This Lorch Model A lathe, branded as a George Adams, is a precision bench type and represents a remarkably complete and pristine survivor from the Edwardian "Golden Age" of British amateur engineering. Bearing the historic "144 High Holborn, London" provenance, this machine can be dated precisely to between 1902 and 1910. During this era, George Adams served as the premier UK importer and distributor for world-class German toolmakers, hand-finishing and rebadging top-tier machines from makers such as Lorch.
The machine features the classic Lorch precision bed profile, designed with a flat rear way and a triangular prism front guide way to ensure micron-level alignment under carriage travel. The lathe is mounted upon its factory-original cast-iron leg stand, complete with the original integrated flywheel and working foot-treadle drive system. Crucially, the machine retains its original, unrestored factory paint finish, preserving its authentic 120-year-old architectural patina.
Mechanically, the lathe is supplied as a complete, workshop-ready precision lot. The primary accessory suite is headlined by a collection of over 15 genuine Lorch work-holding collets, perfectly matched to the internal headstock spindle taper. The package is completed by an array of adapted spindle chucks, tailstock tooling, and engine-turning cutting tools. The preservation of the original foot-treadle drive alongside a comprehensive genuine Lorch collet suite renders this a rare, investment-grade example of early 20th-century horological and instrument-making equipment. Details of Lorch Model A lathes here