Common from the late 1700s to the middle of the 19th century, triangular-bed lathes were eventually to fall from favour. Built mostly in small bench and watchmakers' sizes, today surviving examples are rare, especially the Boley type illustrated here, a machine intended for clock rather than watch work. Built using a great deal of precision hand fitting, the Boley was remarkably accurate and capable of the finest work on early microscopes, telescopes, clocks, telegraphic and other high-precision mechanical instruments. Two versions are shown, the one towards the bottom of the page being complete with its original combined hand and foot-powered countershaft unit.
Another G.Boley watchmakers' lathe of a different (and unusual) design can be seen here..