Blaasbalg met wapen van George III c. 1800 - 1850

This is a bellows, made by an anonymous maker, incorporating tooled leather, brass, and wood. The first thing you might notice is the level of detail – the tooled leather is clearly the result of a skilled hand. So how was this made? Well, bellows like this would typically have been constructed by layering up material to make a strong pumping chamber. Note the brass nozzle and ornately decorated brass top, both of which would have required metalworking skill. The social context of this object is interesting. It includes the arms of George III, suggesting it was made during his reign and perhaps for someone with Royalist sympathies. Bellows like this were essential to iron production and thus the making of arms; this one seems less functional than symbolic. This object encourages us to think about the relationship between craft and power, and the way in which even everyday objects can be imbued with political meaning. It challenges the traditional distinction between fine art and craft.