here you can all 12 issues 2012 and the

Transcription

WOLF’S PLUMB
BOB NEWS 2012
COMPLETE WITH ALL 12 SINGLE ISSUES
AND THE TABLE OF CONTENT
INFORMATION FOR
PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS
EDITED BY WOLF RUECKER
[email protected]
www.plumbbobcollectors.info
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS
2012 complete
CONTENT
All 12 issues
Information for PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS
Author: Wolf Ruecker
#.
[email protected]
TITLE / CONTENT
11.30.2012
CLICK on the TITLE below to go directly to the first page of the article
2012-01
CALENDAR 2012
2012-02
PLUMB BOBS AND ADVERTISING
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
2012-03
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2012-04
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Page 8
Page 24
INTRODUCTION
PLUMB BOB as a LOGO
PLUMB BOB as a MONUMENT
PLUMB BOB as a SHOP SIGN
THE NAME PLUMB BOB IN FIRM’S NAMES
PLUMB BOB as a PIN or CRAVAT-NEEDLE
PLUMB BOB as AWARD
PLUMB BOB as CUSTOMER GIFTS
PLUMB BOB in LETTER HEADS
OPERATION PLUMBBOB NEVADA 1957
WOODEN PLUMB BOBS
Page 35
INTRODUCTION
PLUMB BOBS FROM WOOD
WOODEN SPINNING TOPS
PATENTS OF SPINNING TOPS
SPINNING TOPS (GIMBAL) patented as plumb bob
MAKING A WOODEN PLUMB BOB
WOODEN PLUMB BOBS FOR COLLECTORS
THE GRUBER LEVEL
Page 44
INTRODUCTION
THE GRUBER UNIVERSAL MEASURING INSTRUMENT
PATENTS OF HANS GRUBER
WHAT FUNCTIONS HAS THE GRUBER LEVEL?
THE PLUMB BOB ON THE GRUBER LEVEL – THE LEVEL AS A PLUMB BOB
WHAT CAN WE FIND ABOUT HANS GRUBER IN THE WWW?
WHO WAS HANS GRUBER?
[email protected]
1
2012 complete
CONTENT
All 12 issues
[email protected]
2012-05
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
2012-06
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2012-07
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2012-08
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
NELSON DENNY †
page 56
INTRODUCTION
FIRST CONTACT
PATENTS and SOME SPECIAL PLUMB BOBS
DISPLAYING AND INVENTORY
COMMUNICATION WORLDWIDE
HIS COLLECTION
THE LEISTNER & HEIMBACH STORY
THE PLUMB LINE CONTINUUM
HIS WORK AND THE FUTURE
THE WELL WHISTLE
Page 66
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS A WELL WHISTLE?
WHO INVENTED THE WELL WHISTLE?
OPERATING INSTRUCTION
WHAT WAS USED BEFORE THE WELL WHISTLE?
ARE THERE STILL WELL WHISTLES ON THE MARKTET TODAY?
A VISIT TO MY WATER SUPPLYER
MINIATURE PLUMB BOBS
Page 79
INTRODUCTION
WHO IS THE MAKER?
TOOLS / MACHINES
PLUMB BOBS
OTHER TOOLS
THE FUTURE
UPDATE MINING PLUMMETS
INTRODUCTION
THE „LIGHTNING PLUMB BOB“ BY SCHULTE
THE BRAUNSHU & CZUYA PLUMMET
OTHER MINING PLUMMETS
MINING PLUMMETS FROM THE NELSON DENNY COLLECTION
[email protected]
2
Page 89
2012 complete
CONTENT
All 12 issues
[email protected]
2012-09
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2012-10
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2012-11
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2012-12
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
WALLPAPER PLUMB BOBS
Page 96
INTRODUCTION
WHY WALLPAPERERS USE PLUMB BOBS?
WALLPAPERERS AT WORK
USING THE PLUMB BOBS IN FRANCE 18th CENTURY
PLUMB BOBS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS
Page 105
INTRODUCTION
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS FROM COLLECTORS
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS IN MUSEUMS
THE USE OF ROMAN PLUMB BOBS
OTHER SHAPES OF ROMAN TOOLS
REPRODUCTION OF A ROMAN PLUMB BOB
4. PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS MEETING IN ATHENS, GREECE Page 119
INTRODUCTION / REVIEW
PROGRAM
PRESENTS TO THE PARTICIPANTS
PRESENTATIONS
NEXT MEETING
ARTISTS AND PLUMB BOBS
INTRODUCTION
ANTONIA LOW
RICK ALEXANDER
JOHN WITTERSHEIM
TED METZ
HANS-PETER LUEBKE
CRAIK KOSAK
DENVER COLORADO JANUS HEAD
BJÖRN BORGMANN
PETER TILL
PIXMAN
PAMELA HAMILTON
LINKS TO OTHER SITES WITH ARTEFACTS
MEMBERS OF THE PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS FAMILY
[email protected]
3
Page 133
2012 complete
CONTENT
All 12 issues
[email protected]
ALL PUBLICATIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON MY WEB SITE
THERE YOU CAN ALSO FIND AND DOWNLOAD THE 50 ISSUES FROM 2007 AND
THE 12 PUBLICATIONS FROM 2008, 2009 AND 2010 (NO NEWSLETTERS IN 2011)
ENJOY READING THESE SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS
WOLF RUECKER
[email protected]
[email protected]
4
INTERMEDIATE PAGE
INTERMEDIATE PAGE
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012
Editor: Wolf Ruecker
Issue 01
January 01, 2012
CALENDAR 2012
Dear Fellow Collector,
Dear Reader of the Plumb Bob NEWS,
This is the first issue after a break of over one year writing about plumb bobs.
In 2011 I stopped with the WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS for several reasons, but now I will take up again
this work.
If you have any ideas or areas of interest you would like to discuss, please let me know.
As first issue of the NEWS 2012 you find below a CALENDAR 2012 especially made for plumb bob
collectors. You can print it (or let print it in a copy shop) and hang it on the wall. For the printing I suggest
to download the calendar from my web site www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page DOWNLOAD
PUBLICATIONS. (There are no headlines or foot lines on the pages)
The next topics in 2012 could be:
 WOODEN plumb bobs

ROMAN plumb bobs

SHEATHS or PACKING or BOXES of plumb bobs

PUBLICITY and ADVERTISING for plumb bobs

Plumb bobs from CENTRAL AMERICA

How do collectors MANAGE AND MARK the plumb bobs in their collections

MECHANICAL US plumb bobs

Meeting in ATHENS/Greece in autumn 2012

WRONG plumb bobs etc.

Different Plumb bobs of the WORLD

??? ………………
Please, as always I am in search of new photos, catalogs, articles or personal stories about any aspect of
PLUMB BOBS from you, any help is appreciated.
If you have any information or pictures for these themes, please let me know.
What do YOU suggest/propose?
Thank you, looking forward to hearing from you
Wolf
[email protected]
-8-
2012
PLUMB BOB COLLECTOR’S
CALENDAR
KALENDER speziell für
SENKLOTSAMMLER
Wolfgang Ruecker
[email protected]
[email protected]
-9-
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-01 CALENDAR 2012 e
[email protected]
- 10 -
Collection Nelson Denny:
USA Millwright plumb bobs reversible
[email protected]
- 11 -
Collection Wolf Ruecker:
English, American and homemade
plumb bobs in iron candlestick
[email protected]
- 12 -
Show cases in „museum“
of Wolf Ruecker
[email protected]
- 13 -
Patented VAJEN plumb bob with patent drawing
[email protected]
- 14 -
Set of nice items from
H.A. WILLIAMS MFG
BOSTON MASS U.S.A.
[email protected]
- 15 -
USA bridge builder’s plumb bob
16 in, 15 lbs
[email protected]
- 16 -
View through magnifying glass to small
pieces like freemason’s medal, pins,
coin, Buddha, necklace etc.
[email protected]
- 17 -
French cigarette box with brass tools
[email protected]
- 18 -
Collection Wolf Ruecker
Roman plumb bobs of bronze
11oz and lead up to 21 oz.
left:
Reproduction12 oz. bronze
[email protected]
- 19 -
highly ornated plumb bobs
in his BOB ROOM
[email protected]
- 20 -
Faustmann Mirror-Hypsometer
with plumb bob (since 1854)
for tree height measuring
[email protected]
- 21 -
WIESENER Australia
patent GB 19687 from 1907
[email protected]
- 22 -
This is an article of the monthly published WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS that is sent on demand as PDFfile attachment by email. FREE.
You can see all former publications on the website www.plumbbobcollectors.info
Remarks and contact by email: [email protected]
Do we meet us on the
4 PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS MEETING
Autumn 2012 in ATHENS, Greece?
th
[email protected]
- 23 -
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012
Editor: Wolf Ruecker
Issue 02
February 01, 2012
PLUMB BOBS and ADVERTISING
Dear reader of the PLUMB BOB NEWS,
Please, as always I am in search of new photos, catalogs, articles or personal stories about any aspect
of PLUMB BOBS from you, any help is appreciated.
Wolf
CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................24
2. PLUMBBOB as a LOGO..........................................................................................................................25
3. PLUMB BOB as MONUMENT ...............................................................................................................26
4. PLUMB BOB as SHOP SIGN ..................................................................................................................26
5. The name plumb bob in FIRM’S NAMES or signatures ..........................................................................27
6. PLUMB BOB as PINS or CRAVAT-NEEDLE .......................................................................................29
7. PLUMB BOB as AWARD .......................................................................................................................30
8. PLUMB BOB AS CUSTOMER GIFTS. ..................................................................................................31
9. PLUMB BOB IN LETTER HEADS ........................................................................................................33
10.
OPERATION PLUMBBOB NEVADA 1957.......................................................................................33
11.
REMARKS ............................................................................................................................................34
1. INTRODUCTION
Usually we know the plumb bob always as a
TOOL, used by different trades as masons,
carpenters, surveyors etc.
But the plumb bob was also used for other reasons.
As a SHOP SIGN or as a GIFT TO CLIENTS, as a
LOGO for a maker etc. Sometimes the maker used
his name for the firm.
Always this use has a positive sense.
Only the use of the code-name for the operation
plumbbob (see chapter 10) for atomic test in 1957
was not so positive in my opinion.
Below you find some ideas that I found in the last
years. If you have any remarks or additional
information, please let me know.
Photo above:
Coat of arms by family Marsil Lefebre
2. PLUMBBOB as a LOGO
The plumb bob is in a logo often used to refer to
the accuracy or proper execution or beliefs.
Of course it is also the logo used as a means to a
profession, such as architects, builders, etc.
The DENKMALTECHNISCHEN ASSISTENTEN
DTA also used a plumb bob in their logo.
Other brands:
The BIBLIOTHEKA MASONICA Suisse
And in Spain:
Dr. Rolf Lutz said nothing in his article about “Die
Gernsbacher Waagenfabrik” (The balance/scale
making fabric) Ernst Hauth in Gernsbach,
Germany why they choosed this logo. He only
described the logo – in German Fabrikmarke - (see
figure above) as follows: hand with plumb bob and
angle between the capital letters G. and W.
(Gernsbacher Waagenfabrik)
On the scale we can see clearly the plumb bob and
the other tools.
The factory used this logo since 1885 especially for
the “lion head-weighing scales”. 1894 they added
the capital letters, but they never used it in their
letter heads. The factory closed in 1935.
[email protected]
- 25 -
Also contractors use often the plumb bob on their
sign.
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-02
outside, or the blacksmith had an anvil silhouette. Sadly, as
store fronts were updated, these bookmarks o an earlier time
were thrown on history’s scrap pile. Those careless events
are what makes this a rare opportunity. What we have here is
a large plumb bob, 18” tall and about 6 ½” at the widest.
Made by either a tinsmith or blacksmith. It is formed from
two lap-seamed cones held together by 3 sheet metal screws.
It has what I would say is the original chain and mounting
bracket. The surface has a wonderful black patina and
virtually no rust – my lighting makes it look brownish, its
really more black. The seller, from Pennsylvania got it from a
family in King of Prussia, just outside of Philadelphia. They
said it was from their family’s business (perhaps a builder or
surveyor.. or maybe both) and that it dated from the mid to
late 1800s. It certainly has that look to it.”
3. PLUMB BOB as MONUMENT
Of course, the plumb bob was
used in the art and also as a
memorial. You can find more
about it in my WOLF'S
PLUMB BOB NEWS 2008-02
"bobs on stamps, coins and
monuments"
I.e. right: Wellington office
building
JANUS,
Denver
Colorado USA
Remark: Actually this shop sign is part of the collection of DB in Istanbul,
Turkey
or
Düsseldorf,
Germany
“Deutschland Haus” on the
market place opposite to the
town-hall 1956.
In my collection I have a WEATHER-VANE from
a master carpenter in Bavaria, Germany. Size: 35
inch by 18 inch. Galvanized iron.
4. PLUMB BOB as SHOP SIGN
In October 2005 B.C. sold on Ebay the “1800s Hanging
Trade Sign – A LARGE PLUMB BOB”. He described it as
follows: “When I was growing up in a small Long Island
town in the 1950s, four of the business that lined the cross
roads that made up this little village had Trade or symbol
signs: the butcher chop had
a meat cleaver crossed with
a steel; the shoe maker
(now called shoe repair
person, ugh) had a
silhouette of a shoe, the
drug store had a mortar
and
pestle
and
the
hardware store had a name
sign, with a large hammer
on it. Up until the early
part of the 20th century,
when the national literacy
rate began to approach 100%, most business had TRADE
signs or symbols signs so that the person who could not read,
could still find what they were looking for. To this day, most
of us recognize the 3 Balls (figure right from
Wikipedia) as a symbol for a pawn shop. And
we’ve all seen the cartoon where the
dentist’s office has a large tooth hanging
[email protected]
- 26 -
To hang it on the entry to my
museum, I bought a sign from
iron. Now I have to search for
a nice drawing or picture to
paint it …
Plumb bob and
A-level: sign
of the mason
Diogenes
in
Pompeii, Italy.
This town was
buried by the
eruption of the Vesuvius near Naples in the year 79.
(Photo from Wikipedia, Claus Ableiter)
And below is “the
last sign” from the
gravestone
of
John Rudd with
all the tools that
show
his
profession:
MASON, which
shows a plumblevel and dividers.
On http://www.theplumbbob.com/ I found
5. The name plumb bob in FIRM’S
NAMES or signatures
In Australia I found Diane a graphic-designer, who
called her firm PLUMBOB CREATIVE.
Fruit Label Level & Plumb Bob Sunkist Reprint.
More you can find on
http://www.plumbob.com.au/
I asked her and here is her answer:
“Hi Wolf, I use the plumb bob
because it’s the name of my
business – PLUMBOB CREATIVE –
I’m a graphic designer and I say on
my website about the plumb bob:
“It’s actually spelt plumb bob and is a weight
attached to a line used to measure the
vertical.
It dates back to ancient Egypt where it was
used as a surveying instrument. Plumb is to
examine closely in order to understand and
describes something precise and absolute – as close to
perfection as possible. Plumbob Creative is dedicated to this
ideal.”
PLUMSURE cigar label
Plumb bob and balance as symbols
for a high quality product.
I’m happy that you mention me on your site and
what a beautiful collection of plumb bobs I can see
on your site.
All the best, Diane.“
Do you play GOLF?
On Ebay you can find
something like this:
This very rare 35"
putter is in very good
shape
with
light
scratches and minor
nicks. True Temper steel
shaft with label mostly
intact.
An
INSTRUMENT
MAKER in the Netherlands
used his name Loth (that
means plumb bob) in
connection with his logo.
Loth, Martin
Westerstraat 12 - 14, Utrecht
Niederlande
Instrumentenmacher
Produktion chirurgischer
Instrumente.
Source: Katalog Loth 1932
From: Verzeichnis der Waagen- und
Gewichtemacher und ihre Marken,
Ausgabe 3/2006
[email protected]
- 27 -
Scott Charles wrote on:
http://plumbbobresearch.com/marketing/
PlumbBob Market Research
The Bazooka Bob is an enclosed unit whose
external structure shields it from the effects of
wind and rain. The magnetic head
BAZOOKA PLUMB BOB DESCRIPTION
Welcome to PlumbBob Market Research
April 27th, 2009
Welcome to the PlumbBob Market Research Web
Log. Our goal at PlumbBob Market Research is
to help you understand how to apply market
research practices to your business.
Are you wondering what a PlumbBob is? A
“plumb-bob” is an ancient device that consists of a
line with a weight, used to establish a vertical
reference. The line is suspended over a given point
(e.g., the line is attached to a scaffold, or a girder,
or a joist) and as long as the weight is over the
reference point your structure is vertical. In other
words your plumbbob will keep you centered.
That is our job at PlumbBob Research — to help
you find your center and maintain it as you build
your business.
My name is Scott Charles. Prior to launching
PlumbBob I worked at Hewlett-Packard managing
syndicated research services. What does that mean
and how can I help you?
Continue reading my
blog and you will find out!
The Bazooka Bob is a fullyenclosed unit whose external
structure shields it from the
effects of the elements.
And to clearly advertise this very ingenious plumb
bob set-up, I found:
http://bazookabob.com
Bazooka Plumb Bob Co
Warminster PA 18974
ABOUT US
The Bazooka Plumb Bob was invented in 1967,
by a former member of the Army Corps of
Engineers, who recognized a need for a better way
for steel erectors to set steel, especially in high
winds. Over the next 40 years, the Bazooka Bob
has essentially replaced transits, laser levels and
other methods of leveling in the steel erection
industry. With little or no advertising, the Bazooka
Plumb Bob acquired its following through word of
mouth and on-site experience. We hear from
Ironworkers every day who say they saw the
Bazooka Bob "on the job", only to be embarrassed
when inquiring what "that thing" was, by erectors
stating- "What ELSE would you use?"
[email protected]
- 28 -
The 108lb test-pull magnetic head
attaches directly to the steel column
or other work surface and holds
tight allowing for an instant readout
for level
Some of the younger hands don't
know what this is, but many of the
jobs back in the 70's and 80's used
these to plumb columns, even in
high winds. The Bazooka Bob
features an adjustable telescoping
tube (6' to 12') with a Plumb bob
centered inside. Extremely strong
100 lb pull magnet allows Bazooka
Bob to hang from side of column
and incremental linear gage marks at base of unit
allows the user to see how plumb the column is. This
plumb bob is unaffected by high winds or rain (like
some lasers and transits are) Saves on manpower, time
and money. Built in the USA out of 6061 aluminum
tubing, with 1/64" working accuracy with machining
to .0010" tolerance. Can be used for steel columns,
Gang forms, channel bucks, Frame headers, metal
building, rigging etc.
6. PLUMB BOB as PINS or CRAVAT-
Württemberger Baumeister Bund
NEEDLE
Navy Seabees builder pin
Builder (BU). Carpenter's square, points up,
superimposed on plumb bob
BRICKLAYERS, MASONS & PLASTERERS
Cravat-needle
I also am using a plumb bob in a LOGO which can
be seen below. It is used in to convey the
worldwide nature of the plumb bob and the
common interest of the plumb bob collectors
everywhere. This is an informal LOGO of the
IPCA (International Plumb Bob Collectors
Association).
For us
the whole world turns around the plumb bob

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coin
[email protected]
- 29 -
7. PLUMB BOB as AWARD
presentation of a special favor, a handcrafted miniature
tool, designed and fabricated by club volunteers.
Often the plumb bob is used as a symbol for a
distinction. Sometimes it is gold plated or
decorated with other things to let it look more
valuable.
DAS GOLDENE LOT
des VDV Verband
Deutscher
Vermessungsingenieure.
(Bild rechts von 1990)
2011
awarded to Dr.-Ing. E.h.
Ranga Yogeshwar (well
known in the German
Television)
for
his
outstanding contributions
to
the
journalistic
preparation and presentation of technical and
scientific issues, including geodetic and
cartographic themes.
More see:
To properly commemorate the Millennium members
have produced this bronze plumb bob for the year 2000
Best in the West meeting. This PNTC bronze plumb
bob is that favor. It is a limited edition of 202 castings,
sequentially serialized, boxed and labeled for
presentation to full meeting registrants on August 19,
2000. The plumb bob design and art work was done by
member and plane maker Christopher Laarman.
Castings were done by Cranston Castings of Rhode
Island. Machining, polishing, packaging and labeling
were accomplished by a dedicated team of PNTC
volunteers. This bob is bronze with a steel tip and is
about 2 1/4" long and weighs about 4 ounces
Society
for
Industrial
Archeology
http://www.sia-web.org/
The General Tools Award is the highest honor the
SIA can bestow. The award recognizes individuals
who have given sustained, distinguished service to
the cause of industrial archeology and is presented
at the SIA’s annual business meeting.
http://www.vdv-online.de/das-goldene-lot/2011.html
PACIFIC NORTHWEST TOOL COLLECTORS
PNTC USA. Present 2000 for his members.
I found the following description for this
interesting plumb bob:
PLUMB BOB, PNTC FAVOR FOR 2000
Every year PNTC (Pacific Northwest Tool Collectors)
host a 3 day meeting called the BEST in the WEST.
One of the highlights of these meetings is the
[email protected]
- 30 -
8. PLUMB BOB AS CUSTOMER
GIFTS.
Of course I also have several plumb bobs in my
collection, which were used as customer gifts.
I. e. has the company HEBEL, manufacturers of
concrete building blocks made a plumb bob pour
into plastic printed with advertising. It is very well
suited as an eye-catcher on the desk of customers.
The company MERCEDES as a manufacturer of
trucks and construction equipment had given away
on the construction machinery exhibition in
Munich in 1980 for the visitors and customers gold
and nickel plated plumb
bobs with the Mercedes
star
as
a
logo.
Manufacturer of these
plumb bobs was the
company Gampper.
In France I found a
paper mat (blotting paper) imprinted with a plumb
bob. It was used as a recruiting advertisement for
the construction industry.
The company Louis BUFF, Boston, Mass. USA
had appended their greeting cards and business
cards, a small plumb bob.
At
the opening of ARCADEN shopping centers in
Cologne and Gera, Germany was spread of a
plumb bob as a keyring with inscription.
Manufacturer
was
Gampper in Alsenz,
Germany. According
to my research the
ARCADEN GERA
were opened in 1998
and COLOGNE in
2005.
Unfortunately
my
request
to
the
operating company
has
not
been
answered. 
[email protected]
- 31 -
A plumb bob with a spacer
from plastic in a wooden box
with the name of a
MEDICINE called „musaril“.
October 2009 (right) after the alliance of the
Commerzbank and the Dresdner Bank.
The COMMERZBANK wrote in a report 2009 about a
project „IM LOT“: (“Lot” is the German word for
plumb bob or plumb line and it means that everything is
in line and correct).
Full text see: web site Commerzbank
From the web site of the maker:
Musaril Filmtabletten
Manufacturer: Sanofi-Synthelabo GmbH
Active ingredient:Tetrazepam
Prescription required
All the manufacturers mentioned applications pain
radiating muscle tension, particularly as a result of
diseases of the spine and the joints close to the axis
paralysis caused by abnormal movement disorders of
the muscles of different causes of disease
Also a coffee cup was
decorated with a plumb bob.
This small plumb bob (right) was commanded by the
COMMERZBANK and perhaps given to their
employes.
I have one plumb bob with an unknown logo and one
with the old logo (1972-2009) from the Commerzbank.
The new logo with the yellow ribbon was used after
[email protected]
- 32 -
Project “Im Lot” performs pioneer work in health
management
In order to protect and maintain the health of its
employees, Commerzbank has initiated the “Im Lot”
(work/ life balance) project in cooperation with the staff
council. From April 2008 to May 2009, an exhaustive
study analyzed the causes of increasing psychological
stress and demands, especially in sales and risk
management and measures developed to reduce them.
The project is doing pioneer work and setting
benchmarks in company health management through its
innovative activities.
With the project “Im Lot”, employees and employer
focus on one topical issue, the solution of which will
benefit all concerned. With the professional support of
“Institut für Autonomieforschung Cogito“ (PARGEMA)
and the “Institut für Arbeitspsychologie Arbeitsmedizin
(IAPAM/Universität Herdecke)” – both established
experts in the field of industrial and organisational
psychology and medicine – for the decisive factors
were identified professionally and exhaustively. In
workshops and interviews along with around 600
managers and employees, a guideline for an ideal
working environment was developed, on the one hand,
and on the other, the causes for increasing
psychological stress and demands were examined.
Employees were also asked in detail about issues
concerning health during the course of the employee
survey.
»We need healthy employees who like to work at
Commerzbank and are fully committed; employees who
are balanced. «
Ulrich Sieber Member of the Board of Managing
Directors and responsible for Group Human Resources
und Group Integration
Remark:
MERCURY’S WINGS since 1972
Mercury, or Mercurius, was the Roman god of trade
and commerce, and of thieves, and in late antiquity was
equated with the Greek god Hermes. The son of Zeus
and the nymph Maia was often depicted as the
messenger of the gods, with wings on his shoes and
helmet, and with a herald’s scepter. Hermes was the
god of travellers and merchants.
Maker of the plumb bobs was Gampper, Alsenz, Germany.
9. PLUMB BOB IN LETTER HEADS
I have only
a few letter
heads with
plumb bobs
in
my
collection.
Do YOU
have any?
Several years ago I found an
interesting ashtray, which I had
never
seen
again.
Labeled "ALLES IM LOT".
(Means in German, everything
is plumb and level). It comes
from
the
brickworks
SCHUZAG
in
Narsdorf,
Saxony, Germany and is baked
from the clay of which the roof
tiles were also manufactured.
The figure is created by the
locally very active and wellknown artist Kurt Feuerriegel
(January 6, 1880 in Meissen,
Saxony,. † 16 June 1961 in Frohburg / Sat). He was one
of the most important art ceramists of the 20th Century
in Saxony.
For my research on the
artist and the brickyard
I had visited with my
motor-home
the
brickyard in Narsdorf.
Feuerriegel made inter alia also the beautiful fountain in
Kohren-Salis. Image from Wikipedia
Letter head from 1915, German
mason and carpenter.
10. OPERATION PLUMBBOB NEVADA
1957
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob
Extract from this site:
Operation Plumbbob was a series of nuclear tests
conducted between May 28 and October 7, 1957, at the
Nevada Test Site. It
was
the
biggest,
longest, and most
controversial
test
series
in
the
continental
United
States.
Background.
The operation was the
sixth test series and consisted of 29 explosions, of
which only two did not produce any nuclear yield.
Twenty-one laboratories and government agencies were
involved. While most Operation Plumbbob tests
contributed to the development of warheads for
intercontinental and intermediate range missiles, they
also tested air defense and anti-submarine warheads
with smaller yields. They included forty-three military
effects tests on civil and military structures, radiation
and bio-medical studies, and aircraft structural tests.
Operation Plumbbob had the tallest tower tests to date
in the U.S. nuclear testing program as well as highaltitude balloon tests. One nuclear test involved the
largest troop maneuver ever associated with U.S.
nuclear testing.
I could not find any information why they used the
word PLUMBBOB as a code-name.
[email protected]
- 33 -
11. REMARKS
Something to smile about:
Ebay seller from Spain created a plumb bob and a level for the winner of a plumb bob and (at the right side)
a sign especially for (plumb) bobs.

Please join us for the
Autumn 2012 in ATHENS, Greece.
Oct. 5, to Oct. 7, 2012
th
If you are interested, please let me know.
Thank you for your interest
Wolf
[email protected]
- 34 -
WOLF‘S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012
Issue 03
Autor: Wolf Ruecker
March 1, 2012
WOODEN PLUMB BOBS and SPINNING TOPS
of PLUMB BOBS from you. Any help is appreciated.
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
WOODEN PLUMB BOBS
and SPINNING TOPS
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 35
PLUMB BOBS FROM WOOD ........................................................................................................... 36
WOODEN SPINNING TOPS .............................................................................................................. 36
PATENTS OF SPINNING TOPS ........................................................................................................ 37
SPINNING TOP (GYROS/GIMBAL) patented as a PLUMB BOB...................................................... 38
MAKING A WOODEN PLUMB BOB ................................................................................................ 39
WOODEN PLUMB BOBS FOR COLLECTORS OR CEREMONIES ................................................ 41
DIVERS .............................................................................................................................................. 42
REMARKS .......................................................................................................................................... 44
1. INTRODUCTION
today I have something not only for plumb bob
collectors, but also for woodworking tool
collectors.
Usually we know as material for the plumb bobs
stone, lead, iron, brass, etc., or possibly even filled
with lead or mercury, a material with a high
density. The plumb bob is supposed to provide
resistance to wind forces and keep the line tight.
There is also a material that we do not expect at the
first view, namely WOOD. However, the use of
wooden plumb bobs is limited (no wind), but they
are there. In addition, there are wooden plumb bobs,
which are specially made for collectors or for
[email protected]
-35-
ceremonial use. On the other hand, many pieces are
made of wood and offered (and sold/bought) as a
plumb bob. But they are not plumb bobs; they are
spinning tops, which we know from our childhood.
Today I would like to add some information about
the “wooden plumb bob family”. I am sure every
collector has some of these in his collection.
Figure above: Wooden plumb bob 5 feet high by the
German artist Björn Borgmann (details see below)
.
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-03 WOODEN PLUMB BOBS update
3. WOODEN SPINNING TOPS
2. PLUMB BOBS FROM WOOD
Often, especially in the
U.S.,
spinning
tops
(whip or throwing tops)
are offered as a plumb
bob. They have the
shape of a conical plumb
bob, but they do not
have an essential part,
namely the attachment
point for the cord. The
spinning top requires the
string "around the waist"
and not on top of the
head. Sometimes an eye
or hook is attached later,
sometimes it is not even
available and sometimes
there is an existing
patented portion that
was converted to attach
the string.
From Australia, I got a
wooden plumb bob, which is
composed of two parts put
together very complex (see
detail photo). At first I
thought it was broken or
damaged before I took it
apart.
Wallpapering
PLUMB BOBS
In the U.S. there are two
special
bobs
for
wallpaper hangers or tile
setters. One of them is
made of a flat iron sheet,
so that it lies close to
the wall and you can
mark the position along
the line without offset.
The second plumb bob
is made of WOOD, but
is shaped like a plumb
bob cut in half.It is the
only wooden plumb bob
- that I know - made for
workers. Here, the hole
for
the
cord
is
positioned so that it still
hangs exactly vertical.
Purpose is that there is
no damage to the tiles
by the material (wood),
if
it
falls
down
accidently.
Secondly
the cord is close to the
wall. You can draw an
accurate marker along
the line. In a bath or a
room usually you have
no big influence of the
wind. 
[email protected]
Why
are
offered
spinning tops as plumb
bobs?
The sellers expect more
money for a plumb bob.
One seller answered me, when I told him that it is a
spinning top and not a plumb bob: “Hi and thank
you for your interest in our item. Someone else
suggested that it is indeed a plumb bob. I guess we
will let everyone weigh in and see where it ends.
Thanks again.”
Sometimes
it
is
incognizance of the tool.
Some of the patented
spinning tops, especially
in the U.S. have a
piece/part above where a
line can be mounted. But
it is not for putting string on. It is for keeping the
spinning top under control with a line by the child.
See more about it in Chapter PATENTS of
spinning tops.
Below some spinning tops from my collection.
- 36 -
4. PATENTS OF SPINNING TOPS
The original patents you can get by using the USGOOGLE PATENT SEARCH with the following
link:
http://www.google.com/advanced_patent_search
You only have to put in the patent number.
The spinning top in US patent 178979 by Vetter
1876 looks like a plumb bob and has an iron tip,
but on the top there is no hook, but a plate from
glass. The patent US 190421 DAVIS from 1877
and reissued 1879 has all important parts to be a
plumb bob, but the part to fix the
line is made for another reason.
Especially in the U.S.A we find a lot of patented
spinning tops.
Below some details from these interesting patents:
US 346037 G. S. GOLD spinning top from 1886
[email protected]
- 37 -
5. SPINNING TOP (GYROS/GIMBAL)
patented as a PLUMB BOB.
By the way,
as I already mentioned in my NEWS about English
plumb bobs part 2 and also in the WR PATENTS
NEWS 2007-47 (both for download on my website)
exists a real plumb bob in the shape of a spinning
top. See figure below.
It was invented in England by Carter in 1908 as
patent GB 190800163 “IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLUMB-BOBS”.
The only known example of this plumb bob we can
find in the collection of N.D.
He bought it on EBay in Australia in 2006.
It was no surprise that it did not work as a
“stabilized hanging plumb bob”. This is because of
the unstable swinging and turning of a gyroscope at
the end of a string.
Not every invention wins fight against the reality.
Below some other propositions (drawings from the
patent) of the inventor for his “spinning top plumb
bob”.
The shape of this
plumb bob you can
buy in our days as a
toy for children as
spinning
top
or
gyroscope.
I tried to let it spin,
but the result was 

[email protected]
- 38 -
6. MAKING A WOODEN PLUMB BOB
My friend Ulrich Biber produced especially for the
readers of the NEWS a wooden plumb bob on his
simple lathe and made photos of the different steps.
Many thanks!
.
1. Block of wood,
Honduras Jacaranda, the
sides are dipped in wax by
the supplier in order to
prevent cracks in the wood
9. Further removal of
wood
10. Grinding with
abrasive paper with
increasingly finer grades,
finally with steel wool
11. Treatment with grinding material (yellow earth
size) and then rubbing with bees-wax
2. Marking the centering
point on both sides
12. Grinding the tip with
abrasive paper with
increasingly finer grades,
finally with steel wool
3. Lathe equipment
left: live spindle (carrier)
in the center the tool support
right: live center with ball
bearings
13. Brass rod as raw
material and perfect the
tip
4. Clamped scantling
14. Assembly:
The screw cuts its own
threads into the hole of the
timber.
The tip is glued in.
Finally you only have to
attach the cord.
5. Turning
6. Turning and preforming
READY, WELL DONE!
Ulrich also bought some
original spare parts such as
screws
and
spikes/tips.
Now he can equip his
beautiful wooden plumb
bobs with these original parts.
7. Forming
Do you also want to produce
wooden plumb bobs?
8. Drilling the holes for the
head and top (with
matching drills)
[email protected]
Here you go
and
GOOD LUCK!
- 39 -
Below some other nice wooden plumb bobs from
his production.
They are looking great, isn’t it?
Some are hanging now in my collection. 
[email protected]
- 40 -
Prof.
John Wittersheim from Siena Heights
University who produced a lot of plumb bobs also
made some from wood.
7. WOODEN PLUMB BOBS FOR
COLLECTORS OR CEREMONIES
Jan. 2012 EBay England sold for 333 GBP
10” (250mm) Brass & Lignum-Vitae Plumb Bob.
Text in the EBay auction:
“This is rare Brass and Lignum Vitae bodied
Plumb Bob it is probably of a Display or Masonic
origin. I could not see this fine Plumb Bob being
used by a builder. It is 10” high x 5” wide and has
More of his plumb bobs see on:
http://www.johnwittersheim.com/sample_funnel.html
On EBay I found:
Boxwood and Brass Plumb bob, 4" long
a small manufacturers stamp with the letters
LMSD 2 in the center.
Condition for its age is very good. It does not
appear to have had much use if any; the Lignum
has some very minor surface shrinkage cracks due
to drying. The brass parts are well machined as is
the steel point”.
Below some wooden
plumb
bobs
marked
LMSD from England
In Wales my friend Dick Jones produced this huge
(14 ½ in) and heavy (3lbs 11/2 oz.) plumb bob in
memory to his late wife Dorothy, using different
coloured woods as symbols. Details see his
remarks on the plate above.
[email protected]
- 41 -
Just before time of going to press with my NEWS I
found THE BIGGEST WOODEN PLUMB BOB I
ever saw.
It was designed and made by the German artist
Björn Borgmann in 2007. It is 5 feet high and 3
feet in diameter. It is made of laminated wooden
boards. The photo below is from a newspaper
reporting upon an exhibition of several artists in a
limestone quarry in Wuppertal, Germany.
The inventor lives in Israel. I would not be
astonished if we could get such a spinning top – if
it was really produced – in the future offered as a
plumb bob on EBay. 
For such a propeller driven plumb bob you don’t
need any line! If you have a proposition for the use
as plumb bob, please let me know. 
Actually it is hanging in a museums building in the
limestone quarry Kalksteingrube Oetelshofen in
Wuppertal, Germany
If you know a bigger one, please let me know.
8. DIVERS
Since a very long time I am
searching for such a HELIPLUMB BOB (see figure
right). I got this photo some
years ago.
Searching for patents of
spinning tops for this NEWS
I found the patent US
4453342 from 1984 for a
battery operated spinning top.
[email protected]
- 42 -
Some of them are marked MONUMENT BRAND.
9. UPDATE
After the publication of this NEWS I got an
interesting feedback from Bruce Cynar. He sent me
a page from a Fairbanks 1906 catalog with TURN
PINS from „Dogwood“ in the shape of top spins or
tapered plumb bobs.
Bruce wrote: “There is another wooden item
often seen in this country (tools shows and eBay)
that is often identified as a plumb bob, which it
is not. That is a plumber's turn pin. Originally
a turn pin is any plug for stopping the flow from
the end of a pipe. Plumbers who worked with
lead pipe would use a turn pin to flare one end
of a pipe to accept another pipe before soldering
them together. Later on the phone company,
who in the cities buried most of their lines,
would also use lead pipe to shield the wire from
the rats in the sewers who seem to enjoy eating
the wire insulation.”
I searched in my catalogs and found there also
these wooden „BOBS“.
From the collection of Ulrich Biber see below
some photos of these „wooden plumb bobs” from
the U.S.A.
For the same reason the plumbers also used a
special tong that you find sometimes on the antique
markets. See page from the German catalog
Baumann 1937.
[email protected]
- 43 -
Issue 04
Autor: Wolf Ruecker
April 1, 2012
THE GRUBER LEVEL
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
THE GRUBER LEVEL
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 44
THE GRUBER UNIVERSAL MEASURING INSTRUMENT ............................................................ 45
PATENTS OF HANS GRUBER .......................................................................................................... 47
WHAT FUNCTIONS HAS THE GRUBER LEVEL? .......................................................................... 49
THE PLUMB BOB ON THE GRUBER LEVEL – THE LEVEL AS A PLUMB BOB ........................ 49
PATENT US 2,223,683 MEASURING INSTRUMENT ...................................................................... 50
WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THE WWW ABOUT GRUBER? ............................................................. 52
WHO WAS HANS GRUBER? ............................................................................................................ 53
ADDITIONAL INFO........................................................................................................................... 55
REMARKS ...................................................................................................................................... 55
1. INTRODUCTION
I do not collect only PLUMB BOBS (for the
VERTICAL), but also instruments with plumb
bobs, e.g.
- PLUMB LEVELS (the grandmother of the
actual levels) for the HORIZONTAL
- INCLINOMETERS for the ANGLE and
- CHALK LINES for the STRAIGHT LINE
(See figure at the right sight.)
This time I want to talk about a measuring
instrument that covers some of my interests.
Figure above: front part of the GRUBER level
.
I have chosen the German level from GRUBER,
since it could be also of interest for other than
plumb bob collectors. From this instrument I have
a lot of information about patents and operating
instructions. Moreover this instrument contains
also a plumb bob and could be used as a plumb bob.
Gruber called his water level a “UNIVERSAL
MEASURING INSTRUMENT”.
[email protected]
-44-
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-04 THE GRUBER LEVEL
2. THE
GRUBER
UNIVERSAL
MEASURING INSTRUMENT
The UNIVERSAL-MEASURING INSTRUMENT
by GRUBER was produced in two sizes:
50 cm (19 in) and 100 cm (38 in) length.
As MATERIAL he used OAK WOOD for the
body and ALUMINUM for the mirrors and the
sighting devices. BRASS was used for some of the
scales, thermometer and cover plates. Later he used
iron sheets for the cover plates. The screws are
from brass or iron (when they are completely
hidden in the wood).
The wooden box for the transport is from plywood.
Additional options included (for extra costs)
LIGHT, COMPASS, THERMOMETER and
plywood BOX.
On the drawing below from the instruction sheet
you will find all parts described (in German).
Figures below:
The GRUBER with serial # 38 from Kurt Heid and
my GRUBER serial # 114
GRUBER serial # 38
GRUBER serial # 114
Mirror to check the
bubble position
[email protected]
- 45 -
GRUBER serial #38 left side
light switch
serial #
compass
spirit level
0 , 900 and 450
0
cross hair
thermometer
mirror and plumb bob
storage box for
the mirror
mirror right / left
900
Storage box
for the mirror
sighting device
button on a rotatable spindle
(for the use as a plumb bob)
3/8“ thread for the tripod
GRUBER measuring instrument with
plywood box
[email protected]
slide for inclination
right angle
measuring system
- 46 -
3. PATENTS OF HANS GRUBER
Remark: the complete original American patents
you can find on http://www.google.com/patents …
Below on page 52-54 you will find the most
interesting patent US 2,223,683.
The German patents are available on the site of the
German Patent Office http://depatisnet.dpma.de
DE687878A GRUBER 1940 Instrument to
measure the height and the width of objects
(Gerät zum Messen der Höhe und Breite
entfernter Gegenstände)
The described measuring instrument does not
match exactly with one of the shown patents, but is
a combination of different patents of Gruber.
(The best adapted is the patent US 2,223,683, even
when not all parts of the invention were used in the
production model.):
PATENTS OF INTEREST:
 Filed 1936: DE687878A GRUBER 1940
Gerät zum Messen der Höhe und Breite
entfernter Gegenstände
Wasserwaage mit Längs- und Querlibelle
Wasserwaage mit Zieleinrichtung
 Filed 1938 in SWISS: CH 198756
GRUBER 1938 VERMESSUNGSGERÄT
 Filed 1938 in den USA: US 2223683
GRUBER 1940 Measuring or surveying
instrument
(Further patents of Gruber not in relation to this
measuring instrument you will find on the next
page.)
GRUBER 1936/1940
Water level with two different vials
(Wasserwaage mit Längs-und Querlibelle)
[email protected]
- 47 -
Patent CH198756 GRUBER 1938
Vermessungsgerät
Patent DE689259 GRUBER 1940 Water level with sighting devices
Further patents of Hans Gruber for OTHER
INVENTIONS:
 CH112339 GRUBER 1925 Schalbrett für
Decken und Wände
 DE479567 GRUBER 1925 Landmine in
Scheibenform mit radial verlaufendem
Zündgehäuse
 DE494183 GRUBER 1927 Landmine
(Zusatz zu Patent DE479567)
 DE515458 GRUBER 1927 Zünder für
Minen u. dgl.
 US1682560 GRUBER 1928 Explosive
mine
 US1745758 GRUBER 1930 fuse for mines
or the like
 DE1608358
GRUBER
1950
Gepäckbinder für Tret- und Krafträder
(Gebrauchsmusterantrag)
 DE1615432 GRUBER 1950 Ausfug- und
Mörtelgerät
 DE840160 GRUBER 1952 Meßgerät
[email protected]
- 48 -
Filed Oct. 5, 1951 in the USA US2706336
GRUBER 1955 measuring device for linear
measurements.
A sad footnote is: The filing date for this
patent was some days before his accident on
Oct. 8, 1951 on the highway B12 near
Mühldorf, where he died. So he never saw the
answer from the American Patent Office.

Patent US2706336 GRUBER filed 1951 published
1955 Measuring device for linear measurements
4. WHAT FUNCTIONS HAS THE GRUBER
LEVEL?
In the instruction manual is listed:
1. Measuring of degrees
2. Slope in degrees and mm/meter
3. Using as a level up to 22 yard
4. Measuring right angles for buildings
5. Determine heights of houses, towers, trees
etc.
6. Use it as a plumb bob.
7. Everything else that you can do with a
common water level
More details see in the original patent text on page
52-54.
The plumb bob is attached under the body.
(Position see figure below.)
I found no storage boxes for plumb bobs on serial
numbers over # 100.
It seems that Gruber at the beginning put
everything on his instrument and learned later that
nobody needs a light, thermometer, plumb bob or
compass for this tool.
The instrument itself
could be used as a plumb bob.
In the patent text we find: “At the end of the part 1
which carries the extension 20 are fitted on a
rotatable spindle situated in the line of its center of
gravity, two buttons 22 and 23, which are used for
carrying out plumbing operations with the part 1. “
How it works you can see on the pictures below.
5. THE PLUMB BOB ON THE GRUBER
LEVEL – THE LEVEL AS A PLUMB BOB
Storage box for the plumb bob
Plumb bob fixing point
Installation for measuring
the right angle
[email protected]
- 49 -
6. PATENT
US
2,223,683
MEASURING INSTRUMENT
[email protected]
- 50 -
[email protected]
- 51 -
7. WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THE WWW ABOUT GRUBER?
The result of this search is published only in the German version of the WOLF’S PATENT NEWS,
(WOLFS SENKLOT NEWS 2012-04). If you are interested, please visit www.plumbbobcollector.info
[email protected]
- 52 -
8. WHO WAS HANS GRUBER?
Hans Gruber lived since 1912 in Mühldorf a. Inn,
Bavaria, Germany
Profession (1950): Architect and master builder.
Fabrication of own inventions.
Figures below show his signature, rubber stamp
and letter head.
married master builder Hans Gruber from
Mühldorf was killed. Gruber was hit on the
crossing by an American Army truck with a
German driver and died in his car.
Obituary in the Mühldorfer Nachrichten
(Newspaper)
(reduced free translation)
“Hans Gruber was born in Ebersberg near Munic,
Germany and moved 1912 to Mühldorf, Germany.
Here he had his first job in the office for
distribution of water (Wasserwirtschaftsamt). After
the WW I he started a career as an architect. Since
1928 the architect Gruber was member of the
town-council of Mühldorf, in which he was elected
as founder and chairman of the Business Party
(Wirtschaftspartei). Because of his political
intransigence his business was closed during the
war. In 1945 after the WW II when Mühldorf was
heavily damaged, Gruber was called for the job of
a municipal architect (Stadtbaumeister) for
rebuilding the town. Through his energy and with
the help of the inhabitants he managed to eliminate
the chaos in the city until the end of 1947. For his
inventions of measuring instruments Gruber
obtained national and foreign patents.”
From the historical registration documents in
Mühldorf:









Name JOHANN GRUBER
Son of Johann Gruber, farmer roman
catholic and Therese Katterlaher both
deceased in Ebersberg
Born: April 20,.1889 in Ebersberg, Munic
Profession: architect and master builder
Religion: Roman catholic (rk),
Moved to Mühldorf March 1, 1912 in the
Altmühldorferfußweg
Moved into own house Bahnhoffußweg
179a (since July 1923 Nr.3)
Deceased Oct. 8, 1951 street accident
Married since Nov. 8, 1916 with Rosa
Kaußner *12.6.1890 in Munic rk. + March
15, 1977 in Mühldorf
Newspaper MÜHLDORFER NACHRICHTEN
from Oct. 11, 1951
DEADLY ACCIDENT
„On Oct. 8, 1951 at 5 pm an accident happened on
the State Road B 12 near Harting where the
[email protected]
- 53 -
MORE DETAILS in the German version of this
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS.
Figures below show the house of
Gruber and drawings of houses
that he built in 1924 as an architect.
House (demolished in 1973) Bahnhoffußweg 3
[email protected]
- 54 -
9. ADDITIONAL INFO
George Gaspari offered in March 2011 on EBay a GRUBER instrument in Santa Cruz, CA, U.S.A.
This shows that the instrument was also in America. Perhaps an American soldier took it back home, leaving
Germany after the WW II.
I had two good sources that helped me to write this article.
Many thanks to both:
 The German tool collector Kurt Heid sent me his photos of the GRUBER serial # 38 with
thermometer, compass, light and plumb bob.

Mr. Hamberger from the town archives of Mühldorf a. Inn gave me a lot of information about the
person Gruber.
10. REMARKS
Mike Hoefer (left) and me (right) revising the
English version of this NEWS:
WHO KNOWS A GRUBER LEVEL
IN THE U.S.A.?
Wolf
4th PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS MEETING
Oct. 5, to Oct. 7, 2012
If you are interested to come to Athens, please let me know.
[email protected]
- 55 -
Issue 05
May 1, 2012
THE PLUMB BOB COLLECTOR NELSON DENNY †
NELSON DENNY †
Content
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 56
2. FIRST CONTACT ............................................................................................................................... 56
3. PATENTS and SOME SPECIAL PLUMB BOBS................................................................................ 57
4. DISPLAYING AND INVENTORY..................................................................................................... 58
5. COMMUNICATION WORLDWIDE .................................................................................................. 59
6. HIS COLLECTION ............................................................................................................................. 60
7. THE LEISTNER & HEIMBACH STORY ........................................................................................... 62
8. THE PLUMB LINE CONTINUUM..................................................................................................... 63
9. HIS WORK AND THE FUTURE ........................................................................................................ 64
10.
ADDITIONAL INFO ....................................................................................................................... 65
and friend of mine, Riccardo Chetoni from Pisa,
Italy.
1. INTRODUCTION
this NEWS is written to honor the noted plumb bob
collector
NELSON DENNY architect, Lyme, CT U.S.A
Born September 7th 1946,
Deceased April 5th 2012
and to remember my collaboration between 2004
and 2012 with him.
I will show what he was thinking about collecting
plumb bobs and what he has done for the
International Plumb Bob Collectors community.
It is the discussion between American and
European collectors about tools.
I will let Nelson talk about the collaboration by his
own email texts and his own pictures ....
about PLUMB BOBS, HIS COLLECTION AND
HIS DREAMS ...
His very first email:
WOLFGANG,
YOU, LIKE RICCARDO, ARE A GENTLEMAN AND
A SCHOLAR! I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU MIGHT HAVE ON
BOKER INCLUDING CATALOGUE INFORMATION
IF AVAILABLE.
AS A PLUMB BOB COLLECTOR, MY COLLECTION
IS PREDOMINANTLY AMERICAN AND ENGLISH.
TO HAVE IT GROW IN AN INTERNATIONAL WAY
IS OF SOME INTEREST. RICCARDO HAS BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN INTRODUCING ME TO THE
WORLD OF ROMAN AND OTTOMAN PLUMB BOBS.
HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. DO YOU
GERMANS HAVE A HISTORY OF MAKING
"MECHANICAL" PLUMB BOBS, THAT IS PLUMB
BOBS THAT HAVE EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR
STRING WINDERS? SIMILARLY, IS THERE ANY
TRADITION OF MAKING PLUMB BOBS OF A
DECORATIVE OR CEREMONIAL NATURE?
VERY GLAD TO BE INTRODUCED TO "PLUMBBOB
WOLF"! ---- I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU ON EBAY.
About his, profession and collection (Jan. 2004):
2. FIRST CONTACT
In January 2004 Nelson was bidding on Ebay on a
BOKER plumb bob made by the German factory
Gampper. I asked him if he would be interested in
further information about this factory and the
Boker plumb bob. (At that time it was possible on
Ebay to contact the bidders directly. Today you
only see a code-number. ). At that time he
already knew one other noted plumb bob collector
[email protected]
-56-
I'M 57 YEARS OLD, AN ARCHITECT THAT
WORKS ONLY ON PRIVATE RESIDENCES.....
MOST OF MY WORK IS ON WATERFRONT
PROPERTIES THAT ARE FOR THE MOST PART,
LUXURY VACATION HOMES.
I'VE BEEN COLLECTING PLUMB BOBS FOR
ABOUT TWENTY YEARS BUT ONLY SERIOUSLY
FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS.
I AM IN THE PROCESS OF PHOTOGRAPHING
AND CATEGORIZING MY COLLECTION IN A
DIGITAL FORMAT THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-05 NELSON DENNY
OTHER COLLECTORS ...... NOT THAT THE WORK
IS EVER REALLY FINISHED (BECAUSE WE'RE
ALWAYS ADDING AS YOU KNOW) BUT I AM
HOPING TO PUT OUT THE FIRST DRAFT BY THE
END OF THE WINTER.....ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE
DIRECTION MY COLLECTION IS TAKING,
GENERALLY SPEAKING, I AM AWARE THAT YOU
AND RICCARDO COLLECT FROM A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE AND WITH A DIFFERENT FOCUS
WITH MUCH MORE EMPHASIS, I IMAGINE, ON
EUROPEAN
EXAMPLES.....
SHARING
INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDING WITH
OTHER COLLECTORS AND SEEING OTHER
COLLECTIONS IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE IN
MY INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT SO WILL DO MY
BEST TO HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING YOU NEED
ON
THIS
SIDE
OF
THE
ATLANTIC.
MAKE YOUR PENCIL MARK AT THE POINT OF
THE BOB, TAKES SKILL AND PRACTICE AND
OFTEN A NUMBER OF LITTLE MARKS ARE
AVERAGED TO COME UP WITH ONE CORRECT
READING. TAKE ONE OF YOUR BOBS AND FIND
SOME WORK OR LAYOUT TASK TO DO WITH IT.
YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT IT IS A TOOL THAT
DOES NOT WORK AUTOMATICALLY, IT TAKES
SOME
TECHNIQUE
TO
GET
ACCURATE
READINGS.
About COMMON SENSE / LAMP plumb bobs (in
2004):
3. PATENTS and SOME SPECIAL PLUMB
BOBS
His answers were very detailed and helped me very
much to understand inventors and users of plumb
bobs (below he talked about the PERFECTION
PLUMB BOB) see PATENT NEWS 2007-31
mercury and lead filled:
PERFECTION
PLUMB BOBS ARE
NOTABLE AS AN
EXAMPLE THAT GO
TO THE OPPOSITE
EXTREME
OF
EXTRAORDINARY
SYMETRICITY.
THERE CLAIMS ARE
THAT IT IS SO
SYMETRICAL "THAT
IT COMES TO REST
IMMEDIATELY"
AND
"POINTS
DIRECTLY". DON'T
BELIEVE
EVERY
CLAIM MADE IN A
PATENT
APPLICATION; MOST OF THEM ARE PURE
MARKETING HYPE. IN THE CASE OF THE
PERFECTION, THE BRASS SKIN OVER THE SOFT
LEAD CORE IS SO THIN, THAT THE FIRST TIME
IT BUMPS ITO SOMETHING SOLID, IT IS
IMMEDIATLY RENDERED UN SYMETRICAL. LOOK
AT ANY OF THE LARGER PERFECTION PLUMB
BOBS THAT HAVE BEEN USE, THEY'RE FULL OF
MAJOR DENTS THAT OF COURSE MAKE THE BOB
UNSYMETRICAL.
THE SKILL OF THE USER IS FAR MORE A
SIGNIFICANT FACTOR THAN THE SYMETRICITY
OF A BOB. WHERE YOUR EYE IS IN RELATION
TO THE TIP OF THE BOB AND ACCOUNTING FOR
THE VISUAL PARALLAX FACTOR WHEN YOU
[email protected]
- 57 -
HERE IS WHAT I HAVE PAID FOR COMMON
SENSE PLUMB BOBS OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS.
BEAR IN MIND THAT ALL OF THESE ARE
NUMBERED AND ARE ALL GOOD+ EXCEPT FOR
THE #5 AND #6. THE #5 HAS HAD THE TIP
GROUND DOWN FOR REPAIR, PROBABLY 2 OR
THREE TIMES SO THE TIP IS ABOUT 1/2"
SHORTER THAN IT SHOULD BE. IT THROWS THE
PROPORTION OFF A BIT WHEN YOU SEE IT
RIGHT NEXT TO OTHER BETTER EXAMPLES. MY
#6 IS CLOSE TO MINT UNUSED CONDITION
AND HAS A VERY NICE HAND CARVED BOX
THAT FITS TO THE EXACT CONTOUR OF THE
SHAPE OF THE BOB. THIS BOB AND BOX IS THE
ACTUAL
BOB
THAT
BRUCE
CYNAR
PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THE "PLUMB LINE" IN THE
SECTION THAT DEALS WITH SHAPES.
#0 - $178.00, #1/2 - $99.00, #1 - $79.00, #2 $286.00, #3 - $153.00, #4 - $150, #5 $156.00, $6 - $450.00 ( ALL ARE EXCLUSIVE OF
SHIPPING)
ODDLY ENOUGH THE TWO THAT I HAVE THAT
WERE HARDEST TO FIND WERE THE #1/2 AND
THE #1. NOTE THAT THEY WERE THE LEAST
EXPENSIVE. THEY WERE NOT, HOWEVER,
BOUGHT AT AUCTION. RATHER I FOUND THEM
BY CHANCE AT LITTLE SHOPS OUT IN THE
COUNTRY. AS I SAID IN MY LAST EMAIL I AM
STILL MISSING THE #00, THE SMALLEST OF
THEM ALL. I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR A BETTER
#5 THAN THE ONE I HAVE. AS LUCK WOULD
HAVE IT, I ACTUALLY BOUGHT ANOTHER #5.
WITHOUT A CAP THINKING THAT I WOULD JUST
EXCHANGE THE CAPS. THAT DIDN'T WORK.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THESE WERE MADE
BY MANY DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS, WITH
NO SPECIFIC INTERCHANGEABLY OF PARTS. IN
THIS CASE THE THREADING OF THE CAP AND
THE PRECISE TAPER OF THE SHAFT WERE
QUITE DIFFERENT.
WILL PUT IT ON MY TO DO LIST TO SCAN
THOSE PAGES FOR YOU AND WILL GET THEM
OUT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
4. DISPLAYING AND INVENTORY
About displaying and inventory:
THE STORY OF DISPLAYING PLUMB BOBS AND
KEEPING AN ACCURATE INVENTORY OF THEM IS
A STORY OF ITS OWN AND LIKE MANY THINGS
IN LIFE IS A PROCESS OF LEARNING BY
MAKING MISTAKES.
FORTUNATELY, BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN I
COULD COUNT MY COLLECTION ON MY FINGERS
AND TOES, I HAD THE FORESIGHT TO
PURCHASE A SIMPLE DATA BASE COMPUTER
PROGRAM ON WHICH I DESIGNED A FACT
SHEET THAT ALLOWED ME TO RECORD THE
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ON EACH ITEM AS IT
WAS COLLECTED. I ASSIGNED A NUMBER TO
EACH ITEM AND A DESCRIPTIVE NAME BUT IT
BECAME CLEAR AT ABOUT THE COUNT OF 50
PLUMB BOBS OR SO, THAT THE BOBS
THEMSELVES AND NOT JUST THE LISTING HAD
TO HAVE A NUMBER TAG AFFIXED TO IT, AND A
PHOTOGRAPH ATTACHED TO THE LISTING.
FINDING A SPECIFIC ITEM WAS PRACTICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THOSE THREE ELEMENTS.
SO DIGITAL DESKTOP PHOTOGRAPHY AND
LIGHTING (SO THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BE
PHOTOGRAPHED
OUT
DOORS)
BECAME
ANOTHER LEARNING PROJECT, GOING BACK
THROUGH THE ENTIRE INVENTORY I ALREADY
OWNED.
[email protected]
- 58 -
BEING A PERFECTIONIST, I WANTED THE
PHOTOGRAPHY TO REFLECT THE QUALITY OF
THE ITEM, THAT GOT ME INTO SPECIAL LENSES
FOR THE CAMERA. I ALSO NAIVELY THOUGHT
THAT AN ITEM SHOULD BE PHOTOGRAPHED
HANGING. IF YOU'VE EVER WAITED FOR A
PLUMB BOB TO COME TO REST, SOMETIMES
HOURS FOR THE HEAVIER OF THEM, I GAVE UP
ON THAT NOTION PRETTY QUICKLY. I DO SEEM
TO ACCUMULATE FASTER THAN I HAVE SPARE
1
I'M ALWAYS
TO DO THE PHOTOGRAPHY.
SEVERAL HUNDRED BEHIND. AT SOME POINT
I'M GOING TO TAKE A FEW WEEKS OFF TO
CATCH UP ON THIS ELEMENT OF THE EQUATION.
About the danger to hang plumb bobs over his
head:
ON THE SUBJECT OF DISPLAYING PLUMB BOBS:
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, WHEN I STILL HAD THE
ENERGY TO STRAP ON A TOOL BELT, I BUILT
THE HOUSE I STILL LIVE IN. WITHOUT PLUMB
BOBS IN MIND AT THAT TIME, I BUILT A LIVING
ROOM WITH A VAULTED AND BEAMED CEILING.
AS PLUMB BOBS CAME MY WAY I BEGAN TO
HANG THEM FROM THE BEAMS AND CROSS
MEMBERS, WHICH INVOLVED HAULING OUT A
STEP LADDER AND DOING A BALANCING ACT
FOR EACH NEW ARRIVAL.
AS YOU ACCUMULATE MORE, YOU BEGIN TO
WANT TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF THE RANDOM
1
See THE PLUMB LINE CONTINUUM page 9 THE
GREAT SHAPE DEBATE (Bruce Cynar and Bernhard Ridens)
ORDER OF THINGS BY GROUPING BOBS INTO
"LIKE KINDS." THAT INVOLVES MOVING THINGS
AGAIN AND AGAIN.
SPACE. HOPEFULLY BY KEEPING THE OVERHEAD
ITEMS TOWARD THE PERIMETER OF THE ROOM
I HAVE AT LEAST MINIMALIZED THE RISK OF AN
UNTIMELY DEATH.
5. COMMUNICATION WORLDWIDE
His dream in 2004 of a WEB SITE for all plumb
bob collectors: (a part of this dream is realized with
this web site here and by publishing the PLUMB
BOB NEWS)
THEN
WITH
THIS
OVERHEAD
HANGING
ARRANGEMENT, I HAD ONE RATHER HEAVY
POINTY BOB GET AWAY FROM ME; IT DROPPED
TEN FEET OR SO AND CAME TO REST
IMBEDDED AN INCH OR SO IN A HARDWOOD
FLOOR. THEN I STARTED HAVING DREAMS OF
THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES THAT MIGHT
APPEAR, "NOTED COLLECTOR KILLED BY
FALLING PLUMB BOB."
I AM TOLD THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 5 OR 6
MAJOR COLLECTIONS OF PLUMB BOBS IN THIS
WORLD (OVER 500) BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF
COLLECTORS
THAT
MIGHT
HAVE
SIGNIFICANT PIECES IN RELATIVELY SMALL
COLLECTIONS. I ALSO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT
THERE
IS
A
PERMANENT
COLLECTION
ANYWHERE, IN A TOOL, ART, OR NATURAL
HISTORY MUSEUM. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO WRITE A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT BECAUSE
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT'S OUT THERE;
COLLECTORS AND COLLECTIONS SEEM TO BE
SOMEWHAT SECRETIVE.
THE WEB SITE THAT I HAVE IN MIND IS TO
DEVELOP A MUSEUM OR A PLUMB BOB
COLLECTION ON LINE, USING MY OWN
COLLECTION AS THE INITIAL CORE OF THE
DISPLAY. THE NOTION IS TO FIGURE OUT A
WAY TO ENCOURAGE OTHER COLLECTORS TO
CONTRIBUTE LISTINGS OF ITEMS IN THEIR
COLLECTIONS INTO THE DATA BASE FOR
COMPARATIVE PURPOSES. IT COULD ALSO BE A
FORUM
WHERE
PHOTOGRAPHY
OF
COLLECTIONS IN SITU COULD BE DISPLAYED.
ON ONE LEVEL IT WANTS TO BE A COFFEE
TABLE BOOK (LIKE VISITING AN EXHIBIT AT A
MUSEUM) ON THE OTHER HAND, WANTS TO
HAVE
ACCESS
TO
MORE
DETAILED
INFORMATION ON A SUBJECT FOR THE GEEK.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT I AM ENOUGH OF A
BUSINESS MAN TO KNOW THAT I ONLY SEE
MONEY GOING OUT OF POCKET. I DON'T THINK
THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE MARKET FOR
SUBSCRIPTION SUPPORT. AND, I QUESTION
WHAT WOULD MOTIVATE OTHER COLLECTORS
TO TAKE THE TIME TO CONTRIBUTE "MUSEUM
QUALITY"
LISTINGS.
EVERYONE
HAS
DEVELOPED A DIFFERENT TIME CONSUMING
SYSTEM FOR RECORDING THEIR COLLECTIONS.
THEY ARE STILL ALL HOUSED IN THIS ONE
ROOM, SUCH A DOMINANT FEATURE I MIGHT
ADD, THAT THEY OVERSHADOW THE 2,000 OR
SO BOOKS THAT ALSO OCCUPY THE SAME
[email protected]
- 59 -
6. HIS COLLECTION
His wish to get information and plumb bobs from
other parts of the world (here from Spain):
AS YOU KNOW I AM SOMEWHAT OF A
GENERALIST IN MY COLLECTING HABIT .......
RECENTLY, PRIMITIVO SENT ME A WONDERFULL
AND COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF HIS
COLLECTION. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH IT......ONE THING THAT I
NOTED IN PARTICULAR WERE THE 20 OR SO
PIECES THAT I WOULD CALL SINGLE PIECE
LUMP CASTINGS IN LEAD (SOMETIME WITH A
WIRE LOOP OR PRIMITIVE POINT MOLDED INTO
THEM), THE MOST PRIMITIVE OF PLUMB BOB
TYPES......I DON'T SEE ANY OF THIS TYPE
AVAILABLE IN THIS COUNTRY....... SO, IF YOU
SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN THE COURSE OF
YOUR
TRAVELS
I
WOULD
BE
VERY
INTERESTED......I THINK THAT THE PILGRIMS
(OUR EARLIEST IMMIGRANTS) MUST HAVE
BEEN CARRYING FANCY ENGLISH MADE TOOLS
WHEN THEY LANDED AT PLYMOUTH ROCK.....
A great part of his collection Nelson bought from
Bruce Cynar (the author of THE PLUMB LINE)
when he wanted to add some excellent plumb bobs
to his collection.
Bruce wrote me for this topic:
“The Internet, and one of its earliest, very
successful children, eBay, have been a wonderful
gift to collectors around the world. Yes, because of
eBay, prices of items have gone up as more people
are drawn to collecting and become aware of the
amazing things that are out there. But on the
positive side, it has brought incredible things to
market that we would never have found in a
lifetime of searching; and it has given us the
opportunity to connect with new friends, all around
the world.
boxed sets of 2 or 3 plummets; also there were
about 25 bobs with internal winding mechanisms.
A few of these had their original packaging from
the late 1880s. And there were 8 or 10 complete
sets by different American and English
manufacturers. I drove out to Lyme and personally
delivered the collection to Nelson. The photo of
his study shows less than half of his collection,
even before mine were added.
Nelson brought several significant assets to the
world of plumb bob collecting: he had an excellent
artist’s eye for the bobs he collected and the way
he displayed them; his organization and record
keeping (which Wolf shows elsewhere in this
newsletter) is the finest I’ve seen from any tool
collector, and finally his willingness to connect
and share with other collectors is a lofty model for
all of us.
He shall be missed.”
Figures below: Bruce Cynar and some of his ”new
friends”, the steam whistles. (But he still is an
expert in plumb bobs!)
It was eBay that brought Nelson and I together:
first as friendly competitors, then buyers and
sellers and eventually good friends and
collaborators. I had collected bobs for 20 years
and had written the original Plumb Line in the
early 1990s. As my collecting interests evolved I
became more focused on steam whistles, governors
and gauges. Nelson and I began talking about his
interest in purchasing the core of my collection.
Along with 250+ beautiful, early and unusual bobs
(the other 500 in my collection had already been
sold on eBay) this comprised some 20 miner’s
plummets, some individually boxed and some in
[email protected]
- 60 -
Even when Nelson was a generalist in collecting
plumb bobs, he had some special highlights in his
collection: The mining plummets and the
mechanical plumb bobs. Below some examples
(With his marking of the photos):
COP-PB-BRASS-CASE-2-C
WD-BR-BOXEDFINIAL-1-C
MINING PLUMMETS
WILLIAMSON’s 659-1-C
HAMBURG Germany
457 WILCOX
660-1-C
[email protected]
587-4-C
- 61 -
402-IN&OUTTIP-TURN
A very special thanks to Wolfgang Ruecker of
Germany, fellow plumb bob collector (new member
of MWTCA) for his research into the Leistner
family in Germany (much more information that
was included here) and his skillful work in
uncovering the Leistner patents and dog wheels
used by German “needle makers.”. “
7. THE LEISTNER & HEIMBACH STORY
THE PLUMB BOBS OF
PAUL GUSTAVE LEISTNER
AND
JOSEPH OSCAR HEIMBACH
Nelson always was happy when he found new
details of these interesting plumb bobs:
THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
WHAT APPEARS TO BE SOME NEW EVIDENCE
ABOUT THE MARKING ON HEIMBACH PLUMB
BOBS........SITUATING HIM FOR A TIME IN ST.
LOUIS. IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI AND
APPARENTLY WORKING INDEPENDENTLY FROM
PAUL LEISTNER.......I HAVE ANOTHER BOXED
BOB THAT HAS THE DISTINCTIVE HEIMBACH
CAP DESIGN (BUT NO MARKING ON THE SHAFT),
BUT DOES HAVE AN INKED LABEL ON THE LID
SAYING, "LEISTNER & HEIMBACH, ST. CHARLES,
MO." INDICATING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TWO, AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME......
The German Art of Metalwork
St. Louis & St. Charles, Missouri
7-24-2008
By Nelson Denny and Mike Urness
This story was published also in THE GRISTMILL,
a publication of the Mid-West Tool Collectors
Association in December 2008.
At the end of the story we read:
“Some readers may have Heimbach and Leistner
artifacts. We would be greatly interested in details
about those items.
Nelson Denny is an Architect from Hadlyme,
Connecticut. Needless to say, he collects plumb
bobs.
Mike Urness is a tool dealer & patent researcher
from Chesterfield, Missouri. His research
uncovered some of the essential material from St.
Louis and St Charles.
[email protected]
- 62 -
We needed some years to find all the details for the
story. You can read and download it on my web
site www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page
LEISTNER & HEIMBACH.
8. THE PLUMB LINE CONTINUUM
With the huge collection that he bought from Bruce
Cynar Nelson Denny also got the rights for THE
PLUMB LINE and wanted to continue this good
work as “T P L continuum” and digitalized it:
Below you find the his introduction …
The complete Plumb Line Continuum you can read
and
download
on
my
web
site
www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page The Plumb
Line Continuum.
[email protected]
- 63 -
About the future (2006):
9. HIS WORK AND THE FUTURE
Sometimes he was so busy that he had no time for
his hobby. His clients had first priority. About his
work (when I asked him in 2006 why he did not
answer to my emails for some weeks):
AH WOLFGANG.......I AM HERE! AND YOUR
COMMUNICATIONS
HAVE
BEEN
COMING
THROUGH......AND
AS
ALWAYS
MUCH
APPRECIATED.
I MUST CONFESS THAT MY ENERGIES HAVE
BEEN DIVERTED FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS ON A
VERY IMPORTANT ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT
FOR ME.....I HAVE A VERY WEALTHY CLIENT
THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH PERIODICALLY FOR
MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS THAT COLLECTS
HOMES IN EXOTIC AND BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN
MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. HIS NEW
ACQUISITION IS A THREE ACER ISLAND OFF
THE SHORE OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT.
WE HAVE A TWO DIFFERENT LARGE AND
LAVISH HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND A
SWIMMING POOL; THEY SIT ON A GRANITE
CLIFF OVERHANGING THE OCEAN, ABOUT 40
FEET
ABOVE
SEA
LEVEL.
....
SO AS AN ARCHITECT IT IS PARTICULARLY
CHALLENGING, NOT ONLY IN THE SENSE OF
DESIGN, BUT ALSO IN THE SENSE OF HAVING
TO INVENT THE TECHNOLOGY OF DELIVERING
WORKERS AND MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WOOD,
STEEL AND STONE TO A VERY REMOTE AND
INACCESSIBLE LOCATION........WORKING WITH
A LOCAL CONTRACTOR WHO IS GENERALLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, WE
EMPLOY BARGES AND CRANES AND ON
OCCASION A HELICOPTER TO TRANSPORT
EXCAVATORS, REDI-MIX CONCRETE AND ALL
SORTS OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL TO THE
ISLAND. IT IS ONE THING TO DESIGN IT, AND
ANOTHER TO MAKE IF HAPPEN IN AN EFFICIENT
WAY.....
[email protected]
- 64 -
I HAVE ANOTHER FEW YEARS TO GO FOR
COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT............THEN,
RETIREMENT, TO INVEST MORE TIME IN THE
IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE......PLUMB BOBS!
The last revision for the English version of the
monthly WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS he did for
us end of 2010 with the report of the International
Plumb Bob Collectors Meeting in Cologne,
Germany.
The last email news from him
I got on March 09, 2012
(asking if a special plumb bob
– the J.W.ANDREWS- of his
collection is offered in the
auction of Martin Donnelly in
Nashua):
My life is an open book! Fine
to tell him the item is mine
and some other selective
item.
NELSON DENNY
NELSON DENNY in his favorite chair at his dining
room table surrounded by his boats and bobs.
These statements from Nelson Denny should give
you an idea how he was thinking about collecting
plumb bobs and the collaboration with others.
I will continue working in this mind of my friend
Nelson.
Wolf Ruecker
10. ADDITIONAL INFO
You can read a short version of this NEWS on http://www.plumbbobcollectors.info/209101.html
LINKS TO OTHER INFORMATION AND PICTURES OF THE COLLECTION NELSON DENNY on my web site.
I recommend visiting these pages!
(click on the line and you get the file; perhaps you must press the CTRL-button before. If it does not
work, feel free to ask me)
- PICTURE GALLERY 1
- THE PLUMB LINE continuum
- LEISTNER and HEIMBACH plumb bobs
- SPECIAL PLUMB BOBS
- SHOWROOMS, DISPLAYS, SHOW CASES from plumb bob collectors worldwide
- HIGHLIGHTS FROM plumb bob COLLECTIONS
REMARK:
Wolf
[email protected]
- 65 -
Issue 06
Autor: Wolf Ruecker
June 1, 2012
THE WELL WHISTLE
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
THE WELL WHISTLE
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 66
WHAT IS A WELL WHISTLE?.......................................................................................................... 66
WHO INVENTED THE WELL WHISTLE? ....................................................................................... 67
OPERATING INSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................ 69
WHAT WAS USED BEFORE THE WELL WHISTLE? The evolution 1862-1939. ............................ 70
ARE THERE STILL WELL WHISTLES ON THE MARKET TODAY? ............................................ 75
A VISIT TO MY WATER SUPPLIER ................................................................................................ 76
Last but not least SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT .......................................................................... 78
REMARKS .......................................................................................................................................... 78
1. INTRODUCTION
in my collection are indeed devices for depth
measurement, such as plumb bobs from the
marine (sounding weights) or measuring
instruments for wells. This includes the current
tool, the so-called WELL WHISTLE. It is only
known in Germany where it was developed.
2. WHAT IS A WELL WHISTLE?
A well whistle (bathometer, well depth finder,
well depth sounder) is an aid to determine the
depth of the ground water level below a certain
point on the earth's surface; such as the rim of the
well or the top of a measuring tube for groundwater monitoring.
-The well whistle is an
instrument with which the
water level in a well (or
level measuring tube) is
measured -.
The well whistle is a metal
cylinder open at the bottom
with a small whistle hole
in the otherwise closed top.
[email protected]
-66-
The outside of the cylinder is divided by
circumferential grooves in distance
of 1cm. The graduation starts at
ZERO near the whistle. The well
whistle is lowered hanging on a
measuring cord (or measuring tape)
down the well. When the water from
below enters into the cylinder it
presses the air through the whistle
hole and makes a sound. Once the
sound is heard, the instrument must
not be lowered any further. The
depth to the water level resulting
from the sum of the required length
of the measuring line and the
number of NONE water-wetted
centimeter rings of the well whistle.
The method is suitable for depths up
to 30 m (100 feet). The
measurement accuracy is 1 cm,
which corresponds to the distance of
the outer rings. This tool is now - for
professional use - completely
replaced by an instrument using
electricity and light instead of air
and sound.
Figure left: Hole at the bottom and whistle
Fig. right: Well whistle from my collection
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-06 THE WELL WHISTLE
3. WHO INVENTED THE WELL
WHISTLE?
The well whistle in its present shape is based on a
utility model registration / design patent (DRGM)
of an employee of the company in Frankfurt,
Germany, Spohr, Mr. Ludwig Rang, the
Rang'sche Brunnenmesser (Rang’s wells whistle)
of 1902. Unfortunately, the documents of the
application from 1902 are no longer available. 
With this design patent, a unit of Prof. Max
Pettenkofer in 1856 - the cup apparatus – was
improved. See below for details. 1938 there was
another design patent (DRGM) of the company
Wehlte & Co, Halle, Germany with three
modifications.
Some time ago I had the opportunity to
correspond with the current owner of Spohr in
Frankfurt, Peter Spohr. He was able to contribute
some information about the history of the well
whistle, and sent me the publication of 1984 for
the 100th anniversary.
From their web site:
Company's History 1
The SPOHR company was
founded in 1884 by Heinrich
Christian Spohr (1853 – 1923)
and was engaged in the
production of measuring and
recording equipment for the
monitoring of ground and
surface water since its very
beginning.
As early as in 1902 the primary "Well Whistle" –
the idea of an employee – was protected as a
utility
model
(see
adjacent
picture).
Carl Spohr (1877 – 1957) was the head of the
company since 1908. In difficult times with
World War I, inflation and global economic crisis
he and his employees succeeded in keeping the
company alive, in the beginning mainly with the
production and installation of master and slave
clock systems, then with the repair of
switchgears and later again increasingly with
the manufacture of measuring equipment for
the water management. While his son and
successor Heinz Spohr was at war and in
captivity, Carl Spohr, now almost at the age of
70, assumed control of the company again.
1
http://www.spohr-messtechnik.de
[email protected]
- 67 -
Heinz Spohr (1912 – 2002)
joined the firm in 1931
and became co-partner in
1939.
He
mainly
concentrated
in
water
level
measuring
technology, and already in
1933 he had his plummet
with light signal ("Lichtlot"
– see adjacent picture)
protected as a utility
model. Improvements of
this instrument in the
1950ies resulted in the
invention of a water level
meter with light signal at
the
cable
reel
("Kabellichtlot")
which
should
become
the
standard portable water
level detecting instrument
in wells and bore holes
from
that
time
on.
Furthermore
many
different models of float
recorders matching the
respective application purposes were developed and
produced.
In
1979
business
operations were taken
over
by
the
reestablished
SPOHRMesstechnik GmbH. After
graduating as an engineer
in Electrical Engineering
and Business Sciences
and after some years with
the
family
business,
fourth generation Peter
Spohr (*1949) became
the managing director of
the new company.
In subsequent years existing instruments were
improved, for example with new electronic
circuitry, and new and enhanced graduations for
the hot stamped measuring tapes were
introduced. Once more the proportion of worldwide exports could be increased. In 1996 a
Quality Management System as per DIN EN ISO
9001 was established and updated in 2002 and
2008.
For decades the production of the SPOHR
company is organized as a crafts enterprise. All
employees are highly qualified and are working
at their own responsibility. Hereby a consistent
high quality and reliability of the instruments is
ensured as well as a flexible after sales service
for many years. Cost-efficient internal handling
and minimal administrative expenses provide
for best value for money for all instruments,
spare parts and services.
Original ads from a catalogue of the factory
Heinrich Christian SPOHR, at Frankfurt, Germany
from the 1930s.
[email protected]
- 68 -
4. OPERATING INSTRUCTION
The reference point (ZERO)
of the measuring section is
marked near the whistle.
(see figure right)
a) Attach the well whistle
on the matching tape
and then push the fuse
clip on the opening
point of the snap hook.
Let down the well
whistle to the water
level.
b) When you hear the
whistle, stop lowering
the tape and read the
depth (i.e. 8.60m)
c) Pull up the well
whistle to see how
many grooves are
EMPTY
(i.e.
5
grooves)
d) The correct depth is:
length of the tape plus
number of empty
grooves in cm. (In this example 8.60 m + 5
cm = 8.65 m)
2
Figure right from an Austrian web site with a
complete measuring unit (tape + well whistle)
shows the use in a well or
hole:
In my museum I have
installed a reproduction of
a hole with a complete
well whistle measuring
equipment to show the
visitors the use and let
them hear the sound of the
whistle. 
Brunnenpfeife. (aus
Richter, 1989, S. 399)
ATTENTION!
 Before measuring, all grooves have to be
empty; after the measurement the well whistle
has to have above empty and below full
grooves. If all grooves are full or all grooves
are completely empty, the measurement must
be repeated.
 After the measuring tape was read (see b),
don’t further lower the whistle but
immediately pull it up.
 The tape is shortened (to have ZERO on the
whistle) for a correct measurement and the
special framework will facilitate the
measurement and protects the tape. The
winding direction is marked on the frame.
2
Institut für Wasserwirtschaft, Hydrologie und konstruktiven
Wasserbau (IWHW) http://iwhw.boku.ac.at oder
[email protected]
- 69 -
http://iwhw.boku.ac.at/gewaesserkunde_alt/html/Kapitel8.html
5. WHAT WAS USED BEFORE THE
WELL WHISTLE?
The evolution 1862-1939.
In the year 1883 he was awarded the hereditary a
title of nobility.
For more details see WIKIPEDIA
the picture below.
4
where I got
For sure, you can measure the level in a well with
other methods:
You can tie an object to a string (water resistant
and stable in length) and let it "clap" in the water.
Then pull the cord up and measure with a
measuring rod or tailor yard stick. Quite a time
consuming affair.
You also can use tins instead of stones.
Also used were rods that were pushed to the
ground. The wet part was measured.
Sometimes at the lower part of the rods linen
clothes were attached to better see the dividing
line between wet and dry.
All these methods are time consuming and of
course, quite inaccurate by our standards today.
During
my
researches
I
found
on
www.books.Google.com
(searching
for
“Brunnenpfeife”= well whistle in German) some
books where the first big ground level measuring
activity in Germany was described.
The reason for the overall measurement was the
cholera epidemic in Munich, Germany 1853/54.
Professor Max von Pettenkofer wanted to prove
that the increase of cholera deaths correlated with
the increase in groundwater levels. There are a lot
of published texts in Germany and worldwide.
(Diseases connected with Moisture and Ground
Water). His experiments then were continued in
other big cities like Berlin, Germany, Buda-Pesth,
Hungary, Calcutta, India etc. The evidence was
discussed very controversial. (In Germany
Pettenkofer’s views on the spread of cholera have
not met with universal acceptance, though there
are several instances in support.)
3
A short bio :
Pettenkofer, Max von, hygienists, born 3rd
December 1818 in Lichtheim / Neuburg on the
Danube, Germany. Died on 10 February 1901 by
suicide, since 1847 Professor in Munich, .......
Founded the experimental hygiene. .... made
studies of cholera and typhoid. ("Studies and
Observations on the method of dissemination of
cholera (Munich 1855) ...
3
Meyers Kleines Konversationslexikon 1906
[email protected]
1856
METHOD AND INSTRUMENTS: (Pettenkofer)
“The measurement I make with a number of 5foot-long wooden sticks that can be screwed
together. To see exactly how far the bottom rod
dipped into the water, there is fixed a device on
the last rod, that fills with water as high as this is
in the well. These small bowls or cups are fixed at
intervals of 1/8 inch on a thick paternoster-like
wire. From the top bowl filled with water the
distance is measured from a fixed point of the
well."
Unfortunately I could not find any pictures or
drawings of this instrument before 1880, I only
found descriptions. But finally I found some very
good illustrations in the later publications.
MORE DETAILS YOU CAN FIND IN THE
ORIGINAL TEXTS IN THE GERMAN
VERSION OF THE “PLUMB BOB NEWS”.
Feel free to ask.
4
- 70 -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Joseph_von_Pettenkofer
5
6.
7
In 1866 , 1867 and 1868 :
For Munich, Germany five different observations
had been found sufficient, of which two were on
the right side and three on the left side of the river
Isar, at a distance of about a thousand yards from
the river itself. He (Pettenkofer) measured the
water from a fixed point in the well to the level of
the water, by means of a rod or a piece of tape
covered with tar, at the lower end of which small
cups were fixed, at a distance of about an eighth
of an inch each, which, on being removed, were
found filled with water. The uppermost cup that
was full indicated the distance of the level of the
water from the fixed point on the surface. For
Munich, Germany it had been found sufficient to
take these measurements once a fortnight.
18878: Professor Pettenkofer uses a rod on which
are fixed a number of little cups, and, when let
down into the well and drawn up again, the
uppermost cup which contains water marks, of
course, the height of the water; the length of the
cord or rod used for letting down the cups being
known, the changing level of the well can be
estimated to within half an inch. Some
precautions are necessary in making these
observations: if a rope is used it may stretch with
use, or in a hot dry wind, or contract in wet
weather, and thereby make the observation
incorrect…
Pettenkofer also uses
a large float which is
suspended by a chain
travelling
over
a
pulley: this supports
an indicator at its
other
end,
which
marks the height on a
fixed scale.
9
Figure right from
I had to search a very
long time to find the
right name of this instrument of Pettenkofer. Later
I could search on www.books.Google.com for
5
In GERMAN: LOTOS Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaften
16. Jahrgang Prag 1866 Seite 59
6
Aus der Natur. 39. Band Leipzig 1867 S292 „Über das
Grundwasser und seine Bewegung“
7
THE MEDICAL TIMES AND GAZETTE London 1868
p102
8
A MANUAL OF PRACTICAL HYGIENE, London 1887
p10, 11
9
Lehrbuch der Hygiene May Rubner 1899 S 60 ff
[email protected]
- 71 -
“cup apparatus” and “Schälchenapparat” (German)
and found some sources with drawings of the
instrument that is the grandfather of the common
well whistle.
Below you find the history since 1881:
10
1881:
Pettenkofer introduced the far more perfect
apparatus. This consists in a measuring tape, on
which is mounted below a series of small cups in a
very short distance. See figures 52 (No diameter
indicated)
11
12
1893 and 1899:
§ 172. In order to determine the level of
the water (ground water) in a well with
accuracy and trustworthiness, we
proceed as follows, according to
Pettenkofer: At the end of a sufficiently
long measuring-cord (in general 10 m),
graduated in decimeters, hangs a rod of
brass, fitted at intervals of 1 cm with
small, flat, horizontal cups (Cup
apparatus, Fig. 83).
The measuring-line is cautiously
uncoiled, and let down into the well
with the cup apparatus first, after
the plat of stone or iron which
closes the shaft has been removed
(Fig. 84,d). We observe at the
bottom of the shaft a small, shining,
quiescent surface of water, which
suddenly takes a tremulous motion
as soon as it is touched by the point
of the cup apparatus. From this
moment the measuring-cord is
lowered only until the upper
margin of the opening of the shaft
coincides
with
the
nearest
decimeter mark of the cord. The
cord is then drawn up, and the number of metres
and decimeters showing the depth of the well is
read off: to the value thus ascertained is added
the piece of the cup apparatus which projects
above the water-level, i. e., as many centimetres
as cups have remained unfilled.
If, e.g., we have read off 3.62 m. on the
measuring-cord, and two cups have remained
unfilled, the level of the water would be 3.62 m.
below the surface of the earth.
10
Lehrbuch der HYGIENISCHEN UNTERSUCHUNGSMETHODEN, Flügge Leipzig 1881 S 211 ff
11
In English: METHODS OF PRACTICAL
HYGIENE;Lehmann, London; 1893 p 308, 309
12
In German: Die Methoden der Praktischen Hygiene,
Lehmann Wiesbaden 1890 S 198 ff
Remark:
An inexperienced operator sometimes commits the
error of overlooking the movement of the surface
of the water, which is often not easily perceptible,
and immersing the measuring-cord so deeply that
the entire cup apparatus is under water, and even
the measuring-cord is wetted. Such a
measurement is, of course, useless, and must be
repeated after the cups have been emptied out.
For accurate and repeated observations of
ground-water the measuring-band must be
checked from time to time, as the slips of leather
or wax-cloth used vary considerably in length in
course of time.
13
1892:
At the end of a measuring tape is
attached - according to von
Pettenkofer’s proposal - a metal rod
with metal cups at intervals of 0.5 cm
and are mounted in such a way that
the edge of the first small cup is the
zero point of the measuring tape (Fig.
46)…
1. To note a fixed point for the datum, from
which the depth is measured
2. A number of observations should be made in
different wells in the neighbourhood
3. In the case of a well, either the well must not
be pumped for hours previously.
16
1898:
If the water level is too deep for a
rod, a measuring tape with the cupapparatus by Pettenkofer can be
used. (Fig. 197) …
17
ZERO
1899:
For the measurement is used
Pettenkofer’s cup apparatus (Fig.
61). Small round cups are soldered
to a rod at a distance of 0.5 cm.
18
1902 UTILITY MODEL
#169234. Rillen Brunnenmesser mit akustischem
Signal.
(well
measuring
device with acoustic signal).
Ludwig Rang, Frankfurt a/M.
Mörfelderlandstr.
14
1895 : The measurement of the ground-water,
best indicated by the height of the water-level in
wells. Pettenkofer uses a rod for shallow wells
and a cord for deep wells to which are attached a
number of little cups which are let down into the
well and drawn up again.
15
1895 : Measurement of Level of the GroundWater.-This may be easily found by determining
the depth at which water stands in a well; or a
special boring may be made for this purpose. A
long rod marked in feet and inches, or metres and
centimetres, let down until it touches the water; or
a tape measure with a weight at the end, will show
the depth at which water is standing in a well.
Pettenkofer fixes a number of little cups on to a
rod, the uppermost cup that contains water
showing its depth from the surface. Or, a float on
the surface of the water may be attached to a cord
passing over a pulley, at the other end of which is
an indicator, which of course rises or falls
inversely with the float.
Whichever arrangement be adopted, it is
important
19
1908
shows the
well whistle from
Pettenkofer (a) and
the floating level
indicator (b) in a well.
16
13
Anleitung zu Hygienischen Untersuchungen Emmerich,
Trillich München 1892 S 150 ff
14
ANNUAL UNIVERSAL MEDICAL SCIENCES,
Philadelphia, 1895 p F11
15
HANDBOOK OF HGIENE, London 1895 p 415
[email protected]
- 72 -
Die Untersuchung landwirtschaftlich wichtiger Stoffe.
König, Berlin, 1898 S 600
17
Grundlagen der Hygiene 1899
18
Patentblatt Kaiserliches Patentamt 1902 Gebrauchsmuster
S 301
19
Grundriss der Hygiene, Flügge, Leipzig 1908 S 115
20
1906 :I found the first article, where the well
whistle (with 37 mm diameter) of Mr. Rang from
the factory Spohr is described very detailed:
RANG’S ACOUSTIC
WELL MEASURING INSTRUMENT
By Engineer J. Heil from Darmstadt, Germany
This instrument is designed by the foreman Mr.
Rang at Frankfurt a / M., Germany from the
electro-technical factory of H. Ch Spohr made
there and used for several years to detect the
depth of the water level in wells, bore holes, tanks,
etc., even in all the hard to reach areas of similar
nature with great advantage.
In the past for this purpose have been used several,
more or less inadequate auxiliary methods such as
blocks, bottles, cups, bars
etc., which were associated
with
an
inevitable
uncertainty
of
the
measurement results. With
them the required depth was
only found approximately by
repeated trials.
The instrument shown in the
right figure is a cylindrical
pipe of 37 mm diameter and
15-20 cm in length. The pipe
is hollow and closed at the
top by a cover, in which is a
whistle opening. Once in the
hollow pipe a stream of air is pressed upwards
through the whistle opening, a loud sound is heard.
The application of the instrument is now in such a
manner that a measuring tape is fixed to the
upper-end bow on which the instrument is allowed
to slide into the deep. When the instrument
reaches the water level and begins to immerse into
the liquid the in the pipe included air is pushed up
and a loud and clearly audible whistle signal
penetrates from the depths and informs the
observer at once of the situation.
For exact determination of the liquid level are
turned in the mantle of the instrument cup-shaped
grooves in centimeters distance. They are filled in
with water during immersion, while the grooves
above the water surface remain unwetted.
The measuring tape must be attached to the
suspension hook so that the zero point of the
instrument coincides with the zero point of the
tape.When the whistle is heard, you must let fall
the plummet a few inches further, then read the
20
Zeitschrift für Vermessungswesen XXXV. Band 1906
Stuttgart S 648 – 652
[email protected]
- 73 -
position of the measuring tape and now pull up the
instrument carefully. …
1908 from Brockhaus Lexicon
21
looking for „Groundwater“:
… the ground water can be
measured easily by the so called
CUP APPARATUS (Fig.2)…
distance of the cups is 1 to 1 ½
cm … For construction of
buildings
and
wells,
the
knowledge of these conditions is
important. You can see from
this how deep you can go with
the foundation wall into the
ground without being placed
under water, and how deep
you must dig wells in order
to get always plenty of
water. …
In 1910 + 1920 I found the first time that
a relation was mentioned between Mr.
22
Rang and Prof. Pettenkofer:
1910:
Water level measuring
in bore holes and wells
… the tool shown in Fig. 59 is a
combination of the Pettenkofer cup
apparatus with an acoustic signal
installation…
From the same book in 1920: … the
distance of the cups is 0.5 cm. … Since it
is very dark in some wells the worker
cannot find easily the water level with
the old instrument by Pettenkofer. So they
added a whistle invented by Rang. See
Fig.195 …..
23
1918:
The depth could be measured very easily
by the instrument of Rang, that makes a
loud sound when it touches the water
level (Fig. 212)…You can buy the
apparatus from Paul Altmann, Berlin NW,
Luisenstr. 47, Germany.
21
Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon Achter Band 1908 S
461, 462
22
Die Untersuchung und Beurteilung des Wassers und des
Abwassers. Ohlmüller, Spitta, Berlin 1910 bzw. 1920
23
Chemie der Nahrungs- und Genussmittel König, Berlin
1918 S 479, 480
1939 from the catalog of Wichmann, Berlin,
24
Germany: .
Advertisement by WEHLTE & CO, Halle,
Germany ca. 1941
REMARK: The full text of the sources mentioned above
you can read in the German version of this Plumbbob
NEWS.
1938
The well pipe by Mr. Rang from 1902 was
improved in 1938 by the firm Wehlte & Co in
Halle an der Saale, Germany with the UTILITY
MODEL
140127
and.
382238
called:.
ACUSTICAL
WELL
MEASURMENT
INSTRUMENT.
Below the original pages with a drawing and the
3 NEW CLAIMS:
1. Diameter of the cups reduced (So the
water cannot drop into the cups when
pulling up the instrument in the hole)
2. Tapered shoulder (so the instrument
cannot be stopped by obstacles in the hole)
3. Adapted measuring tape (Point ZERO of
the tape is identical with ZERO of the
whistle)
24
WICHMANN, Berlin Haupt-Katalog 20. Ausgabe 1939
[email protected]
- 74 -
6. ARE THERE STILL WELL
WHISTLES ON THE MARKET
TODAY?
Price list of the factory Spohr in Frankfurt, Germany
25
Makers in Poland offer the WELL WHISTLE:
Hydrogeological steel whistle
dimensions: length 235 mm,
diameter Ø30 mm; weight: 550g
application: measuring of water level with
Correction collars allow to check accurate
water surface depth.
measuring accuracy:
±1 cm
Also offered: WITHOUT CUPS, but
with a WHISTLE. (fig. left)
Accuray +/- 10 cm instead of +/- 1
cm.
.
Hydrogeological steel whistle
dimensions: length 235 mm,
diameter Ø24 mm; weight: 354g
application: measuring of water
measuring
accuracy:
±10
25
level
cm
http://www.spohr-messtechnik.de/html/produkte.html
[email protected]
- 75 -
The instruments
today are for
sure connected
with
the
computer
to
display
the
data…
There are still
other depth measuring instruments like
the SEBA,
Germany (see
figure below) or
the former
ALPINA
EASTMAN that I
described in
WOLF‘S PLUMB BOB
NEWS 2008-05 „DEPTH
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS“
7. A VISIT TO MY WATER SUPPLIER
After my visit to the past I wanted to know what
instruments are used today. So I asked the director
of my Purpose association water supply
Trollmühle
in
Windesheim,
Germany
www.trollmühle.de for a meeting.
So I had the opportunity to visit the installation
with an electrician.
Thank you very much for this chance.
various tanks (reservoirs), - for
the stationary operation- ,
sensors are inserted into the
outlet pipes that measure the
hydrostatic pressure and pass
the values to the computer
system.
These
hidden
“brownies” are not really of
interest for collectors. 
However, I have seen as a
parallel / replacement device
also a floating level meter. (See
figure right.) The small
hydrostatic pressure sensor can
only be found sleuthing with
the help of insiders. (See figure
below)
float level meter
Administration building and
removal of uranium in the background
Some key figures for this organization:
• Founded 100 years ago
• Working for several counties
• 14 000 homes
• 420 km of main pipelines
• 24 town communities
• 21 high tanks
• 25 deep wells
• 33 employees
• 2 million m³ of water / year
The latest acquisition is an ion exchange process
for removing uranium and an ion exchange water
softening process (partial desalination).
When I asked for a well whistle I got - as expected
- a negative answer. Although the staff worked for
over 20 years in this
company, he had never
seen any well whistle.
Today, its successor, the
so-called Cable Light
Gauge (plummet with
light signal; from the
company Spohr
in
Lichtlot im Einsatzwagen
Frankfurt, Germany) is
used for mobile use in
monitoring wells or
well-shafts.
The water levels in the
[email protected]
float
counterweight
This water tank is monitored
by the device
In the basement under the grid you can see the sensor
- 76 -
For the monitoring a large information board
exists, where all data will be processed on the
computer and are available at any time.
Display of current values
Monitoring place with current values
In the next room I found, however, a museum
piece, something familiar to me. There was a unit
with three-level indicators and scribes of Lechner
& Co. in Frankfurt, Germany.
When I came back home I found the solution in a
publication of the Association of Electrical
Engineers, Frankfurt 1898. There we read about
the company H. CH. Spohr, Factory of electric
clocks, water level indicators, telephones and
telegraphs:
… founded in 1884 under the name Lechner &
Spohr. In 1886 the business came in sole
ownership of H. Ch. Spohr, ... The principal
special apparatuses for electrical water level
remote message are .... Figure 2 Registration
work and displays for the continuous recording
of water levels. The upper
part of Figure 2 represents
a pointer element, which is
intended to indicate the
reported water levels. The
simple design ensures long
operating life of this
instrument. The Registry
installations are supplied
with various equipment …
The recorded curves on the
graphs are characterized
by great clarity and
accuracy.
(Figure 3, right)
represents a large
registry
instrument
which continuously
records graphically
and
displays
electrically the water
level in 4 reservoirs
and the level of two
mercury manometers
of the wells- and river
water line of the city
of Frankfurt..
So I'm on my search for the latest technology still
hit the past. That's the interesting part of my
research for my PLUMB BOB NEWS.
But one thing must be said: the old equipment
looks nicer,
even if it does
not
reach
today's quality
standard.
Elektrischer Pegelschreiberschrank
Lechner & Co Frankfurt, Germany
[email protected]
- 77 -
8. Last but not least SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT
In a German book26 from 1860 I found a very funny fairy tale about the mayor and a city council who did
not want to pay the full price for drilling a water well. The City “Krähwinkel” (small city where the cock is
crying” is a synonym for a city with people who thought to be very clever, but they aren’t…)
The council of a city would provide not only for bread and salt for the citizens, but also for water. So they
ordered a hydraulic engineer to build a well: with a depth of 30 men. The man built this well, but the fee
was much higher than the people had thought. The council looked for a pretext they could use to reduce
the price. They thought they had the excuse, if they stated in a precise measurement of the depth that the well
is more or less than exactly 30 man lengths deep. They tried hard to figure out a way to make the
measurement. The mayor said he anyway bears the entire burden of his position on his shoulders and it
would not be so difficult to hold 30 people at his feet. He therefore suggested that as the head of the city, to
hang as the first to a crossbar above the well. Then should hang on his feet the first alderman and so on
according to their rank and dignity the other members of the council until they reached the bottom of the
well.
This plan was carried out. The mayor was hanging with full vestments on the beam and waited for his
successor. The first alderman hangs on to the feet of the mayor and this example was followed by the others.
After six people were hanging on his feet, the mayor said: “I did not think that the Collegium weighs so
heavily. I ask my colleagues for their kind permission to rub my hands so I can than keep holding more
tightly”. And he releases his grip and BANG! BANG! BANG!
Thus, all the men fell into the water and struck their heads against the wall. Some were drawn out of the well
dead and others injured. There was great wailing and grief among the people…
Perhaps a simple well whistle would have been a better idea!
9. REMARKS
Wolf
4th PLUMB BOB COLLECTORS MEETING
Oct. 5, to Oct. 7, 2012
If you are interested to come to Athens, please let me know.
26
Lustige Reise nach Krähwinkel
[email protected]
- 78 -
Issue 07
July 1, 2012
PLUMB BOBS from you. Any help is appreciated.
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 79
WHO IS THE MAKER? ...................................................................................................................... 79
TOOLS / MACHINES ......................................................................................................................... 80
PLUMB BOBS .................................................................................................................................... 81
OTHER TOOLS / THE FUTURE ........................................................................................................ 88
REMARKS .......................................................................................................................................... 88
1. INTRODUCTION
Perhaps you already saw offers of miniature
plumb bobs of excellent quality on Ebay. I
contacted the seller of these nice items, David
Hale’ and asked him to tell us more about his
work, making miniature tools (not only plumb
bobs). Our work publishing information about
plumb bobs was the initial impetus for him to start
making plumb bobs – both large and small.
Here is his story:
2. WHO IS THE MAKER?
My name is David Hale’ and I live in Vermont in
the United States. I was trained as a visual artist
and taught Photography to College students for
over thirty years. I now teach part-time at one of
Vermont’s State Colleges, and I make part of my
living doing precision metalworking and precision
woodworking in my home workshop and studio.
In 2010 I discovered the wealth of online
information that Wolf and others have made
available about the world of plumb bobs and this
inspired me to begin studying plumb bobs and to
begin making them with my available tools and
skills.
David Hale'
with his David White 8300
and gear bob in use
[email protected]
-79-
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-07 MINIATURE PLUMB BOBS
3. TOOLS / MACHINES
I have assembled an array of hand tools, power
tools and small machine tools to take on the range
of work that I am interested in doing for myself
and in response to the variety of jobs that appear
at my door.
 An old Atlas 10” lathe,
 a small Taig bench mounted milling
machine
 a floor mounted drill press
 and a wide array of files and hand tools
allow me to make plumb bobs one at a time or in
very small batches.
From looking at all the plumb bobs I have viewed
to date, I understand something about the unique
appeal that such a simple tool in its wide range of
variations offers to the Plumb Bob Aficionado.
a TAIG bench mounted milling machine
floor mounted drill press and many hand tools
[email protected]
- 80 -
10 inch ATLAS lathe
Tailstock mounted adjustable
hollow mill. The 3 cutters are
advanced simultaneously by
a threaded ring so that once
adjusted it allows me to
repeatedly
reduce
the
diameter of rod stock to a
specific diameter without
having to stop the lathe and
check the progress with the
digital caliper
indexing jig
shop made lathe tooling
tool post mounted form tool allows me to make
small beads or other profiles
tailstock mounted knurling tool with 3 knurls
used to knurl small diameters without having
the work deflect from the force applied by
ordinary knurling tools that only use two or
even just one hardened steel knurl
digital calipers and magnifier which are
essential for doing this kind of work
4. PLUMB BOBS
I have created a series of plumb bobs that have
interested me and which I have made available to
others through Ebay and Etsy.
My work falls into several different categories:
 tiny plumb bobs,
 “fancy” plumb bobs
 miniature versions of historically
important or special purpose plumb bobs.
family portrait
fancy bobs
[email protected]
- 81 -
The TINY PLUMB BOBS that I have made of
brass with small maple or ebony winders are
usually smaller than an inch in size but have a
removable cap, a steel tip and some kind of
knurled detail. I recently produced a small batch
of surveyor’s style plumb bobs that I also offer as
a pair of earrings with French hooks – the plumb
bob maker’s ploy to get someone to buy two
plumb bobs instead of just one!
US “carrot“ with sheath
US “carrot“ with sheath
ear rings
from the collection of Ulrich Biber, Germany
ear rings
general plumb bob
with a cross drilled tip
[email protected]
plumb bob with ebony reel
- 82 -
7” fancy plumb bob
parts
I have constructed some larger and more ornate
“FANCY” PLUMB BOBS that include ebony,
ivory and silver elements. Although these are
produced today, I like to think that I make them
with as much attention to detail and with as much
intention as some of the important fancy plumb
bobs made 100 or 150 years ago that are now in
the hands of significant collectors.
The 7” fancy plumb bob shown in the
photographs sports several different kinds of
knurling including rope knurling, face knurling
and the less common straight knurling. The ivory
panels set in place as sliding dovetails in milled
slots were made from the white piano keys of a
100 year old piano that were removed before it
was sent to the burn pile.
7” fancy plumb bob
body
ivory panels
[email protected]
cap
- 83 -
A smaller “fancy” plumb bob shown in the
photograph has an inlaid ring of ebony and ivory
glued up from segments and then turned to size on
the lathe. The steel tip extends through the length
of the plumb bob and is threaded into the cap to
hold the whole works together. In this case I
started with a commercially available arrow point
for making the tip.
ring of ebony and ivory
tip and arrow point
glue jig
parts
The inverted “beehive” shaped plumb bob has a
small sterling silver ring incorporated into the
design. I have never seen another example of a
plumb bob with this shape ( has anyone else seen
this shape before?), but I imagine that my
experience of creating a unique design is only
unique unto itself because there are so many
remarkable examples of one of a kind plumb bobs
in existence.
inverted beehive with silver
[email protected]
ebony and ivory
Inverted beehive with silver
- 84 -
THE GEAR BOB shown in the photographs was
completed in 2011 and represents my initial
efforts to make the indexing and cutting tools
needed to make gears in my home workshop. I
made an indexer that makes use of a 30 tooth gear
that came from the carcass of a 150 year old
telegraph register that was given to me as scrap.
My design includes a spring-loaded shaft with a
pinion gear which can be pushed clear of the
crown gear to allow the line to be deployed. The
line can then be adjusted up or down by twisting
the body of the plumb bob as the line is wound
upon on an internal spool.
The whole project took weeks of effort from
initial idea to the finished plumb bob, but I know
that it has paved the way for other projects that
might involve making small gears.
a gear bob in service
From left to right:
 shop made gear tooth form cutter,
 the 30 tooth indexing gear
 the finished brass pinion gear machined
on the end of the shaft
GEAR BOB
internal reel on spring loaded pinion gear shaft
[email protected]
- 85 -
3 inch mechanical plumb bob top & tip
I am most interested in some of the
HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT AND SPECIAL
PURPOSE PUMB BOBS such as mining
plummets and the miniature version of the plumb
bob shown in the drawing included in the 1874
TRAUT patent drawing--US Patent 151521 June
2, 1874.
The miniature Traut pattern plumb bob with built
in reel was inspired by the patent drawing but it
differs in proportion and detail. It includes a steel
tip which the patent drawing doesn’t show and I
couldn’t resist adding the knurled details which
also didn’t appear in the drawing but add to its
visual appeal.
PHOTOS OF THE STANLEY PLUMB BOBS AND PATENT
DRAWINGS ARE FROM THE COLLECTION OF WOLF RUECKER
built in reel plumb bob
drawing from the patent sheet
original Stanley (Traut
patent) in parts
STANLEY size 1 (brass), 3 (brass) and 5 (iron)
[email protected]
- 86 -
miniature brass plumb
with bob built in reel
from the
US patent 151521
The miniature MINING
PLUMMET shown in the
photograph works just like a
full sized one but the
experience of making and
handling a small one like this
allows me to get my hands
on something that I could not
imagine being able to find or
afford. I am delighted to have
been able to make some of
these miniatures available to
collectors at a fraction of the
cost of a rare original.
mining plummet
mining plummet
mining plummet
mining plummet
mining plummet
wick & cap
original pair of mining plummets
in wooden dove tailed box
original pair of mining plummets
(from the former collection of Bruce Cynar)
(from the former collection of Bruce Cynar)
[email protected]
- 87 -
5. OTHER TOOLS / THE FUTURE
SOME OTHER TOOLS MADE BY DAVID
HALE’:
I have many ideas about making more plumb bobs
which I plan to add to our offerings on ETSY
http://www.etsy.com/shop/QualityInVermont
while I remain available to take on custom work
and repairs.
David Hale’
David,
thank you that you shared these information with
us.
Wolf
Other shopmade tools left to right
Height gage that will accept a scriber, a pencil or an
xacto knife – very handy
A shopmade depth gage
A shopmade bell punch for quickly locating and
centerpunching brass rod stock
6. REMARKS
This is an article of the monthly published
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS that is sent on
demand as PDF-file attachment by email. FREE.
You can see all former publications on the website
Remarks and contact by email:
[email protected]
One Third Size Marconi Titanic Telegraph Key
3 miniature telegraph keys on the milling machine table.
From left to right:
½ size Melehan Valiant Double Automatic Telegraph Key circa 1949
½ size Vibroplex Upright Semi-Automatic Telegraph Key circa 1919
1
/3 size Marconi Titanic Telegraph Key circa 1912
[email protected]
- 88 -
A shop made pump drill made
just for fun from the chuck and
spindle of a burnt out dremel
tool and a length of polished
steel rod that came from a
discarded ink jet printer. The
cross bar with tapered ends and
ball details were turned from a
piece of ¾” brass bar stock
before the flats were milled on
the top and bottom surface.
Issue 08
August 2, 2012
UPDATE MINING PLUMMETS
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 89
THE “BLITZLOT” BY SCHULTE ..................................................................................................... 90
THE BRAUNSCHU & CZUYA PLUMMET ...................................................................................... 91
OTHER MINING PLUMMETS .......................................................................................................... 92
IDAHO MINING PLUMMET ............................................................................................................. 94
MINING PLUMMETS FROM NELSON DENNY COLLECTION .................................................... 95
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT ..................................................................................................... 95
REMARKS ......................................................................................................................................... 95
from his region. Therefor he supported building a
remembrance chapel by modifying a small house on
the area of a mining company.
1. INTRODUCTION
this time I will not present a new theme, but start to
make UPDATES of former plumb bob articles:
In WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2009-03 I wrote
about MINING PLUMMETS. I would recommend that
you refer to this article before you continue reading.
You find it on www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page
download PUBLICATIONS. Scroll down until you
reach 2009-03. The direct link to this page is:
http://www.plumbbobcollectors.info/41328.html
In this newsletter 3 years ago I talked about the
different ways for surveying mines: I also presented
mining plummets, especially from the U.S.A.
The complete article as a PDF-file you get on this link:
http://www.plumbbobcollectors.info/media//DIR_4211
7/DIR_42128/685eee0caaa0dc77ffff8222ac14422f.pdf
3
Here in the remembrance chapel in Terwinselen NL
(see picture) once a year a ceremony is held to honor
and remember the mine workers.
Every Friday this collector works as a guide in the
mining museum in Heerlen NL. This museum is in the
former coal mine Oranje-Nassau I.
From a tip of a friend I found a web site of collectors
of mining tools in the Netherlands with the picture of a
2
German mining plummet that I have searched for a
very long time.
In June 2012 I got in contact to a former mine worker
from the Netherlands, Martin Herbergs, who also has a
small collection of mining tools. Furthermore he made
a lot of effort to memorialize deceased mine workers
From this collector I could get two German mining
plummets: the so called “BLITZLOT” and the
“BRAUNSCHU plummet”. Blitzlot means “quick-setup-plumb bob”.
Since a very long time I
had already a lot of written
information (catalog pages
and patent drawings) about
them, but never saw a
photo or an original.
Unfortunately both tools
are not totally complete,
but
you
can’t
get
everything 100% on the
first try. 
If anyone knows where
such plummets
exist,
Martin Herbergs in front of
please let me know.
his chapel.
1
3
1
2
http://www.gluckauf.nl
Link to the page with surveying instruments in mines:
http://www.gluckauf.nl/Gereedschap_meet%20materiaal.htm
Scroll down until you find the picture with the “Blitzlot“.
[email protected]
- 89 -
Pictures of the chapel and text (in Dutch language)
http://www.yasni.de/ext.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nederlan
dsmijnmuseum.eu%2Fsite%2Fdemijnstreek%2Fgedachteniskapel.h
tm&name=Martin+Herbergs&cat=other&showads=1
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-08 UPDATE MINING PLUMMETS u
2. THE “BLITZLOT” BY SCHULTE
At first I will discuss the so called BLITZLOT
(QUICK-SET-UP-PLUMMET)
THE IDEA for the plummet
came from the German
mining surveyor Schulte
and was protected by a
design patent # 193,259 in
1903 in Germany. The
abbreviation
D.R.G.M
means Deutsches-ReichsGebrauchs-Muster (design
patent in Germany)
It was PRODUCED by the
maker
of
surveying
instruments
REISS
in
maker mark
Liebenwerda, Germany.
In their 1907 catalog (next page) we find a good
working instruction. For more information about
catalogues, see WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2008-09
missing catch button
height=5 inch; diameter=2 inch
[email protected]
CONSTRUCTION:
The plummet is made of brass with an iron tip.
Inside is a string-winding-up mechanism with a
spiral spring. (missing in my plummet) 
FUNCTION:
By pressing the ratchet release you can pull it
down from the ceiling of the gallery quickly to the
desired position near to the reference point.
For rewinding the 3 yards long line you press
again the button and
the spring will help
to rewind the line on
the reel.
The iron tip you can
extend
by
unscrewing (nearly 1
inch) to come very
close to the reference
point.
USE:
It was used in mines.
The theodolite on the
tripod was put in
position
directly
under the plummet.
More details see
NEWS 2009-03.
unscrewed tip
parts, body, tip
drawing from „Der Mechaniker“
- 90 -
cross section
Letterhead of the German patent:
Page from the 1903 catalogue REISS
3. THE BRAUNSCHU & CZUYA
PLUMMET
This tool is a combination of a plummet and a
lighted sighting device. It is made from brass.
Inside the body there is a battery and a lamp.
Unfortunately I did not find a matching battery,
but I continue searching for it.
To concentrate the light of the lamp a planoconvex lens is used. This lens is extremely hard to
produce. In the patent drawing the lens looks very
simple but the original is impressive (Fig. right)
plano-convex lens with glass tip to
concentrate the light
DRPa = German patent applied for.
Produced before 1922
drawing from German patent
DE356839 Braunschu 1922
[email protected]
dimension: h=163 mm; 6 ½in;
d=55 mm; 2 in
- 91 -
attachment, lens; body with reflector
Keywords from the patent:

It is for use in rooms that have not
enough (day) light; especially in mines.
Lighted plumb bob tip


Different colors for the tip available

Can also be used as a mining lamp
This German patent from Braunschu was cited as
reference 30 years later in two other patents in
Germany DE 843,602
and the U.S.A. US 2,583,491:
Details see next chapter.
4. OTHER MINING PLUMMETS
1952 Georg Böhm from Stuttgart, Germany was
granted a patent DE 843,602 for a LIGHTED
PLUMMET. This was a combination of a lighted
target and a plumb bob.
The lamp inside lighted a DOUBLE CONE that
was used as sighting device by the mine surveyors
with their theodolites.
The current supply was done by a two-core cable.
(no battery inside!)
The tip was additionally painted with a reflecting
color.
Below two different designs:
battery leak damaged the body
This brass diaphragm covers the lens and
lets only free the lighted colored tip as
sighting device
BÖHM 1952 DE843602
Lighted plummet
BÖHM 1952 DE843602
Lighted plummet
Unfortunately I never saw this tool on a picture or
original. 
[email protected]
- 92 -
Also from 1952 is the US patent 2,583,491;
PLUMB BOB DEVICE; Joseph Francis
Orlando, from Washington D.C.
Below you find three lighted plumb bobs that are
mentioned as reference in the “Orlando plummet”
from 1952:
The other patents are not of
interest for us. They are for
such “unimportant“ things like
 „light pencil“
 „kite controller“,
 „lighter“,
 „line winder“,
 etc.
More details you will find on
the GOOGLE patent search
4
page (for US-patents only)
MARTIN 1913
PLUMMET
LAMP
US1,052,075
This patent cited the Braunschu patent as
reference and three other lighted plummets:
WALLACE
PLUMB LIGHT
1914 US1,113,519
DACHEUX 1922
FR547,411
4
PATENTSEARCH for American patents:
http://www.google.com/?tbm=pts&hl=en
[email protected]
- 93 -
5. IDAHO MINING PLUMMET
Last minute I received from Dale Riedesel, Twin
Falls, Idaho this information about plumb bobs
used in the shaft:
“I happen to be in North Idaho recently. This
area is full of silver mines. I was able to secure a
unusual bob as shown in the pictures.
It is brass, filled with lead. It is 18 inches tall, 3
inches in diameter, weights 45 pounds. The brass
shell is 0.23 inches thick. This bob in conjunction
with another bob were used to transfer a known
azimuth from the surface to the bottom of a
vertical shaft. It is quite a door stopper.
Dale”
will result in a considerable error in the computed
locations of points some distance removed from
the shaft. This linear error in the location of any
point is in a direction at right angles to the line
from the shaft to the point, the displacement being
equal to the azimuth error (in radians) multiplied
by the distance from the shaft to the pint in
question.”
They are not looking as nice as the mining
plummets in the next chapter, but what this bob
lacked in beauty it made up in practicality. It was
extremely important that the surveyor is able to
transfer his data from the surface into the mine
where the plummets could be used to extend the
mine locations under ground.
Below a description from a MINING
SURVEYING BOOK:
“Connecting Surface and Underground Surveys.
The methods used to accomplish a connection
between surface and underground surveys depend
mainly upon the character of the opening from the
surface to the underground workings. …
… A point of known horizontal location at the
surface can be projected down a vertical shaft by
plumbing within a linear error of 0.01 ft. in 100 ft.
In the case of a vertical shaft, a vertical plane is
defined by two plumb lines suspended in the shaft,
in a plane of known azimuth determined by
connection with the surface survey. Wire known as
“electrician’s banding wire” is recommended for
use for the plumb lines, with bobs weighing 10 to
40 lb. suspended in oil to reduce oscillation.
Underground, a transit is act up close to the wires
and in line with them, that is, in the plane of
known azimuth. An angle is then turned to some
other line, and two points are permanently set on
this line, which is then used as a reference line of
known azimuth. By this method the underground
survey is referred to same meridian as the surface
survey. Great care must be taken in lining in the
transit with the two plumb lines, because the
distance between the plumb lines is necessarily
short and a small error in orientation at the shaft
[email protected]
- 94 -
6. MINING PLUMMETS FROM
NELSON DENNY COLLECTION
15-GURLEY-BOXED-PAIR-C
14-BUFFF & BERGER PLUMMETS-C
7. SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT
16-YOUNG & SONS -BOXED PAIR-C
8. REMARKS
Oct: 5, - 7, 2012 in ATHENS, Greece?
th
[email protected]
- 95 -
Issue 09
September 1, 2012
WALLPAPER PLUMB BOBS
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Content
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 96
WHY WALLPAPERERS USE PLUMB BOBS? ................................................................................. 96
WALLPAPERERS AT WORK ........................................................................................................... 98
USING THE PLUMB BOB IN FRANCE 18TH CENTURY ................................................................ 99
WALLPAPERERS PLUMB BOBS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ........................................... 100
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT ................................................................................................... 104
REMARKS ....................................................................................................................................... 104
1. INTRODUCTION
we all know that a lot of different professions use
plumb bobs for their work. I have a listing with more
than 50 different positions. The most common are
masons and carpenters. They are well known.
Recently I got a short email:
Hello Mr. Ruecker,
… my query is about wallpaper plumb bobs.
Do you have any information about these in early use,
up to about 1750?
Paperhanging Technics. A Bibliographic Essay by
1
Robert M. Kelly”.
Bob lived and worked two years in Germany.
After I sent him my information about wallpaper
plumb bobs I asked him to write me WHY
wallpaperers need and use a plumb bob for their work.
Below you find his answer.
2. WHY WALLPAPERERS USE
PLUMB BOBS?
Mein lieber Wolfgang,
I would be happy to summarize the importance of the
plumb bob in wallpapering.
mit freundlichem Gruss,
Bob Kelly
Lee, Massachusetts, USA
This was the beginning of a very interesting change of
information and ends in this
newsletter.
Robert M. Kelly has been working
with wallpaper since 1976 as a
paperhanger,
manager
of
installation projects for residential
and
governmental
historic
buildings, and wallpaper consultant.
More about him and his work you
can
read
in:
“Historic
Historically, as you know, the plumb bob was used by
many trades. One can readily see how the ability to
insure that a timber is truly 90 degrees vertical would
be important for those raising a barn or house. For
example, to be able to predict how the rain water
would run off, or so that one can add additional parts to
the structure with confidence that the foundation or
supports will bear the load.
It is not so obvious why wallpaper must be hung
perfectly vertically. But this is very true, and especially
true for the first sheet. I will commence explaining
how it was done circa 1770 or so. By then the joined
1
For download on
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1986522
[email protected]
- 96 -
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-09 WALLPAPER PLUMB BOBS
roll was in general use throughout Europe. The joined
roll (also called in England a "piece" to distinguish it
from a strip of paper) consisted of a length from 9 to
12 yards, made up of single sheets pasted one to
another.
The paperhanger's first task was to trim one edge of the
wallpaper even to the pattern, usually taking about an
inch, more or less, from the edge. This could be done
for the entire roll, or for just one strip. A strip could be
8, 9 or 10 feet high, as long as the wall itself. Even if
there was no pattern, the paperhanger still needed to
make this edge fairly even. Ordinarily this was done
with shears. This operation was necessary in the first
place because the sheets of paper often had a rough and
uneven edge. This is often called the "deckle edge"
2
(see photo ). One can readily understand why it was
necessary to trim
this very uneven
edge showing in
the photo. In this
example
the
paperhanger would
need to trim right
alongside of the
white dots.
Having
trimmed
the
edge,
the
paperhanger
was
ready to hang the
first
piece.
However, we know
deckle edge.
that even buildings
plumbed and built
courtesy of www.wallpaperscholar.com
by good carpenters
do not have perfectly straight windows, doors and
corners! They may be close, but they are never perfect.
Because of this fact, it is impossible to rely on the
straightness of a door or window or corner as a guide
to hang the first piece. If a paperhanger would rely on a
corner without checking it, the likely result would be
that the pattern will run uphill, or downhill, as it
proceeds across the wall. In other words, the horizontal
pattern would not run true at 180 degrees, but would
slide up or down, causing perhaps seasickness in the
viewer!
The reliable guide that we need (a perfectly plumb line)
can only be achieved by following a line with a weight
on it. In other words, to use gravity instead of an
existing structure which may or may not be straight.
This reliance on gravity, which is always the same,
will invariably produce a straight line.
1.) by marking the wall with a pencil at many points
along the string so that the paper can be hung alongside
the dots;
2. by chalking the line, and then snapping it so that a
thin line of chalk becomes a guideline for the paper;
3. by having another person hold the line steady, while
the first person hangs the pasted paper against the wall,
brushing it into place with a soft brush.
The second piece overlaps the first so that the pattern
joins up. The paperhanger must only overlap slightly,
and if he joins the paper accurately, the strip will be
more or less automatically plumb, because he is
following both a grid pattern (the design) and a
previously plumb 90 degree line (the first sheet).
The paperhanger can usually hang several succeeding
strips. This is possible because if the trimming is fairly
accurate, it creates a straight guideline in and of itself.
Another reason that this is possible is because of the
way that the block-printers do their work. These
artisans impress colored patterns onto the paper. The
template or block that they use for this resembles a
large rubber ink stamp. The designs are often
geometric, and are almost always square or rectangular.
In this way a consistent grid pattern is made on the
paper, and by following their registration pins, the
block-printers create a straight line of pattern down the
length of the "piece". Later, when the selvedge
(another name for edge) is taken off by the
paperhanger, the straightness of the pattern is now
apparent.
Still, a cautious and skilled paperhanger will check the
trueness of his strips often, because it is easy to start
getting crooked. And, in any case, when he comes to
the corner, he must re-plumb the next sheet. The
reason for this is that he needs to wrap the sheet into
the corner slightly. As an example, if the corner is 10
inches from the last hung pattern, the next sheet must
be cut around 10.25 inches wide so that it will extend
slightly beyond the corner. The piece on the new wall
must therefore be about 10.75 inches wide (wallpaper
is usually about 21 inches wide.) This new sheet must
again be plumbed with a plumb bob and a new
guideline created, and then the sheet is hung from the
guideline back into the corner. The reason, as we have
already learned, is that the paperhanger cannot assume
that corners are straight. He must hang straight paper,
even in crooked rooms.
Wolfgang, I hope this is helpful to you.
Bob
The problem of transferring the line from the string to
the wall can be solved in a few ways
2
and more pictures of ancient wallpapers you can find on
www.wallpaperscholar.com
[email protected]
- 97 -
Bob sent me 3 pictures from France and Germany
with paperhangers at work:
3. WALLPAPERERS AT WORK
drawing made by Jean-Michel Papillon
drawing made by Jean-Michel Papillon
We will discuss the details below.
[email protected]
- 98 -
It also could be used as a chalk line (see the two
workers in the figure below).
4. USING THE PLUMB BOB IN
FRANCE 18TH CENTURY
The plumb bob
shown in the French
picture used by the
two paperhangers
looks like the French
plumb bob “fil à
plomb” (fig. 120)
mentioned in the
ENCYCLOPÉDIE
OF DIDEROT ET
D’ALEMBERT
Paris 1751-1772
More about the history of chalk lines from the
beginning in China and Japan up to now you can
read in my WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 200811 “CHALK LINES, SNAP LINES,
SUMITSUBO” on my website on page
“DOWLOAD PUBLICATIONS”. Direct link to
this page:
http://www.plumbbobcollectors.info//41328.html
At the other
picture we can
see very clear
the use of the
plumb bob by
two workers
verifying the
verticality of
the wallpaper
(fig. 57 right)
In the figure
left we can see
the plumb bob
lying at the
table.
The use as a chalk line (snap line) is shown here:
[email protected]
- 99 -
5. WALLPAPERERS PLUMB BOBS
FROM DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES
The GERMAN wallpaperers and wall tile
setters used small cylindrical plumb bobs
from brass or black painted iron with a
loop/eye or with a horizontal hole in the cap
as shown below.
Remark: Maler-Senklote means
wallpaperers plumb bobs for painters;
Messing=brass
WICK
1925
About the very special wooden plumb bobs in the
U.S.A. I wrote already in my WOLF’S PLUMB
BOB NEWS 2012-03 “WOODEN PLUMB
BOBS”: Wallpapering PLUMB BOBS
In the U.S.A. there are two special bobs for
wallpaper hangers or tile setters. One of them is
made of a flat iron sheet, so that it lies close to the
wall and you can mark the position along the line
without offset.
The second plumb bob is
made of WOOD, but is
shaped like a plumb bob cut
in half. It is the only
wooden plumb bob - that I
know - made for workers.
Here, the hole for the cord is positioned so that it
still hangs exactly vertical. Purpose is that there is
no damage to the tiles or papers by the material
(wood), if it strikes to the wall or falls down
accidently. Secondly the cord is close to the wall.
You can draw an accurate marker along the line.
My friend Bruce Cynar already mentioned it 1991
in his famous “THE PLUMB LINE” on page 11.
(see fig. below)
The complete “THE PLUMB LINE continuum”
3
you can download on my website
3
www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page THE PLUMB LINE
CONTINUUM
[email protected]
- 100 -
A combination tool
plumb bob / chalk line
was produced (and
patented) by RIDGELY;
USA. More see my
PATENT NEWS 200722.
DIRECT LINK to the
page “PATENTS OF
PLUMB BOBS” is:
http://www.plumbbobcol
lectors.info//42041.html
Another plumb bob from Ridgely (catalog # 37
Springfield Ohio p 35) and chalk lines from p 36
(see fig. below)
Flat wallpaper plumb bob (see fig. above)
Ridgely was very famous for their paperhanger’s
tool and their catalogs.
[email protected]
- 101 -
In my collection I have
also a RIDGLEY
TRIMMER patented
1885
Last but not least from
America here comes a
patented flat plumb bob
for paper hangers
already described in my
PATENT NEWS 200719 Patent
US3,866,329 WEST
/ Stanley 1975
STANLEY produced 1975 in the U.S.A. for a
short time (later in ENGLAND) the following flat
plumb bob that looks similar to the French ones,
but it is more useful (horizontal AND vertical use)
and it is patented. On Ebay the US-version was
sold for 204$.
The English version you can get much cheaper. 
In the catalogues you find it as STANLEY 47-173.
Use is HORIZONTAL and VERTICAL
A complete “tool box” with all the tools
(unfortunately not from my collection) 
The “ASTRUP” was
sold on Ebay for
$ 47.00
(fig. left)
Offered on Ebay: Shop
project wallpaper plumb
bob from wood: (fig.
right)
[email protected]
- 102 -
Also designed for the use by wallpaperers is
the patented plumb bob from LEE VALLEY
/ VERITAS IN CANADA described in my
PATENT NEWS 2007-39:
Design patent US 393,219 1989 and patent
US 5,974,676 1999 (figures. below)
In ENGLAND I found a special plumb bob sold
by PLASPLUGS
Please let me know when you have more samples.
[email protected]
- 103 -
Who knows about using the plumb bob in this
crooked house in Zoppot; Poland?
7. REMARKS
[email protected]
- 104 -
Issue 10
October 1, 2012
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS
Wolf
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS
Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 105
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS FROM COLLECTORS ............................................................................. 107
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS IN MUSEUMS.......................................................................................... 109
USE OF THE PLUMB BOBS ........................................................................................................... 111
OTHER SHAPES OF ROMAN TOOLS ........................................................................................... 113
REPRODUCTION OF A ROMAN PLUMB BOB ............................................................................ 115
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT ................................................................................................... 118
REMARKS ....................................................................................................................................... 118
1. INTRODUCTION
On Ebay and in shops different items are offered often
as “ROMAN PLUMB BOBS”.
We find
• real plumb bobs
and other tools / pieces like
• loom weights
• sling bullets
• weights
• others
I will try to explain the differences.
The material is copper (bronze), lead, stone (clay,
terracotta).
Sure you can use as a plumb bob every piece/weight
that hangs on a string, but a “born plumb bob” has a
special shape (with or without a tip) and a hole in the
top to fix the line. Some sellers only will make money
and so they sell simple weights as plumb bobs. It is not
easy to decide if it is a real plumb bob or was used as a
plumb bob.
Unfortunately we can’t ask the tools  .
That would be great 
[email protected]
- 105 -
From an original French
drawing (unknown source) in
my collection that is marked
“ANTIQUITÈS No. 15“ here
some shapes of antiques Plumb
Bobs or Plumb Level.
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-10 ROMAN PLUMB BOBS
We can find Roman plumb bobs all over Europe: From England to Spain, Bulgaria and Turkey. In the east also in
the Iraqi and Israel. Also in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea we should find Roman bobs.
When we compare the map above (Roman Empire) with the map of the Ottoman Empire (below) with the
Ottoman plumb bobs (see WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2009-08 Ottoman plumb bobs) then we see a lot of
identical countries. It would be interesting to find out the evolution of the plumb bob shapes there.
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
16/17TH CENTURY
[email protected]
- 106 -
2. ROMAN PLUMB BOBS FROM
COLLECTORS
On the next pages some pictures of original
Roman Plumb Bobs that I got from Fellow
Collectors:
FROM MY COLLECTION:
• BRASS / BRONZE
• 50 x 50 mm
• Found in Hungary
• 350 gr
FROM THE COLLECTION OF GSCH
BRONZE
273 gr
•
•
•
•
LEAD
52 x 42 mm
Found in Hungary
580 gr
[email protected]
BRONZE
35 x 29 mm
116 gr
- 107 -
FROM THE COLLECTION OF DB
FROM THE COLLECTION OF ND
FROM THE COLLECTION OF HTSCH
All these plumb bobs are from BRONZE and have
a nice, but different PATINA.
[email protected]
- 108 -
3. ROMAN PLUMB BOBS IN
MUSEUMS
In some MUSEUMS are Roman Plumb Bobs
displayed:
RÖMISCH-GERMANISCHES MUSEUM,
COLOGNE, GERMANY
REPRODUCTION .
LIMESMUSEUM,
AALEN, GERMANY
The Limes Museum is
located on what was
formerly the largest
Roman fort north of
the Alps. The fact that
the ancient Roman
Limes is now a
UNESCO World
Heritage Site gives this
Roman Museum (the
largest in Germany),
an important
distinction.
NAPOLI, ITALY
[email protected]
- 109 -
SEVILLA
Archaeological Museum
BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON
[email protected]
- 110 -
4. USE OF THE PLUMB BOBS
The plumb bobs were used as a single tool by
masons and carpenters or
in an instrument (like the GROMA or
CHOROBATE) by the surveyors:
A reproduction in the museum in Eichstädt,
Germany:
The GROMA consisted of a vertical iron staff
(ferramentum) about 5 feet long, pointed at the
lower end, and with a cross arm, 10 inches long,
pivoted at the top, which supported the main
aligning element - the revolving "stelleta" (star)
with arms about 3-1/2 feet across: The two main
roads at right angles in a Roman encampment
were located by sighting beside the two plumb
lines suspended from the end of the cross arms to
coincide with the central plumb line over the
selected central point. Areas of fields were
measured by settling out two right-angled lines,
joining their extremities by straight lines and
finding the perpendicular offsets from these to the
irregular sides.
[email protected]
- 111 -
The CHOROBATES is described as a rod 20 feet
long with duplicate legs attached perpendicularly
at each end. Diagonal pieces connect the rod and
the legs, and both diagonal members have vertical
lines scriven into them, over which plumb bobs
are hung. When the instrument is in position, and
the plumb-lines strike both the scribe-lines alike,
they show the instrument is level. If the wind
interferes with the plumb lines, the water level at
the top of the horizontal piece is used. Vitruvius
instructs that the water level groove was to be
"five feet long, one digit wide, and a digit and a
half deep". By using two or more chorobates,
established levelly, the vertical distance between
instruments could be established by sighting along
the depth of the uphill instrument, to a rod placed
atop the lower chorobate.
[email protected]
- 112 -
CHOROBAT REPRODUCTION in the
DEUTSCHES BERGBAUMUSEUM (
MINING MUSEUM) BOCHUM, GERMANY
5. OTHER SHAPES OF ROMAN
TOOLS
Often I am asked by collectors about this shape: It
is a LOOM WEIGHT
Drawings from Egypt
(unknown source) with
LOOM WEIGHTS
For weaving loom weights were used to hold the
thread tight. The loom weights are made of
TERRACOTTA, CLAY or LEAD.
They have a horizontal hole in the top to fix them
on the thread or a rod.
The shape often is
pyramidal. These
WEIGHTS are
fixed on a single
thread or on the
horizontal rod.
[email protected]
- 113 -
SLING BULLETS
WEIGHTS FOR A SCALE
These bullets (different shapes) used in a sling
(weapon) by hand are made from CLAY /
TERRACOTTA OR LEAD
They have NO HOLE!
Picture from MUSEUM EICHSTÄTT, GER
For the so called Roman Scale, a weight was used:
SPINNING TOOLS
For manual spinning a special
shape with a big vertical hole
in the middle which is used to
put the wooden spindle in (to
make it heavier).
Picture right from museum
Eichstädt, GER.
Roman Scale with the head of Bacchus as a
weight:
Photo: Museum Thurnfels, Völs, Tirol, Austria.
From my collection: spinning
tools from lead.
[email protected]
- 114 -
6. REPRODUCTION OF A ROMAN
This is the complete “FOUNDRY“ with all the
equipment:
PLUMB BOB
Two years ago I met in a museum nearby an artist
who sold reproductions of Roman artifacts.
I asked him if he could make me some Roman
Plumb Bobs, when I give him a model.
His answer: No problem for me.
Here comes the story:
This is the flyer of this group.
The mould with the model. Upper and lower part.
Special casting sand was used.
Ulich Biber made me a wooden (African
blackwood) model on his lathe in the shape of a
plumb bob that we saw during our meeting in Oct.
2010 in Cologne, Germany.
[email protected]
- 115 -
Casting of the molten Bronze
Two moulds ready with a sprue.
Opened after one hour of cool down time.
Brass + special chemicals heated to 1000 +
degrees Celsius in a graphite crucible and poured
into the mould.
Taking off the casting sand.
[email protected]
- 116 -
Drilled with a horizontal and vertical hole.
Brushed and polished
Looks not already like a real plumb bob 
READY!
HEIGHT:
56 mm / 2 1/6 in
DIAMETER: 60 mm / 2 1/4 in
WEIGHT:
370 gr / 12 oz
After one year hanging in my garden it began to
get a patina.
Different states of the product.
[email protected]
- 117 -
DO YOU KNOW THE LONGEST PLUMB
LINE OF THE WORLD?
Here it is in the 1907 ad of the SEABOARD AIR
LINE RAILWAY, NY U.S.A.
DO YOU KNOW ANY PLUMB BOB
COLLECTOR LIVING NEAR THIS “PLUMB
LINE”?
One of our Fellow Collectors, my friend Greg lives
10 miles beside this “plumb line”!
In his first answer he thought living directly beside
the “plumb line railway”
He wrote me:
The American Tobacco Trail, a former railway spur
converted to a 30 mile trail for bikers is located
behind our house-look it up on Google Earth at 446
Rosemont Drive, Durham, North Carolina!
But later he made a correction:
However, after a closer look The American Tobacco
Trail behind our house (formerly a railroad spur
solely used to transport tobacco for the Duke
family's cigarette empire, between 1880-1930, at
that time period, the largest tobacco manufacturer
in the world), we discovered that it is a railroad
spur that unfortunately did not quite intersect the
Seaboard Plumb Bob Line-it goes directly south, but
does not travel all the way to Hamlet, North
Carolina, where it would have connected to the
Seaboard Coast Railway. It ends just before Sanford,
North Carolina, about 20 miles north of Hamlet,
North Carolina, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
station where my mom worked for over 10 years
and uncle worked for over 40 years.
I remember my Uncle Burgoone bringing back
HUGE bags of fresh Florida oranges on his frequent
trips sown south on the Plumb Bob Line. Everyone
called it the Plumb Bob Line, but the reason for the
name never "clicked" with me, until your comments
a couple of weeks ago!
Greg, thank you for this story!
8. REMARKS
This is an article of the monthly published WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS
that is sent on demand as PDF-file attachment by email. FREE.
You can see all former publications on the web site
www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page “download publications”.
[email protected]
- 118 -
Issue 11
November 1, 2012
COLLECTORS MEETING in ATHENS
Wolf
4 th INTERNATIONAL PLUMB BOB COLLECTOR’S MEETING IN ATHENS, GREECE
Content
1.
INTRODUCTION/REVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 120
2.
PROGRAM ..................................................................................................................................................... 121
3.
PRESENTS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS .......................................................................................................... 122
4.
PRESENTATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 124
5.
NEXT MEETING............................................................................................................................................. 131
6.
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT ................................................................................................................... 132
7.
REMARKS ...................................................................................................................................................... 132
[email protected]
- 119 -
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-11 ATHENS
1. INTRODUCTION/REVIEW
Since 2006 some plumb bob collectors meet every two
years in a European city to change information and talk
about plumb bobs. The first time Dogan Basak
organized the meeting in ISTANBUL, Turkey. It was a
COLOGNE, Germany was the city in Oct 2010. We
visited the cathedral and the very famous plane
museum of Gerhard Schmitz in Langenfeld.
big success for us and we decided to do it again two
years later.
We choose the Antique Tool Market that was every
Mai 1st organized by the “ FRIENDS OF TOOLS”
„Les amis de l‘Outil“ LADO in Bièvres near Paris,
France as base for the meeting in 2008. A video of the
1
tool market you can see on
1
This year we flew to ATHENS, GREECE
for our 4th International Meeting to use the last hot
days of this summer for a very interesting weekend.
http://www.lesamisdeloutil.net
[email protected]
- 120 -
We stayed in the Hilton hotel. It was not more
expensive than the other hotels and we could be
together.
Photo below shows the view from our room at
night and day: direct view to the Acropolis.
Phantastic!
2. PROGRAM
Unfortunately this time some friends from
Canada, Guatemala, Spain and France could not
participate. But there will be a chance in two years
again.
The program was as follows:
Friday Oct. 5, 2012
Arrival (some of us arrived already earlier)
In the evening COLLECTORS DINNER
Saturday Oct. 6, 2012 Visit of the Acropolis with
a special guide
Visit of the Acropolis museum
In the afternoon presentations by collectors in a
small museum
Evening in the downtown
Sunday Oct. 7, 2012 visit of some museums or
the antique market and departure back home
Below the official photo of the group.
[email protected]
- 121 -
3. PRESENTS FOR THE
PARTICIPANTS
Each participant got two presents: One A-LEVEL
of Plexiglas and a reference book about the
Acropolis especially the Parthenon.
Let Elias tell the story about the A-level:
“Back in 2010, when it was announced that
participants of the Cologne meeting voted to hold
their next meeting in Athens, I started thinking
about creating a commemorative present for this
event. I decided that an A-LEVEL would be
appropriate because it combines a plumb bob and
the letter A, which is the initial of Athens or
ΑΘΗΝΑ, as it is called in Greek.
Having worked in the Model Workshop at the
School of Architecture in Athens, I knew the
capabilities of the laser cutter. Therefore it was
easy for me to design and create a preliminary
model of the level in Plexiglas, cut and etched by
accurately the hole on the top. As shown in the
picture, a special jig (see fig. below) was made to
hold the A under a column drilling machine. The
result is pretty accurate, so the A-level can also be
used to check horizontality. Only twenty pieces
were cut. The final assembly was made on
Thursday night
(4/10)
when
Wolf
brought
with him twenty
brass
plumbbobs
packed
carefully in a
black
velvet
pouch.
The
assembled
A-levels
were
distributed
to
participants and
people
who
helped organize
the
Athens
Meeting.
laser. First, I asked Wolf to provide details about
the design of A-levels. I decided to choose a 60
degrees top angle, instead of the more common
right angle, because the shape looked more like
the letter A and there would be less material waste
by positioning the A’s as shown in the drawing.
The A-Level is
functional and
can be used as a
measuring
instrument.
As I could not find a suitable small sized plumb
bob in Greece I contacted Wolf who made a
search in the German market. It is his part of the
story to describe how he spotted the right sized
plumb bobs. (WOLF: Since it was not possible to
find the quantity and size of the plumb bob on the
market, I asked the factory Gampper to help us. A
worker produced in a special shift on Friday
evening the full working plumb bobs for this
instrument. Many thanks for this help!)
But also on the
office desk it
looks nice and is
a good conversation tool
The A-levels were laser cut in 10 mm Plexiglas in
September 2012. The tricky part was to drill
[email protected]
- 122 -
Fig. below:
Elias with the A-level in the lobby of the hotel.
The reference book THE PARTHENON,
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSERVATION (see
figures right) was published for an exhibition in
Osaka, Japan in 1996, edited by M. Korres, G. A.
Panetsos and T. Seki.
Let me copy some sentences from this book: ”The
Parthenon; the masterpiece of Classical art; was
successor to a series of other temples that stood
on the same site from at least the beginning of the
6th to the 8th c. BC …The Parthenon was built in a
very short period of time between the years 447
and438 BC. A further five years were needed to
place sculptures in position on the pediments. The
work was financed by public money deriving from
a variety of sources, the most important of which
were the silver mines at Laurion.”
Most of the drawings in this book are from Prof.
Manolis Korres. (see next chapter)
Friday evening we had our traditional
COLLECTORS DINNER in a small restaurant
near the hotel. We had a lot to talk about the last
two years. It is a difference to talk together face to
face than sending emails or using the www.
[email protected]
- 123 -
4. PRESENTATIONS
AT THE ACROPOLIS
Hundreds of visitors from a cruise ship
Classification of the
pillars contact area into three zones
The Saturday started very early for us at 8 a clock
(and ended very late. ). Together we went by
metro to the Acropolis. There, we met with
several hundred tourists from a cruise ship who
also wanted to visit the Acropolis. See fig. right.
We received from Professor Manolis Korres, who
was several decades involved in the restoration of
the Parthenon temple four hours a very profound
and interesting introduction to the details of the
history of the Parthenon temple in its various
phases. From the planning through procurement of
the stones from special quarries nearby up to the
destruction by explosion.
Excellent explanation of the procedure
I will not repeat all the explanations, and so I
propose that you should google for “Prof. Manolis
Korres” or search in Wikipedia for more
information about the work of Prof. Korres and
the Parthenon. I had the impression that he knows
the history of every single stone over there.
After several hours of strenuous climbing under
the still very strong Athenian sun we “rescued” us
into the cool Parthenon Museum, to look at the
exhibited artefacts.
In the heat a shady place was needed.
A-level, chalk line and dividers
The statements were checked
[email protected]
from book: Korres, Manolis: From Pentelicon to the Parthenon
Melissa Publishing House, Athens, 2001.
- 124 -
Detail of the roof of the Parthenon
Prof. Korres gets his A-LEVEL
Theater
Overview of the Acropolis with Parthenon
Everywhere restoration. Even with cranes.
Prof. Korres tells us engaged the displacement
in perspective view from the entrance to the
stairs of the Acropolis
[email protected]
Prof. Korres shows the accuracy in the
preparation of the great columns parts
- 125 -
Walking together through the narrow streets of
downtown we arrived in the afternoon the
MUSEUM OF GREEK FOLK ART “MAN &
TOOLS” in 22 Panos street. Here we got the
chance (after the opening hours) to use a room for
our presentations.
While Elias with his daughter Maria and his son
Makis installed the technic for the presentation
(see figure right), we visited the exhibition.
This exhibition aims to:
 Discuss the various uses of the objects, as
well as the real and symbolic meanings of the
objects in the collection.
 highlight aspects of labour in the preindustrial world
 endorse the rituals and traditions associated
with man and his work
 discuss the relation between the recent past
and the present through the displays of about
300 collected objects
Below some photos of plumb bobs in the rooms.
REMARK
The presentations below you can see and
download completely soon on my web site
PRESENTATIONS
in the museum
WOLF RUECKER:
REVIEW TO THE
LAST MEETINGS
See first page of this
report.
WOLFGANG
RÜCKER:
IN MEMORIAM NELSON DENNY †
and JEAN-PAUL MICHEL †
[email protected]
- 126 -
ULRICH BIBER and WOLF RUECKER
gave to the participants a
COLLECTOR’S CALENDAR FOR EVERY YEAR
“PLUMB BOBS IN THE ART”
(You will not see this calendar on my web site.)
Here are some pictures of the calendar to get an
idea of it.
Here is an art work of the artist ANTONIA LOW;
living in Berlin, Germany.
The plumb bobs are from my collection .
PER GRAVITATION, 2010
Galerie Morgen, Berlin
Material: light tracks, plumb bobs, thread, spot
lights
Size: 4.10 x 8 x 6 meter
Light tracks are partly screwed off the ceiling and
lean down into the space. Hanging plump bobs
mark the particular position of the four former
outer screw holes in each of the hanging light
tracks.
[email protected]
Icon of St. Joseph with Jesus from the
Archaeological Museum in Varna, Bulgaria with
spool and triangle Ottoman plumb bob. Ca. 1850
- 127 -
RICCARDO CHETONI presented his NEW
book about FRENCH PLUMB BOBS.
This new book he will not sell as a paper copy, but
printed on a CD. The costs for printing a book in
high quality with so much colour pictures are too
high.
It will have 265 pages (126) with 800 photos
(300).
The text will be in Italian, French and for the first
time in ENGLISH.
Why a new edition after 4 years only?
• a lot of new plumb bobs
• many new catalogues
• revision of the classification
• new plumb bob families
[email protected]
- 128 -
DOGAN BASAK talked about
THE PLUMB BOB IN NUMISMATICS AND PHILATELY:
Related to:
 The French Revolution
 Free Masonry
 Surveying instruments
 As an esoteric symbol
 Architecture
[email protected]
- 129 -
ELIAS ZACHAROPOULOS
showed us photos of
TOMBSTONES WITH TOOLS
OF ARCHITECTS AND
MASTER MASONS of the
18th and 19th century from
Greece and Turkey.
The pictures are from
Christian
graves,
churches, private houses
and memory plates.
Topics to be briefly presented:


the guild architect (the kalfa)
the symbolisms of
 the (folding) rule
 the suspension level
 the Anatolian plumb bob
 the dividers
•
[email protected]
- 130 -
Finally I explained the difference between
ROMAN PLUMB BOBS and other tools looking
like plumb bobs. i.e.
• sling bullets
• loom weights
• scale weights
• others
This presentation you already know as WOLF’S
PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-10 ROMAN PLUMB
BOBS
After this long and hard day we had a dinner
together in the downtown. On Sunday, a flea
market, or museums were visited, until we
returned back to our cold homes.
Although it was hot and tiring, it has pleased each
of us, as I could see from the feedbacks.
TO ALL PARTICIPANTS:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
5. NEXT MEETING
About the location of the next meeting, we found
no agreement. My suggestion was a meeting with
fellow collectors from one of the two American
collectors clubs EAIA or MWTCA on the east
coast of the United States. This was too expensive
for most of us. Maybe I'll try to find in America a
local collector to organize a meeting there.
(Are YOU this one?)
For the European collectors we will continue with
the two years rhythm in a big European city. We
discuss about Pisa, Italy, or a town in England or
Spain, but there is no hurry.
[email protected]
- 131 -
CHRISTMAS TIME is coming
soon.
I already saw a very special
CANDLE HOLDER working like
a plumb bob.
This tool holds the candle
straight and vertical. So it can
burn without any problems.
Very nice idea!
Left: candle holder in action
middle: its function
right: two different candle holders (old and new)
Unfortunately candles from wax are no longer used, but LED lamps from China 
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
7. REMARKS
The presentations of Wolf, Elias, Dogan and Riccardo you can download on
my website www.plumbbobcollectors.info on page “collectors meetings”
subpage “4th meeting 2012 ATHENS”
direct link http://www.plumbbobcollectors.info/95343/174401.html
You can see all former publications on the web site
Enjoy it
Wolf
[email protected]
- 132 -
Issue 12
December 1, 2012
Wolf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................ 133
ANTONIA LOW – per gravitation ................................................................................................................ 134
RICK ALEXANDER - dragonflies ................................................................................................................. 135
JOHN WITTERSHEIM ................................................................................................................................... 136
TED METZ ..................................................................................................................................................... 137
HANS-PETER LUEBKE .................................................................................................................................. 138
CRAIG KOSAK ............................................................................................................................................... 139
LARRY KIRKLAND DENVER CITY CENTER, ................................................................................................. 141
BJOERN BORGMANN „Alles im Lot” “Everything is plumb” ........................................................................ 142
PETER TILL ................................................................................................................................................... 143
PIXMAN ......................................................................................................................................................... 144
LINKS TO OTHER WEB SITES WITH PLUMB BOB ARTEFACTS ............................................................... 144
MEMBERS OF THE PLUMB BOB FAMILY..................................................................................................... 147
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT ................................................................................................................... 148
REMARKS ...................................................................................................................................................... 148
1. INTRODUCTION
In all former newsletters I talked more or less
about the technical view of the plumb bobs:











patents,
fabrication (Gampper, Leistner …),
parts of the plumb bob (top, body, tip, line, line
shortener …),
material (lead, brass, iron, wood, ebony…)
shape, (plumb bobs of the world, the relatives of
the plumb bob …)
catalogues, books, newspapers …
use in measuring instruments (inclinometer, Alevel …)
types in the different countries (England, USA,
Italy, Germany, Turkey, Spain, Roman, Egypt,
China, the Netherlands ….)
use (mason, surveyor, borehole, golf, dams,
architect …)
displaying (museum, vitrine, showroom, exhibition,
boxes …)
, use etc.
This time I am answering a question of one of the
readers of this NEWSLETTER: “Could you please
write something about the artists, who use plumb
bobs in their artworks?“
[email protected]
- 133 -
To avoid problems with the copyright by publishing
photos of these artworks, I asked some of the artists to
give me the permission to use the photos here and on
my web site and also to explain why they especially
used PLUMB BOBS in their artworks.
This was a very nice and interesting change of emails
with the artists, who were very cooperative. Thanks to
all helpers who sent me information.
For some of the pictures shown by companies I bought
the copyright for a very low price to avoid
complication after publishing it on my web site.
At the end of this newsletter you will also find a
chapter with LINKS to other web sites with artworks
related to plumb bobs. With these artists I had no
contact for different reasons. Some parts of this
newsletter are copied from the www, but with the
references. There you can read more details about it if
you want.
I hope you will enjoy this other point of view and use
of the plumb bob.
IF YOU – THE READER – KNOW OF ANY OTHER
ARTIST, ARTWORK OR PICTURE WITH PLUMB
BOBS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
REMARK: Please use the LINKS in this newsletter to
visit the web sites of the artists.
WOLF'S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012-12 ARTISTS AND PLUMB BOBS
2. ANTONIA LOW – per gravitation
Exactly two years ago
Antonia Low – born in
Liverpool (UK), who now
lives and works in
BERLIN, Germany –
asked me:
“Hello,
For an exhibition in a
gallery in Berlin I am
searching some plumb
bobs. I am an artist and
plan a sculpture, where plumb bobs are hanging
from the ceiling.
Do you have some nice plumb bobs for me?
Antonia”
Sure I could help her. I found some huge plumb
bobs for this reason turned by a friend, big
enough to recognize them from a distance of 5
meters.
On www.antonialow.com you will find more
information about her other works.
PER GRAVITATION, 2010
Galerie Morgen, Berlin
Material: light tracks, plumb bobs, thread, spot
lights
Measures: 4.10 x 8 x 6 m
Light tracks are partly screwed off the ceiling and
lean down into the space. Hanging plump bobs
mark the particular position of the former outer
screw holes in each of the hanging light tracks.
[email protected]
- 134 -
In "Plumb Bobs and Dragonflies", the use of
plumb bobs was primarily a visual decision.
There is however, some consideration to be given
to attaching wings to something that requires
absolute stillness for
effective
use.
The
contradiction
was
studied and intentional.
However, it is best
taken by the viewer as
whimsical and not as
some sort of profound
statement.
3. RICK ALEXANDER - dragonflies
Rick Alexander
URL: thetalkingman.net
In "Self Portrait", the
plumb bobs are those
things which keep me
grounded in a positive
sense but are less
playful and inventive as
a negative. My work
comes to me through
grinding my way from point A to point B rather
than through some sort of inspired moment of
clarity or reckoning. The process is more
workmanlike than emotional. That gets in the way
a good bit from time to time.
In "Self Portrait", the plumb bobs are the weights
that slow and complicate my personal creative
process.
I would think that's more than a small reason why,
in "Plumb Bobs & Dragonflies", I have attempted
to give them wings.
--rick”
PLUMB BOB DRAGONFLIES

dimensions
o 24"w x 14"h x 7"d
 materials
o medium density fiberboard
o plumb bobs
o printed transparencies & acetate sheeting
o wooden balls
o clear plastic faceted beads
o stainless steel welding rods & aluminum
tubing
o steel hardware cloth
o decorative paper / plain white paper
I asked him to tell us something about his
artworks, especially WHY he used PLUMB
BOBS. Here comes his answer:
“Wolf,
Thank you for your interest in my
work. Please feel free to refer
to or use the website images of
"Plumb Bobs and Dragonflies" as
you see fit. … I no longer have
the piece. It is in a private
collection and is not available
for additional photographs.
I have one other work that uses
plumb bobs
plumb bobs.
http://thetalkingman.net/self_por
trait/index.html. ....
--rick
SELF PORTRAIT
[email protected]
- 135 -
4. JOHN WITTERSHEIM
As I already mentioned in other newsletters,
JOHN D. WITTERSHEIM, Professor of Art
Sienna Heights University produces since many
years artworks with plumb bobs (or plumb bobs as
artworks).
http://www.sienaheights.edu/PreviewNewsAcademics/
tabid/74/NewsArticleID/1633/MajorID/ART/Default.a
spx
Nearly 50 of his artworks you will find on my web site
[email protected]
- 136 -
for the Health South Corporation, "Strata" for the
University of Alabama at Birmingham, and
"Becoming" for the City of Hoover, Alabama.
5. TED METZ
http://www.shelbycomagazine.com/2012/02/arti
st-spotlight-ted-metz/
Artist Spotlight: Ted Metz
by Laurie A. Alfano
… “I started thinking
how the plumb bob is
one of the simplest of
tools, maybe even the
oldest,
yet
is
exceptionally
accurate. It is nothing
more than a weighted
object on a string that
creates
perfect
plumb,” he explained,
adding; “Surveyors
today use them to
mark corners and to
set up transits.”
Metz’s
design,
entitled The Nature of
Building, suspends a 3-foot by 2-foot bronze
plumb bob, which pivots and rotates, on a steel
cord from a deceptively simple looking sixteenfoot, three-panel steel tower, fabricated from
6,000 pounds of steel. Impressed into the plumb
bob are hand prints, unidentified, belonging to
movers and shakers of the civic community—the
mayor of Hoover, Gary Ivey; director of Aldridge
Gardens, Rip Weaver; and Eddie and Kay
Aldridge—making a permanent record of hands
who made the sculpture possible. …
A BIO OF TED METZ on
http://www.montevallo.edu/art/tedmetz.shtm
Born in Ohio, Ted Metz received his BFA from
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia and
the MFA in sculpture from the University of
South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. He
joined the faculty at the University of Montevallo
in 1973 where he continues to teach. During his
tenure at the University, Ted has received many
teaching awards including: University Scholar,
Distinguished Teacher of the Year, Outstanding
Commitment to Teaching, and Alabama Professor
of the Year, a national award presented by the
Carnegie Foundation.
MORE YOU CAN READ ON THE WEB SITE OF THE
SELBYCO MAGAZINE
Creatively, Metz has been successful in exhibiting
his sculpture in more than 100 exhibitions,
including those in Venice and Cortona, Italy, and
the National Gallery, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C. He has been recognized and has
received a grant from the National Endowment for
the Arts and has been awarded the Visual Arts
Fellowship from the State of Alabama. He
continues to be a productive sculptor producing
smaller indoor works while also pursuing
opportunities for large public commissioned work.
Metz's public sculptures include "Becoming" for
the University of Montevallo, "Diagnostic Image"
[email protected]
- 137 -
lightness and sensitivity of the material and its
appearance characterize these objects.
6. HANS-PETER LUEBKE
http://www.hans-peter-luebke.de/
1960 born in Windhoek, Namiba
1980 baccalaureate Butzbach, Hesse, Germany
1981-1982 Peace service in Israel
1987-1992 Study for special pedagogy in Heidelberg
since 2010 art teacher for hearing impaired.
Ateliers im Alten Schlachthof, Sigmaringen, Germany
Focus of his artistic work are
engravings and objects.
The latter, formed from the
flexible materials paper and
cardboard effect, in their
appearance voluminous and
heavy. By the treatment with
asphalt paint which is normally
used to cover etching plates, they
get the idea of metal or wood.
This
contradiction
between
[email protected]
PLUMB BOB
Diameter: 140 cm,
Hight: 180 cm
Material: cardboard, handmade paper
(Büttenpapier), wood glue, bitumen (asphalt)
Sold to the city of Sigmaringen, Germany.
- 138 -
http://www.southwestart.com/featured/kosak-cmar2012
7. CRAIG KOSAK
Craig Kosak | Following Raven
Greetings Wolfgang.
By Rosemary Carstens
Thank you for your
message and for your
interest in my work. You
are welcome to feature it
in your newsletter and
you can find additional
images on my web site at
www.craigkosak.com
Merlin, oil, 40 x 26.
It all began on
a day hike near
Jackson Lake
in Grand Teton
National Park.
Craig Kosak
was ambling
along a trail in
the sunshine,
soaking up the
park’s dramatic
natural beauty,
when
two
ravens joined
him.
Thank you.
Craig
About Craig Kosak
http://www.craigkosak.com/index.html
Artist’s Statement
"Inspired by the wildlife and landscapes I
encounter while travelling I return to my studio
with insights about the natural world and about the
human condition," says artist Craig Kosak.
"Rather than faithfully documenting the flora and
fauna, I strive to capture the feeling and emotions
these trips provide. Each trip consists of both a
journey through the outer world, and an inner
journey of self discovery. These paintings are
about both worlds and how they relate.
"Richly textured and developed using many layers
of alternately opaque and translucent paint, strong
graphic composition and bold colors combine to
set the stage for realistically rendered animals,
objects and landscapes. The subjects are integrated
with abstract elements and expressive brushwork
representative of the inner emotive world. I
continue working until balance between both
worlds is achieved and the painting comes alive.
"Stylistically, my work is grounded in realism,
inspired primarily by the iconic images of painter
N.C. Wyeth. I am, of course, painting about
today’s world and the modern paint handling of
contemporary artists John Nieto and Nathan
Oliveira have had significant influence in this
regard."
[email protected]
- 139 -
Darting overhead from tree to tree, they
squawked, dropped pinecones on him, and
aggressively demanded his attention. “They were
basically saying, ‘Look at us! We’re trying to tell
you something!’” he says. That encounter
provided the first spark of inspiration for the
direction Kosak’s artwork would take. Later,
while at Yellowstone National Park, he attended a
ranger presentation about myth and legend that
ignited the concept to full blaze. The artist realized
that mythology and legends help us understand
ourselves, see how we fit into the universe at
large, and, importantly, how we bond with other
living creatures who share our planet.
Kosak’s paintings feature wildlife he has
connected with on his travels, primarily ravens,
bison, wolves, and horses. “Bison found me in
Yellowstone,” he says, “wolves in the California
Sequoias, and horses in the hills of New Mexico.”
THE RAVENS ARE A SERIE OF 4 WORKS
(see figures right)
The first agreement
The second agreement
The third agreement
The fourth agreement
[email protected]
- 140 -
8. LARRY KIRKLAND DENVER CITY
CENTER,
http://www.larrykirkland.com/wellington-e-webbbuilding.html
The Studio of Larry Kirkland
5721 Utah Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
Denver Civic Center, Denver, Colorado
attributes of the location both locally and how the
location relates to the rest of the world.
Entering the building past these artworks brings
you into the grand atrium of the building. Past
security you will find yourself standing on a map
of the Civic Center Plaza with the new Webb
Building paced among its new cultural partner
buildings. The map also shows the Denver “grid
shift” reminding us of the growth of the City and
its struggle to gain autonomy from the now
abandoned concept of the City of Auraria.
Looking up from this map, you find yourself
under the giant plumb bob and surveyor’s target.
The Plumb bob is 20 feet tall and made out of gold
leafed rings.
[The JANUS HEAD monument is also known as
"PLUMB BOB BRAIN".]
Artist, Larry Kirkland, was hired to create
artworks that inform and mark this special
location in the building. Working with the concept
that this building would now mark the very center
of City activities, he started with the image of the
“plumb bob.” A plumb bob is the very first tool
that is used in the building process. A surveyor
uses a plumb bob to locate a reference point that
is used to lay out an entire building project. A
plumb bob is also used to find if something is
“plumb” or “True” meaning straight up and down.
This concept informed the entire creative process
for his project.
On the corner of 14th and Colfax you will find
two Carrara marble heads that come together in
the middle to expose a gold plumb bob. These
Janus heads look to the future and to the past and
hope to be centered on truth and wisdom. They
physically sit on an array of visual symbols,
sandblasted into the granite plaza, that describe
[email protected]
- 141 -
Vita
1966 born in Wuppertal, Germany
1986 – 1988 studied at the Academy of Fine Arts
Düsseldorf, Germany under Tony Cragg
1988 – 1989 Training to color lithography in
Düsseldorf
Since 1989 own atelier in Wuppertal
9. BJOERN BORGMANN „Alles im
Lot” “Everything is plumb”
Björn Borgmann is an artist from Wuppertal,
Germany. More about his vita you can read on:
http://www.bjoernborgmann.com/vita/
Björn Borgmann with his installation „Alles im
Lot“ (Everything is plumb) in the old forge in
Oetelshofen, Germany
5 feet high, made from old table tops and cabinet
plates
Now the GIANT PLUMMET is displayed in the
limestone quarry Oetelshofen in Wuppertal,
Germany from where I also got the image below.
Thank you.
http://www.oetelshofen.de/
[email protected]
- 142 -
10. PETER TILL
http://www.gettyimages.de/detail/illu
stration/men-measuring-headgrafiken/10094820
TITLE:
MEN MEASURING HEAD
Peter Till
Unfortunately no information
about the artist 
The artwork LOOKS LIKE A
MODERN COPY of the Sphinx
drawing by Dominique Vivant
Denon around 1800 “View of the
Sphinx, near Cairo, Egypt ” (figure
below)
[email protected]
- 143 -
11. PIXMAN
No information about this artwork and don’t know
if the name is correct or a synonym.
TITLE: Hanging plumb bobs with international
currency.
12. LINKS TO OTHER WEB SITES
WITH PLUMB BOB ARTEFACTS
From the following artworks I could not put in a
photo, because I had no contact to the artist for
different reasons and could not get the okay for
the publication.  Click on the link to visit the
site.
1)
Found on:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/3909016366/
Untitled, 2009, by Type A, Chelsea Art Galleries
Openings / 20090910.10D.53384.P1.SQ.BW /
SML (NO PICTURE HERE: copyrighted)
Plumb-bobs and thread
Variable dimensions, site specific
Remark WR: the 2000 used plumb
bobs are common six sided (can’t
roll) steel plumb bobs like this one:
“Goff + Rosenthal is pleased to
present an exhibition of new works
entitled Ruled by the New York-based
artist duo Type A. Type A is made up
of Adam Ames and Andrew Bordwin.
This is their first exhibition in New
York City since 2004.
The entire space in the front gallery is
taken over by a single installation
consisting of approximately 2000
plumb bobs—a reference tool used for millennia
by surveyors, masons and builders that indicates a
perfect vertical line pointing to the center of the
earth. The objects themselves are pointed, sharp,
and made of solid metal, both phallic and weaponlike. However, when they are installed, these
objects have a slight and fragile simplicity that is
uncharacteristic of their singular purpose as a
reference tool. For the artists, they “determine the
viewer’s path and present a staccato of lines that
is both lyrical and dictatorial. They are as much a
source of anxiety as beauty.” Used as a drawing
device, the plumb bob becomes a simple pendulum
that can illustrate the direction and, to a certain
extent, the velocity with which the bobs were
released. The character of the line shows a
relationship between the plumb bob’s/pendulum’s
displacement and its tendency towards
equilibrium, as well as the irregularities that arise
when the simple motion meets interference. In
essence, each drawing shows the relationship of
the variables that were in effect among the pen,
paper and individual throw of each member of
Type A as he released the plumb bob.”
PAMELA HAMILTON
Unfortunately I could not get contact to the artist
Pamela Hamilton. So I can’t tell you much about
this picture.
The artwork was made in 2005.
[email protected]
- 144 -
At over 6 feet
high
and
almost 2 feet
across
this
sculpture of a
plumb
bob
hangs from its
16 foot high
steel frame in
the sculpture
garden. It is
made of white
portland
cement
and
marble dust
and weighs in
at over 200lbs.
The cement
was
slowly
applied
in
separate coats
over a wire
lathe framework which turned against a steel
template until it achieved the designed profile.
The final coat was smoothed and a clear sealer
was applied.
Concrete footings were poured in the garden and
steel sleeves were set 24" deep. The steel
framework was assembled and set into the
foundation sleeves. The plumb bob was then hung
on the eye bolt with a galvanized steel cable and
hook.
It seems to float, gently spinning when a breeze
comes by and always remains at true vertical.
2) Found on:
http://lauradenhertog.com/blog/34167/plumb-boban-ancient-tool-to-symbolize-mans-ingenuity
Laura den Hertog: Rosemere, Quebec, Canada 450437-3584
Plum Bob, oil on canvas, 10 x 14 (SOLD)
She wrote: ”A Plumb Bob is a weight that is
suspended from a string or plumb-line. It's a tool
that has been used since ancient times and is still
used today. Without this little tool, the pyramids
of Egypt would not have stood the test of time, the
high spires of the world’s great cathedrals might
have been crooked.
The line created by a plumb bob gives us a
perfectly vertical line and so builders all over the
world can be sure that what they create is straight
and vertical. Land surveyors also use this tool and
it has long been used by artists to find the center
of gravity when drawing a figure.
That's a pretty illustrious history for such a simple
tool. So let’s hear it for plumb bobs in the toolboxes
and art kits of people all over the world.
Cheers,
Laura”
3) Found on
http://casagaliano.com/plumb_bob
There you find more pictures from the artists and
their work!
Location: Casa Galiano
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
PLUMB BOB ( FiILO A PIOMBO ) ITALIAN
[email protected]
- 145 -
Rabbits and other animals are metaphors for
human beings, exposing vulnerabilities and
tendencies through the gesture of ears, hands
and bodies. I am fascinated by our relationship
with nature and other creatures. As humans, we
love to go into nature—forgetting that we are
indeed part of the package. We choose which
plants and animals are pests and those whom we
cherish—endowing them with human attributes.
Our interactions with wild things are filled with
contradictory emotions of fear, delight, and our
desire to personify all that we encounter.
4)
ALAN COUNIHAN
http://www.alancounihan.net/elementalexhibition-2011-2/
Ground of Being, Kilkenny Black Limestone,
brass plumb bob.2010
The black limestone, (more famously, if
erroneously, known as Kilkenny Marble),
used for these series of works offered the
possibility of bringing its surfaces to a highly
reflective polish. In the work, Ground of
Being, this provided an opportunity to explore
an inner space within the stone. When viewed
through this inner space, the plumb bob,
instrument of certainty, is broken into
fractals by reflection, and certainty itself into
partial truths.
5)
IN PURSUITE
Kelly Connole
Carleton College
One North College Street
Northfield, Minnesota 55057
Exhibit Oct. 2009 Entitled “Plumb Bobs and
Other Curiosities: Recent Work,”
http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/gallery/inbetween/kelly/
… I
understand
my
surroundings and express
my engagement with the
world through imagery.
Memories, personal interactions, and elements of the
natural world inform my
desire to create narrative pieces. Clay’s tactile
temperament is an ideal vehicle for me to connect
to the earth beneath my feet and the materials in
my hands as ideas take shape in my studio. I
investigate relationships within environments:
natural and constructed, human and animal,
tangible and fleeting.
[email protected]
REMARK:
MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN FIND IN
WOLF’S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2008-02
PLUMB BOBS ON STAMPS, COINS AND AS
MONUMENTS
On page DOWNLOAD PUBLICATIONS, direct
link:
If YOU find an interesting artwork with plumb
bobs, please let me know. Thank you.
- 146 -
13. MEMBERS OF THE PLUMB BOB
FAMILY
Perhaps you remember the December issues of this
newsletter. Some of the members of the “plumb bob
family” are also artists. They created very unique XMAS-CARDS every year. More of these works you
can see on my web site on page X-MAS /
WEIHNACHTEN
with
the
direct
link
When I get YOUR X-MAS-CARD?
[email protected]
- 147 -
CHRISTMAS TIME is coming soon!
http://www.chocolatemoldsmuseum.com/home_en.htm
THE CHOCOLATE MOULDS MUSEUM,
LEMGO, GERMANY offers
Visitors and school groups are invited to
visit the museum only after previous
notification. You have the chance to see
rare and unique antique chocolate
moulds from the last centuries made by
the most famous chocolate moulds
manufacturers at the time, of which
some still exist today. A film showing
the chocolate origins and processing as
well as practical tests with chocolate will
make your visit complete.
…
The Museum’s website offers a range of
products as well as chocolate moulds
and
accessories
not
only
for
confectioners but also for the domestic
use.
They look like an Australian Carter
Tools plumb bob. See figure right.
Welcome to the website of the first
chocolate moulds museum. Situated in
the scenic surroundings near the
Teutoburger forest, the museum is
housed in the restored barn of a cottage
of 1794 – 1864.
15. REMARKS
You can see all former publications on the website
Enjoy it
Wolf
[email protected]
- 148 -

here you can all 12 issues 2012 and the

Transcription

Similar documents

The Plumb Bob as a Symbol

WOLF`S PLUMBOB NEWS 2009 www.plumbbob.de SOME NEW

WALLPAPER PLUMB BOBS

Pg 9

WHAT`S THIS? IS IT A PLUMB BOB? PART I update WHAT`S THIS

WOLF`S PLUMB BOB NEWS 2012

PREACHING - SINGING - PRAYING

PLUMB BOBS OF THE WORLD 20 frequently asked QUESTIONS +