View of an Iron Mine, Underground Mining Scene, Antique Engraving, circa 1820

About this sheet

This antique engraving, a view of an iron mine, is an early nineteenth century London engraving, circa 1815 to 1830, showing miners at work deep inside a vast cavern of rock. The plate is lettered "View of an iron mine" and does not name the mine or its country.

The picture is full of incident. High on the left a charge is blasting the rock, sending fragments flying in a burst of light; wooden beams and ladders are fixed to the rock face, and large buckets hang on ropes to raise the ore to the surface. Below, miners with torches gather around the broken stone, two men carry a load between them on a stretcher, and a fire glows in a tunnel mouth. The great open workings recall the famous iron mines of Sweden, such as Dannemora, which were a celebrated sight for travellers of the period, although the plate itself does not identify the place.

There is no publisher's imprint and no artist or engraver is named. The format and style match those of the Thomas Kelly plates in this group, and it probably comes from one of the illustrated geographies or popular science compilations published in parts in London around 1815 to 1830; the publisher cannot be stated with certainty. It is a line engraving in black and is uncoloured.

This iron mine engraving is an interesting early image of mining and industry, suited to collectors of the history of mining, geology and metallurgy. It would make a distinctive picture for an office, study or engineering library.

The sheet is in good condition for its age, with light toning, faint scattered spotting and a few small marks in the margins; the dark engraved image itself is clean.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.