An Architect's Toolkit
The objects contained in the Cabinet of Curiosities trace the tools of architecture that bring buildings to life, from conception to final completion.
The Cabinet of Curiosities
Gathered during an architects lifetime in and around Farnham, this collection of historical architectural instruments offers an intimate glimpse into the manual craft, discipline and ingenuity behind the finished building.
Historic Architect's Drawing Board, Liphook, Hampshire (2025) by Stedman BlowerThe Blower Foundation
To the drawing board
For centuries, architects have used tools to give ideas form. Vitruvius, writing in the first century BCE, imagined the ideal architect as both artist and scholar: equally fluent in geometry, art and mathematics. The tools assembled here embody that multidisciplinary approach
Conception
Every building begins as an idea, the first lines transferring the vision onto paper. These sets of compasses were essential for producing accurate measured drawings, used by architects to define proportions and set out initial plans.
A. G. Thornton Rolling Rule for Architectural Drafting (1940) by A.G. Thornton LtdThe Blower Foundation
Rolling rules
As the drawing develops, precision becomes increasingly important. A rolling rule produced accurately spaced parallel lines. Its weight and calibrated markings allowed these lines to travel across the page at a constant distance.
Set of Hammick Wooden French Curves for Technical Drafting (1960) by HammickThe Blower Foundation
French curves
Not everything in a building is straight or regular. This makes French curves an essential tool during the drafting process, giving architects the freedom to shape irregular curves smoothly in drawings.
Developing the design
As drafts matured, the drawing comes closer to resembling the final building. Watercolours bring character and textures to the page, helping others imagine the spaces still waiting to be built.
Uno Technical Pen used with Stencil Lettering Set (1960) by A. West and PartnersThe Blower Foundation
Uno pen and stencils
With the design taking visual shape, clarity and uniform notation became essential. This technical pen, paired with letter stencils, allowed architects to clearly label addresses, clients and project names.
Surveying the site
Eventually, the idea leaves the drawing board. On site, the theodolite established levels and angles, translating the architect’s two-dimensional drawings onto the contours of the physical landscape.
Retractable Tape Measure (1950) by Rabone Chesterman LtdThe Blower Foundation
Tape measure
Tape measures were an essential tool used throughout the project. Checking that what was imagined could exist at the right scale was integral to turning drawings into buildings.
Clark’s Computer Circular Calculation Device (1920) by H. D. ClarkThe Blower Foundation
Clark's Computer
The land itself also had to be calculated. Clark’s Computer, designed for converting decimal parts of an acre into roods, perches and square yards, allowed land measurement calculations to be performed quickly and without arithmetic.
Into the office
Back in the office, the project moved onto paper of another kind. This typewriter was essential for written communication, carrying decisions between architect, client and contractor.
Vintage Philips Bump Fastener (1930) by PhilipsThe Blower Foundation
Bump paper fastener
As correspondence accumulated, numerous small office tools kept the project together. One of these was the humble paper fastener which secured the sheets that carried the building forward.
J. Halden & Co. Ltd Rapid Binding Machine (1950) by J. Halden & Co. LtdThe Blower Foundation
Binding machine
Soon there were drawings and documents enough to bind into volumes. This hand-cranked binding machine brought the growing project into order, collating packs of vital information together.
Construction
As the building began to take shape, attention turned to checking what had been built. Sections of pipe were sealed and tested for leaks. These simple drain stoppers helped reveal faults before they became problems.
Portable Drainage Smoke Testing Apparatus with Manual Bellows Pump (1940) by Eclipse Co. LtdThe Blower Foundation
Eclipse smoke drain testing machine
Smoke from this drain tester was pumped through the pipes, exposing any hidden leaks or faults. A finished and successful building was dependant on all cogs of the machine working harmoniously together.
Recording
As the construction neared completion, this film camera became another set of eyes. It recorded the building as it emerged, preserving details that might otherwise disappear, and was finally used to proudly document the finished product.
Smiths English Clocks Ltd Darkroom Seconds Timer (1950) by Smiths English Clocks LtdThe Blower Foundation
Darkroom seconds timer
The photographs themselves demanded patience and precision. In the darkroom, a mechanical timer was used to measure the seconds that turned exposed film into detailed images of the final product.
Collection of Historic Keys and Lock Tags (1960) by VariousThe Blower Foundation
Completion
This collection of keys symbolises the moment when, at last, the keys could be handed over to the client. Labelled for rooms, cupboards and buildings, they mark the transition from construction to occupation.
Photograph of a Digital Drawing Board with the Cabinet of Curiosities Behind, Liphook, Hampshire (2026) by Blower FoundationThe Blower Foundation
Changing tools
Today, the drawing board has changed. Lines once laid down with compasses and French curves can now be modelled digitally, allowing architects to test spatial ideas and structural loads long before ground is broken.
Architectural Model of The Princess Royal Public House, Farnham, Surrey (1931) by Falkner, H & Aylwin, GThe Blower Foundation
The story continues
Whilst the tools used predominately by architects may have changed, the concept behind turning an idea into an accurate visual representation remains the same. You can view more objects like the collection of tools used in this story on our website.
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