General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

Fixed Compass

Patents

N/A

General Description

A light wooden stock (handle) with a brass ferrule at the end of the stock and inserted into the stock a metal two-pronged head, the prongs have fine sharpened points.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

17.5 cm

Width

2.0 cm

Height

2.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Industrial Technology

Category

Tools & equipment-trades

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Dixon

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Quebec

Period

1900s - 1950s

Canada

Through the Bithell story we see the cohesiveness of Montreal's English-speaking enclaves at the turn of the 20th century. Joseph Bithell's first store was located on Beaver Hall Hill at the outer edge of the "Square Mile," the home of Montreal's Anglophone elite who headed many of Canada's major businesses and institutions. His clientele most likely included many of the area's residents who, as Margaret Westley notes, preferred to “"shop at stores owned and operated by fellow Scots and Englishmen" and who's favourite past time included horse riding, horse driving, polo and frequenting the Montreal Hunt Club. The relocation of their various businesses across the city also reflected this cohesion as they tended to set up their shops in, or in close proximity to, these Anglophone enclaves. The story tells us about Montreal at a time when it was the industrial and commercial centre of Canada and from the perspective of skilled tradesmen who worked in what was quickly becoming a dying trade. The adoption of the automobile redefined personal transportation as its increasing popularity began reducing the need for horses and buggies and, consequently, the need for saddle and harness makers. In this way, the Bithells were part of an important aspect of Canada's economical, social and cultural history. [see ref. #1 Acquisition Proposal for additional info]

Function

The guider is used for marking leather as aguide for the subsequent application of decorative lines by a Crease tool. These designs are frequently made on the back of strap loops; and for this purpose, the Guider is drawn acrosss the loop from left to right, and again lower down if the length of loop requires it. Diagonal lines are then made with a Crease across the rectangular spaces marked off by the Guider. The tool was made in sets with the distance between the points rising by steps of 1/8 (0.4 cm), from 1/4 (0.7 cm) to 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm).

Technical

The collection shows the different tools used and hardware produced by the Bithell family. It also shows the type of diversification or mixture of production methods used to adapt to social and technological change that redefined a trade and an industry. [see supp. info ref.#1 Acquisition proposal for detailed add. info]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Mfr's etched: "5[/]8/ J. DIXON."

Missing

Nothing missing.

Finish

A light wooden stock (handle) with a brass ferrule at the end of the stock and inserted into the stock a metal two-pronged head, the prongs have fine sharpened points.

Decoration

There are multiple etched lines in the middle of the shank.