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This is a dummy hammer, used by a stonemason in conjunction with wooden handled tools on soft stone. Although dummy hammers were traditionally made from pewter, this one is made from zinc and lead and was made by a mason. It is one of a collection of stonemasonry tools used by Mr Ben Hingston, a London stonemason who stopped working in the practical side of the trade in 1958. Mr Hingston acquired it from a Mr Robins – it was common practice for masons to borrow tools from each other.

1 hammer: metal (zinc, lead), wood

MERL ‘Associated information’ form – ‘All the tools in this collection were used by Mr Hingston, a 45 year old (approx [in] 1958) mason. Many of them he obtained from other craftsmen and many he bought new. A mason very rarely possesses all the tools that he requires, for borrowing from a fellow worker is a common practice in the trade. There are 3 categories of tools in this collection. (1) Those used for hard stone, e.g. Portland (2) Marble tools (3) Soft stone (eg. Bath & Caen) stone. // In addition a craftsman usually carries all kinds of odd pieces of iron, of carborundum, blocks of wood which may be useful to him. // Hingston is now employed on the costing side of the trade (passed City & Guilds exam) & has ceased to be a practising craftsman. He has worked in these[?] counties[?] – Abingdon, Eton College Chapel, Windsor & marble works in Lambeth.’, Letter, Ben Hingston to MERL, 7 August 1958 – ‘… I have a fairly comprehensive kit of Stone Mason’s tools which I do not expect to use again, and if by chance you want them I shall be pleased to hear from you. // I have been a stone mason for some years but having just passed my Higher National Certificate I have got a much better job in a professional office. I could sell my tools, or give them away, or keep them. In fact I have parted with a few of the more unusual ones to three apprentices, and in the course of time the whole lot will just disperse. // There is a large set of Portland stone tools, a small but adequate set of Soft stone tools, a few Hard stone tools, a small set of carving a latter-cutting tools, a complete marble polishing kit, and some of the stone fixing tools; also sundry oddments, like a Mosaic hammer, and an old Saw-setting hammer. The tools are all genuine, and mainly contemporary…’

Wood, Metal, lead, Metal, zinc