Ornamental Turning History

Turners of the Past – 500 Years of History

From the Renaissance to the Age of Enlightenment, ornamental lathes were used by the elite of society. Each machine was individually made with considerable time and expense. They were highly valued items that served nobility with both recreation and education. By the mid-19th century, with the production-style automated approach of the Industrial Revolution, the princely enthusiasm for the machine ended. During the Victorian Era, the high cost of ornamental turning equipment mainly restricted its use to wealthy scientific amateurs, who were often professors and clergy.

In the late 19th century, guilloché was popularized by the extraordinary enamel work of Fabergé and became a common decoration of precious metals found in everyday objects such as pocket watches, cigarette cases, pens and jewelry. It was also used for designing the patterns of banknotes, securities and stamps.

At the turn of the century, tinkering with electrically powered or motorized tools became the popular hobby of the mechanically inclined. By the 1920s, lathes became increasingly linked to metalworking and milling and less identified with arts and crafts. Interest in ornamental turning was further disrupted by the pressing issues of World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Ornamental turning was kept alive by a few individuals who enjoyed collecting and using the superb tools of Holtzapffel and other makers.

By the mid-20th century, the wood lathe was no longer associated with mechanized factory production and became a creative tool for the hobbyists and studio turner. In 1948, the Society of Ornamental Turners was formed, which fostered a rebirth of interest in the tools and techniques of ornamental turning. In 1976, Fine Woodworking published an article that introduced ornamental turning to the entire woodworking community. This, combined with two books entirely dedicated to the subject published in the mid-1980s, resulted in a surge of interest.

In the past ten years, ornamental turning has grown tremendously due to the Internet, which has facilitated locating and purchasing ornamental turning machines and apparatus, made classic books on the craft instantly available and searchable through Google Books, spawned websites detailing every aspect of ornamental turning, and enabled enthusiasts and practitioners to share photos of their work, process, tools, machines, and more.

The following sections provide an expanded history of ornamental turning featuring the predominant turners of each period:

• Early Modern Period (14th – 18th C.)
• Victorian Era (1837 – 1901)
• Machine Age (1901 – 1971)
• Information Age (1971 – present)