Amber - lit from below
A large piece of fossilised pine resin, 60 million years old. Although it appears to be as hard as stone, amber can be heated and shaped. This has made it very popular for use in jewellery making from ...
Auger, early 20th century
This taper auger has an ash handle and metal blade. Augers were used to bore large, deep holes in wood. They were used by various craftsmen, such as coopers and shipwrights. This one was used by a wheelright.
Early ...
Bass Recorder, late 17th/early 18th century
This is a bass recorder - a large instrument made of maple, and stained dark brown. The crook, 'fish-tail' key, and mount are of brass. It was probably made by Thomas Stanesby (senior).
late 17th/early ...
Bridge Spike - Roman
Wood and iron spike used to form the structure of a Roman bridge at Bidford on Avon, Warwickshire.
Chair, early 19th century
Child's wooden Windsor chair. Windsor chairs were usually made of several different woods - beech for the 'turned' parts, like the legs; elm for the seat; ash for the bowed back. Buckinghamshire was the ...
Dissected Puzzle
This form of puzzle, now known as a jigsaw, was originally called a dissected puzzle.
The printed picture was applied to a thin sheet of wood, which was then dissected, or cut up, into pieces. It was ...
Double Dead-Fall Mouse Trap
One of the many and varied designs of mouse trap. This 'drop weight' mousetrap is made from elm. The two wooden blocks would be balanced above some bait. When the mice eat the bait, the blocks fall down ...
Egyptian painted wood panel, upper section
This panel, from the tomb of Djed-Khonsu-lues-Ankh, is around 2,500 years old.
Together with the bottom section of the panel, it is a prayer asking for a supply of beer, bread and oxen for use in the ...
Fossil Bark, Sigillaria ovata
Fossil bark, Sigillaria ovata,
Carboniferous Coal Measures (approximately 300 million years old),
Chilvers Coton, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Fossil Fern Frond, Sphenopteris artemesiaefoliodes
Fossil fern frond, Sphenopteris artemesiaefoliodes
Nuneaton
The species name, artemesiaefoliodes, is a bit of a mouthful, but actually describes the plant. Artemesia are a family of plants growing ...
Fossil Ferns, Neuropteris
Delicate fronds preserved in shale.
Wyken, Coventry.
Collected by T. S. Whitten
Fossil Ferns, Sphenopteris latifolia
Fossil ferns, Sphenopteris latifolia
Fossil Root, Stigmaria
Stigmaria is the fossilised root of a giant clubmoss which grew in Coal Measures swamps. The break down of these and other plants formed coal. Many fossils, including this one, have been found in coal ...
Fossil Wood
Silicified wood - the original structure of the wood has been replaced by the mineral known as quartz.
Upper Carboniferous,
Allesley, Warwickshire
Fossil Wood - detail
Silicified wood - the original structure of the wood has been replaced by the mineral known as quartz.
Upper Carboniferous,
Allesley, Warwickshire
Fossil 'Wood', Calamites suckowi
Part of the stem of a giant horsetail-like plant that grew in Coal Measures swamps.
Newdigate Colliery, Bedworth, Warwickshire
Fossil Wood, Cordaites
Silicified wood - the original structure of the wood has been replaced by the mineral known as quartz.
Upper Carboniferous, Allesley, Warwickshire.
Collected by Rev. W.T. Bree
Fossil Wood, Cordaites - polished section
The original structure of the wood has been replaced by the mineral known as quartz, and can be clearly seen in this polished section.
Upper Carboniferous, Allesley, Warwickshire.
Collected by Rev. ...