remarkable place http://www.mercermuseum.org/
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