Skip to main content
Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Shanks Launches New Improved Model

This Shanks advertisement in The Gardeners' Chronicle of 26 April 1862 was an early appearance of Shanks' "New improved" hand machines with a distinctive "foliated" design on the cast iron frame. At least one example is known to survive.

  • SHANKS' NEW IMPROVED PATENT

    LAWN MOWING, ROLLING, COLLECTING, and DELIVERING MACHINE for 1862,

    WITH SILENT MOTION IF SPECIALLY DESIRED.

    J. B. BROWN AND CO. in introducing Shanks' NEW PATENT LAWN MOWERS for this season, do so with that confidence in their merits and superiority which the eminently successful result of the long and continued efforts of the Patentees to improve fully entitle them to have. The effects of the improvements of previous years have been so much appreciated by the practical Gardener that a very large and steady increase in the number of Machines sold has every year taken place, every one of which, so far as known, has given the greatest satisfaction. Further important improvements have been introduced into the Machines for this season.

    SHANKS' NEW IMPROVED PATENT HAND MACHINE for 1862.

    Messrs. SHANKS have just brought out for this season an entirely new Machine, which combines, in addition to the improvements of last year's Machine, other improvements of importance, with the most tasteful design, which is duly protected by Registration. The Patentees have been particularly careful in observing that all the parts possess sufficient strength and firmness to enable them to stand satisfactorily the tear and wear of out-door work, and the rather rough handling these Machines are sometimes subject to from the labourer unskilled in machinery. J. B. BROWN & Co. are gratified in being able to offer to the Public a Machine, which is not only a graceful ornament to the Flower Garden, but the most perfect and the most easily worked Lawn Mower that has ever been in use. The Cutter (the most important part of the Machine) is this season still further strengthened. The Bearings, and everything tending to increase friction, and consequently the draught, are carefully constructed to reduce the friction to the smallest possible amount. The Machines are fitted with the same care and precision as the Horse and Pony sizes, and like them, possess the same advantages of ability to Mow on uneven Lawns without injury to the Turf, of having loose Rollers for ease in turning, of having Wheels properly guarded, and so placed as to give an equal balance to either side of the Machine. The annoyance which is often given in other Lawn Mowing Machines, by the Bearings of the Cutter getting loose, and the latter wearing down on the plate, is also obviated in the new Machine. No change of Rollers is necessary in Mowing a Verge or Close to a Flower Bed.


    PRICES.

    SHANKS' NEW PATENT HORSE MACHINE for 1862.
    Including Carriage to most of the principal Railway Stations and Shipping Ports in the Kingdom, and Directions for Use.
    Width of Cutter.         Width of Cutter.         
    No. 1.-48-inch Machine £28 0 0 Drawn by a Horse. No. 3.-36-inch Machine  £22 0 0 Drawn by a Horse.
    No. 2.-42-inch Machine £26 0 0 No. 4.-30-inch Machine £19 0 0 Drawn by a Horse or Strong Pony
    Patent Delivering Apparatus for Nos. 1 and 2 Machines, 40s.; for Nos. 3 and 4 Machines, 30s.; Box, with complete Set of Tools, 10s.; Silent Movement, 20s.; Boots for Horses' Feet, 24s. per set.
    SHANKS' NEW PATENT PONY and DONKEY MACHINE for 1862.
    Including Carriage to most of the principal Railway Stations and Shipping Ports in the Kingdom, and Directions for Use.
    No. 5.-30-inch Machine  £15 15 0 Drawn by a Pony. No. 6.-28-inch Machine  £14 10 0 Drawn by a Pony. No. 7.-25-inch Machine  £12 10 0 Drawn by a Donkey.
    Patent Delivering Apparatus for Nos. 5 and 6 Machines, 30s.; for No. 7 Machine, 25s.; Box, with complete Set of Tools, 7s. 6d.; Silent Movement, 12s. 6d.; Boots for Pony, 21s.; Donkey, 16s. per set.
    SHANKS' NEW IMPROVED PATENT HAND MACHINE, for Pushing or Drawing Separately or Together.
    Including Carriage to most of the principal Railway Stations and Shipping Ports in the Kingdom, and Directions for Use.
    Width of Cutter.         Width of Cutter.         
    No. 8.-24-inch Machine £8 17 6 Easily worked by Two Men. No. 11.-16-inch Machine  £6 17 6 Easily worked by a Man
    No. 9.-22-inch Machine £8 7 6 No. 12.-13-inch Machine £6 2 6 Ditto by a Boy
    No. 10.-19-inch Machine  £7 12 0 Ditto by a Man and Boy          
    The Patent Delivering Apparatus, if attached to the Hand Machines, 25s.; Box, with complete Set of Tools, 5s.; Silent Movement, 7s. 6d. extra.  

    SHANKS' NEW IMPROVED PATENT SMALL HAND MACHINE for 1862, for Pushing only. 

    Messrs. SHANKS have also brought out this season a new SMALL MACHINE, of the same graceful model as their other Hand Machine, which is specially intended to be used by Ladies or Gentlemen for recreation or amusement in the Flower Garden, and for Small Gardens where no regular Gardener is kept. This elegant and neat Machine has three great recommendations, viz. :-it is very cheap, very light, and very easily worked. Not the least difficulty or trouble need be anticipated in the management or working of this Machine, while the work executed is not only vastly superior to the Scythe, but a great deal sooner accomplished. No person having a Lawn, however small, should be without one of these useful Machines.

    PRICES, including Carriage to most of the principal Railway Stations and Shipping Ports in the Kingdom, and Directions for Use.
    Width of Cutter       Width of Cutter      
    No. 16. 16-inch machine £6 5 0 Easily worked by a Stout Lad No. 18. 12-inch machine £5 5 0 Easily worked by a Lady
    No. 17. 14-inch machine £5 15 0  
    Silent Movement, 7s. 6d. extra. Silent Movement, 4s. extra.

     

    The first practical Gardeners of the day, who have devoted their attention in examining all the different Lawn Mowers, do not hesitate in recommending Shanks Machine as the best Mower for general use. There is nothing in the Machine which is not of real practical worth.

    Shanks' Patent Mowing and Rolling Machine is in successful operation in Her Majesty's Royal Gardens at Kew, Windsor, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court, Osborne, and Balmoral; in the Gardens of His Majesty the Emperor of the French, His Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia, His Excellency the Belgian Minister, The Right Hon. Lord Palmerston, His Grace the Duke of Bedford, His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, and most of the principal Nobility and Gentry in the kingdom. The celebrated machines are also in operation in many of the Botanic, and in many hundreds of other gardens in the kingdom, as well as in almost every Country throughout the World, where their merits have been fully proved, and their success established.

    The Machines are warranted to give ample satisfaction, and if not approved of they may be at once returned.

    SOLE AGENTS FOR LONDON:

    J. B. BROWN & CO., 18, CANNON STREET, CITY, LONDON, E.C.

    Publication
    Gardeners Chronicle
    Date
    Source
    BHL/Gardeners Chronicle/1862