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A hidden world beneath your feet.

2/17/2016

This is an article I wrote for inclusion in the Building Conservation Directory 2016 (It may take a few seconds to load).

Below is a link to BCD site where you will find a wealth of information on services and products for the conservation of historic buildings and much much more.

http://www.buildingconservation.com/cathcomm.htm

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Gibbons London and Wolverhampton

2/13/2016

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I was thrilled to receive a call about some old Gibbons floor springs that although supposedly refurbished a few years ago were not working, they were attached to doors leading into a small office.

Some sources suggest that the firm of James Gibbons (Now James Gibbons Format) Architectural Ironmongers was started as early as 1670 http://www.jgf.co.uk/ other sources suggest 1750 http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gibbons/gibbons2.htm regardless of which date is correct these particular floor springs are of the finest quality. I have previously described Robert Adams as the "Rolls Royce" of floor springs and if so these particular Gibbons must be the "Bentley" of their day. The Zenith's as they are called are certainly deserved of the title and are from around the 1920's.

This particular door spring can be found in many of the finest historical settings in the UK, including I believe the Houses of Parliament.

Interestingly the Zenith's do not use the oil from the main bath as many do, the oil for the dash-pot is constantly circulated from the front of the piston arrangement to the back by means of a small bore copper pipe brazed beneath the main piston body (Not visible in this shot).

The Zenith has now been completely serviced and repaired, ready to go back in the ground to unassumingly control the doors for decades to come.

The full history of the Gibbons firm can be found in this link, in my opinion it is fascinating and well worth the read. http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gibbons/gibbons11.htm

As usual please feel free to leave comments on this blog entry or any others. Thank you all.

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A hidden world beneath your feet.

Gibbons London and Wolverhampton

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