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At the dawn of the 20th century, Oakland in Maine was part of New England’s thriving manufacturing economy, and was known as the axe-making capital of the world. But by the 1960s, the rise of mass and foreign production had forced almost a dozen Oakland axe manufacturers to close up shop. Filmed in 1964 by the Maine-based photographer and filmmaker Peter Vogt, Pioneer Axe documents the forging of fine axes at Oakland’s last operating workshop, Emerson & Stevens, just months before it, too, was forced out of business. Shot on 35mm black-and-white film, the short captures each stage of the process as this small factory churns out blades with swift efficiency by melding human and machine labour. With its focus on both the craft and the market undercurrents threatening it, the film examines forces of automation and international trade that remain extremely relevant in the US economy today.
Via Digg
Director: Peter Vogt
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Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
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Music
The peculiar beauty of a song caught between composition and improvisation
3 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
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Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes