This site is an expanded and significantly upgraded version of the Flickr Commons based tool I created several years ago. As well as a major design/UX overhaul, it now includes data from further providers (see full list below). I'd welcome further suggestions as the harvesting tool and database are easily extendable.
For information, questions and bug reports please contact James Morley @jamesinealing | james@jamesmorley.net
Current totals by data source
Current totals by date accuracy
Breakdown of institutional data retrieved through Europeana
Het Nationaal Glasmuseum - 22336 items; Sjöhistoriska museet - 11809 items; Bohusläns museum - 7936 items; Vänersborgs museum - 7561 items; Kulturarv Västernorrland - 4090 items; Rijksmuseum - 3241 items; Tekniska museet - 2444 items; Armémuseum, Stockholm, Sweden - 2317 items; Karlsborgs fästningsmuseum - 2007 items; Miliseum - 1287 items; Örebro läns museum - 1254 items; Flygvapenmuseum - 1058 items; ModeMuseum Provincie Antwerpen - 1042 items; Marinmuseum - 735 items; Skansen - 629 items; Österreichische Nationalbibliothek - Austrian National Library - 579 items; Riksantikvarieämbetet - 381 items; Stiftelsen Nordiska museet - 288 items; Historisch Museum Ede - 254 items; Stedelijk Museum Zutphen - 221 items; Ajuntament de Girona - 106 items; CODA Museum - 103 items; INP - National Heritage Institute, Bucharest - 103 items; Upplandsmuseet - 102 items; The Archaeological Heritage Agency of Iceland - 95 items; Aaltense Musea - 58 items; Stadsmuseum Harderwijk - 56 items; Sundsvalls museum - 50 items; National library of Montenegro "Đurđe Crnojević" - 44 items; Länsmuseet Gävleborg - 37 items; Nederlands Openluchtmuseum - 31 items; Vasamuseet - 28 items; Images of Old Cluj - 27 items; Nederlands Tegelmuseum - 20 items; Postmuseum - 18 items; Δήμος Τρίπολης - 11 items; Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem - 9 items; Cluj County Library - 9 items; Slovak National Library - 8 items; Csorba Győző Könyvtár - Pécs - 7 items; Stadskasteel Zaltbommel - 7 items; Stichting Liemers Museum - 6 items; Lietuvos dailės muziejus - 4 items; Žemaičių muziejus „Alka“ / Samogitian Museum "Alka" - 3 items; Deventer Musea - 3 items; NOC*NSF - 3 items; Nationalmuseum, Sweden - 2 items; Wikimedia Commons Community - 2 items; Lietuvos švietimo istorijos muziejus / Museum of Lithuanian Education History - 2 items; Rippl-Rónai Megyei Hatókörű Városi Múzeum - Kaposvár - 2 items; Museum Elburg - 1 items; National Library of Bulgaria - 1 items; Horniman Museum and Gardens - 1 items; jNederlands Openluchtmuseum - 1 items; Lietuvos dailės muziejus / Lithuanian Art Museum - 1 items; Kauno IX forto muziejus / Kaunas 9th Fort Museum - 1 items; A. Baranausko ir A. Vienuolio-Žukausko memorialinis muziejus / Antanas Baranauskas and Antanas Vienuolis-Žukauskas Memorial Museum - 1 items; Slot Loevestein - 1 items; Museon - 1 items
Breakdown of institutional data retrieved through Flickr Commons
The U.S. National Archives - 1730 items; The Library of Congress - 1093 items; SMU Libraries Digital Collections - 1038 items; State Library and Archives of Florida - 912 items; State Library of Queensland, Australia - 891 items; Cornell University Library - 840 items; bibliothequedetoulouse - 821 items; Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons - 567 items; Swedish National Heritage Board - 559 items; National Library of Ireland on The Commons - 494 items; State Library of New South Wales collection - 402 items; Vestfoldmuseene | Vestfold Museums - 385 items; MissouriStateArchives - 371 items; National Library of Australia Commons - 295 items; NASA on The Commons - 262 items; Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums - 249 items; National Library of Norway - 229 items; Royal Australian Historical Society - 216 items; Deseronto Archives - 183 items; Provincial Archives of Alberta - 177 items; Powerhouse Museum Collection - 170 items; UW Digital Collections - 123 items; National Library NZ on The Commons - 123 items; UA Archives | Upper Arlington History - 114 items; National Library of Scotland - 105 items; Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest - 89 items; Australian War Memorial collection - 88 items; Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office Commons - 78 items; National Archives of Estonia - 67 items; Museum of Photographic Arts Collections - 64 items; Stockholm Transport Museum Commons - 61 items; Liberas / Liberaal Archief - 59 items; National Museum of Denmark - 55 items; Costică Acsinte Archive - 49 items; The Gallen-Kallela Museum - 46 items; Archives of the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle - 46 items; Museum of Hartlepool - 45 items; George Eastman Museum - 33 items; San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives - 32 items; The National Archives UK - 31 items; tyrrellhistoricallibrary - 29 items; Preus museum - 27 items; Fylkesarkivet i Sogn og Fjordane - 21 items; OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons - 21 items; The Finnish Museum of Photography - 20 items; National Science and Media Museum - 17 items; Schlesinger Library, RIAS, Harvard University - 9 items; Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol - 7 items; Smithsonian Institution - 4 items; Getty Research Institute - 4 items; Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland - 4 items; The British Library - 2 items; Camden Public Library (Maine) - 2 items; Center for Jewish History, NYC - 1 items; Kalamazoo Public Library - 1 items; Aalto University Library and Archive Commons - 1 items;
The data has been harvested from providers using some custom php scripts to query respective APIs based on dates. Data is harmonised and stored in a local mySql database.
Additional jQuery plugins are used to enhance the display, including Masonry and Bootstrap Image Gallery (based on blueimp).
The website code and generated data is openly licensed so please feel free to copy, modify, distribute as you please (subject to any restrictions as imposed by the content and toolset providers).
. This horary quadrant is made of wood and paper with brass sighting vanes and is held in its original box which also contains a lead plumb bob. Like other dials of this type by Sutton, It is dated 1658, but has had the words ‘New Stile’ added
about 1658
National Maritime Museum
. A broken part of a wooden horizon vane recovered from the wreck of the ‘Stirling Castle’, which ran aground on the Goodwin Sands off the Kent coast during the Great Storm of 1703.
1703 or earlier
National Maritime Museum
. A broken part of a wooden sight vane or shadow vane.
Recovered from the wreck of the ‘Stirling Castle’, which ran aground on the Goodwin Sands off the Kent coast during the Great Storm of 1703. Pu
1703 or earlier
National Maritime Museum
. An incomplete wooden staff and four vanes. The vanes are in two parts and are held together by brass pins. The beginnings of the scales are marked ‘al’ for altitude, and ‘co’, for complement, the zenith distance. The vanes are no
1703 or earlier
National Maritime Museum
. Wooden sight vane with an inlaid brass pinhole sight and a brass pressure plate for holding it tightly in place on the thirty degree arc.
The instrument was recovered from the wreck of the ‘Stirling Castle’, which ran aground on the Goodwin
1703 or earlier
National Maritime Museum
. The barrel and five draw tubes of this non-achromatic telescope are made of paper. These allow the telescope to open to a length of about 2m. The other fittings are of turned wood. The initials M.R. and a star motif are stamped on the barrel. These prob
circa 1710
National Maritime Museum
. The octant has a mahogany frame and index arm, boxwood limb, brass fittings and a brass stop for the index arm. There is no tangent screw and the clamping screw, which is broken and possibly an old replacement, is on the back of the index arm. The octan
circa 1750
National Maritime Museum
. The octant has a pear-wood frame, limb and index arm; brass fittings and a brass stop for the index arm, with an inlaid ivory plate on the crossbar, and two red socket shades. Index-glass adjustments can be made by a screw and on both horizon glasses by
circa 1750
National Maritime Museum
. The octant has a mahogany frame and index arm with a boxwood limb, brass fittings and a brass stop for the index arm. An inlaid plate in the crossbar is now missing. There is no tangent screw and the clamping screw, which is broken, is on the back of th
circa 1755
National Maritime Museum
. Label text in note book field. The glass tube is marked NAV0790.1 and can be found via the Whole/Part toggle.
Domestic cistern barometer in mahogany frame. Brass scale. Width 4" (10.2 cm)
1772-4
National Maritime Museum
. The octant has a mahogany frame and limb with a brass index arm, and fittings. The back of the limb is also brass-covered and there is a wooden pad-shaped handle on the back of the frame. The clamping screw and tangent screw, which are both missing, are
circa 1772
National Maritime Museum
Jennings Insulating Compass. A magnetic dry-card compass of a type patented by Henry Jennings in 1818 (no. 4259).
The compass bowl is made of brass. The card is mica covered with paper, and is marked in points, with a fleur-de-lys at north. The unusual
about 1818
National Maritime Museum
. Pocket compass in a wooden case probably made by Jones of Charing Cross.
circa 1820
National Maritime Museum
. This small magnifier has a brass tube that is painted to look like wood. It is contained in a case made of paper or card.
about 1820
National Maritime Museum
. Wooden rack with space to hold up to three telescopes and a wooden shelf above. The rack would have been attached to a wall or partition.
about 1820
National Maritime Museum
. The octant has an ebony frame and limb with a brass index arm, fittings, and a brass stop for the index arm. It also has inlaid ivory plates in the crossbar and on the back of the frame. The tangent screw, which is slightly bent, is positioned on the fr
circa 1830
National Maritime Museum
. Stick mounted barometer with thermometer also attached to the tube by brass and steel fittings. At foot of the glass tube a steel casing protects the mercury reservoir. The whole instrument is mounted on a mahogany blackboard with special wooden support
circa 1870
National Maritime Museum
. Binoculars case. Lined, leather case with a carrying strap and belt loop. The maker's name appears in the lid of the case, with their mark also on one draw tube.
about 1900
National Maritime Museum
. Galilean binoculars with a leather-covered body and sliding sun shades for the objective lenses. The two eyepiece tubes are focused with a central wheel. There is no separate eyepiece adjustment. The maker's name is inscribed on one of the tubes.
about 1900
National Maritime Museum
. These Galilean binoculars have a leather-covered body and sliding sun shades for the objective lenses. The two eyepiece tubes are focused with a central wheel. There is no separate eyepiece adjustment. The binoculars are contained in a lined, leather ca
about 1900
National Maritime Museum
. Sledge compass with a brass body and leather case. The case has a pivoted cover with a viewing slot. The compass card is marked in points and degrees (0-360 by 5 degrees), with north indicated by a fleur-de-lys and crown. The needle is a single piece of
about 1901
National Maritime Museum
. The binoculars are contained in a leather case (strap missing). The maker's name appears in the lid of the case.
about 1903
National Maritime Museum
. These Galilean binoculars have a leather-covered body and sliding sun shades for the objective lenses. The two eyepiece tubes are focused with a central wheel, but the bonoculars are not pivoted and there is no independent eyepiece adjustment. The binoc
about 1903
National Maritime Museum
. Anodised brass three-circle pattern frame, wooden handle, which has been signed on the limb 'Frodsham & Keen, Liverpool'. The brass limb has an inlaid silver scale from -5° to 150° by 10', measuring to 133°.
The silver v
about 1904
National Maritime Museum
. A later type of Sir Wm Thomson’s 10” compass and binnacle.
The card is an improvement on that of No. 46, but the principle of construction is the same and remain practically the same at this day (1930).In this specimen the binnacle conforms
about 1905
National Maritime Museum
. The sextant has a partly black-lacquered brass folding frame, which also serves as the handle. The two struts are pivoted and act by a collar sliding on a third pivoted arm. There is no tangent screw and the clamping screw is on the front of the frame.
1909 or later
National Maritime Museum
Izar Prism Binocular. Prismatic binoculars with a magnifying power of six. The main body has a leather covering, while the eye cups are made of bakelite. Focussing is by means of a central wheel. Additionally, the left eyepiece is independently adjustable
about 1910
National Maritime Museum
. These heavy prismatic binoculars have a brass body with bakelite eyepieces. Each eyepiece focusses independently and has a choice of two different eyepiece lenses (the larger marked '12x') that rotate into place. There are brass caps and slidi
about 1914
National Maritime Museum
. Cellulose-based plastic plotting instrument for air navigation. The protractor is square with a central circular degree scale marked from 0 to 360 in degrees. Along the top and bottom edges are scales in metres and yards (corresponding to scales commonl
about 1917
National Maritime Museum
. Slide rule made of boxwood, with a celluloid covering and a metal cursor with cellulose-based plastic window. The slide rule has two scales, one marked for distance (from 4000 to 20000), the other for angle. It is used to solve oblique-angled triangles
about 1917
National Maritime Museum
. A plotting intrument for air navigation that orginally consisted of three parts: a circular plastic disc approximately 150mm in diameter with a square grid drawn on it; a circular plastic disc approximately 150mm in diameter, marked in degrees from 0 to
about 1918
National Maritime Museum
. These prismatic binoculars have a leather-covered body (of which much of the leather is now missing) and two loops for a carrying strap, now missing. There is also a canvas cap for the eyepieces, held on with metal springs. The two eyepiece tubes are fo
about 1918
National Maritime Museum
Card's Traverse Calculator. Card's Traverse Calculator comprises a grid with a movable plastic rule, which is attached by a rivet to the lower left corner. Instructions for its use are printed on the bottom. The instrument is used to calculate t
about 1920
National Maritime Museum
Type P.2. Liquid compass-Haynes suspension
Bowl: Brass painted black. Glazed. Fill hole on side. White on inside with black lubber spike. Expansion chamber underneath. Bowl fixed to spring plate and has four stabiliser arms. Vernier on base plate.
Card: N
1922-4
National Maritime Museum
Type O.2. Observer's compass-Experimental Model
Bowl: Brass painted black. Glazed. Fill hole on side. White on inside with black lubber arm. Expansion chamber underneath. Bowl fixed to spring plate and has four stabilizer arms. Vernier on base plate
1923-4
National Maritime Museum
Admiralty Master Gyro Compass AP1005. Gyrocompasses were first successfully developed at the beginning of the 20th century as a solution to the problems of magnetic variation and deviation that are inherent in magnetic compasses. They use the properties o
1930s
National Maritime Museum
Mark II. Astro Compass 6A/1174. Cylindircal flanged base; three knurled levelling screws for circular plate marked 0-360 by 2 degrees; rectangular extension holding two spirit levels and marked 'True Course' with an arrow. Two trunnions and a ca
about 1930
National Maritime Museum
CF41. Prismatic binoculars with a metal body and a canvas strap. Knobs on each side allow internal yellow filters to be rotated into the eyepieces. The government broad arrow mark appears near each objective lens while the maker's name is inscribed o
about 1935
National Maritime Museum
. Telescope eyepiece cap made from white metal. The top of the cap has concentric circle detail and a sliding closure over a round hole.
about 1939
National Maritime Museum
. This achromatic telescope has a tapering leather-covered barrel and silvered-brass fittings, including a single draw tube, a sliding sunshade and a pivoted eyepiece cover. The objective lens cap is missing and the leather covering is now badly damaged.
about 1939
National Maritime Museum
Seekreiselsextant. The sextant has a casing of aluminium and artificial materials, housing optical equipment, a clockwork averaging mechanism, electrical equipment, and a rubber eyecup. The shades and various unidentified parts are missing. The instrument
circa 1943
National Maritime Museum
. Liquid compass from a ship's lifeboat, card diameter 4 inches (102 mm), on a wooden stand. An inscription on a label on the stand reads: 'SS Abosso torpedoed in Atlantic. Crew and compass in ship's boat saved by HMS Magic'.
SS '
about 1942
National Maritime Museum
. Prismatic binoculars with a magnification power of seven. The binoculars have a metal body and loops for a carrying strap (now missing). There is no central focussing as each eyepiece focusses independently.
The inscription 'R.E.L. Canada 1945
about 1945
National Maritime Museum
. A stabilizing platform with a single axis for an artificial horizon periscope sextant.
Possibly 1960
National Maritime Museum
Navicator (sic). Hand-held radio direction finder with an earpiece. The earpiece plugs into a socket on the bottom of the handle. On the back of the main body are the other controls, including a frequency selector, volume control and switch for the lamp.
about 1965
National Maritime Museum
Digital Sextant. The sextant has a grey-lacquered brass Admiralty-pattern frame and a plastic handle. The white plastic micrometer drum, clamp, and worm gear on the back of the index arm. The micrometer drum is connected by a notched wheel to an electromo
circa 1970
National Maritime Museum
390 Controller. This small electronic display unit is designed for use on the deck of a yacht, where it gives a readout from the navigational systems housed below decks. It was used aboard the racing yacht 'Maiden', which took part in the Whitbr
circa 1989
National Maritime Museum