Salaman Collection
Anvil and horseshoe making tools. Part of the Salaman Collection.
On the ground floor of the Museum of St Albans is the Salaman Collection of trade tools, one of the best public collections of tools in the UK, and perhaps the only display to feature tools in general.
The tools themselves date from around 1700 to 1950. The collection was assembled by Raphael Salaman (1906-93), author of two standard works: the Dictionary of Tools used in the Woodworking and allied trades, c 1700-1970, (1975), and the Dictionary of Leatherworking tools, c1700-1950 (1986).
The collection was redisplayed in 1992, with a generous Wolfson Foundation grant.
There are particularly good tools from trades which vanished during Salaman's lifetime: cooper, wheelwight and blacksmith; but many others are represented, from ladder maker to bricklayer.
If you have any enquiries about the Salaman Collection, please contact the Museum of St Albans.
