Peter_Suciu
Well-known member
Anyone bidding on anything on the Robby Wilson collection this week? There are a couple of (non-Imperial German) items that interest me.
stuka f said:I am saving my breath for thise one; (lol!!!)
http://www.europe1.fr/Insolite/Qui-veut-s-offrir-une-guillotine-1923415/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
b.loree said:Doctor Guillotine meant well, his killing machine was part of the Enlightenment, a quick efficient death and a tribute to the Scientific Revolution. There is quite a bit of physics involved here. Death by this machine was much cleaner than strangulation by rope or having one's head hacked off with an ax or sword by some bumbling executioner. Really, it is a superbe design, relatively simple in construction, efficient and very environmentally friendly. There are no chemicals involved to pollute, no electrical energy costs. The only problem and this is the result of modern mind set is....the spurting blood and perhaps a bit of flopping around or twitching from the body. Paying someone to mop up afterward could be a bit sticky but every prison has a cleaning staff. I am certain that they would appreciate and even compete for a little extra "clean up cash". Just my humble observations here......
911car said:At the last minute, the auctioneers stated that it is a repro (?) and significantly reduced the starting price, but the guillotine did not sell...
Brian, the name of the inventive doctor was in fact Guillotin (Ernest-Ignace Guillotin).
b.loree said:Thank you Bruno for the correct name and spelling. It would be interesting to research as to when the French adopted the guillotine...was it adopted before or during the Revolution? Robespierre and his fellow Jacobins certainly made good use of it during the "Terror". One might also think that the efficiency and quickness of the machine added to the numbers executed...line them up march them up the steps, head down... bang! Very tiring wielding an ax all day, the only energy required with the machine is to pull the blade back up into position.