Man hole Cover Collection

[Pellinore]

A short stay at Verona learned that this venerable ancient Italian city is a real treasure trove of manhole cover varieties. Here are a few.
I didn't have time to look at the ground all the time, though. It was the start of the opera season and giant Aida requisites were scattered throughout.

-- Paul

[malj1]

The manhole in the first image is marked "Made in Italy" if it really was, then why not use Italian?

[Figleaf]

The "made in ..." label is a British invention that was supposed to hinder imports. It is in principle not meant for the home country, but for exports, so it makes sense for an Italian product to be labelled in a trading language.

The "made in ..." label turned out be be a nice quality indicator if the image of the exporter is relatively good. Making manhole covers (basically a cast iron product) is a cheap labour industry, unsuitable for a developed country like Italy, so they are evidently trying to compete on quality, not price.

Peter

[chrisild]

Here is a neat one from Seattle (WA, US). A man hole cover (source) with a built-in city map or street grid.

Christian

[chrisild]

One from Freiburg (BW, DE) ... since I was there a few days ago, with the Christmas markets etc. being in full swing, I first thought, neat, two Santas. Nah, they do not have seasonal manhole covers - this is the city seal, featuring two guards blowing their horns.

Christian

[chrisild]

Just as mints issue lots of collector coins these days, the city of Krefeld (NW, DE) replaced some its regular manhole covers in the historic suburb of Linn with ... nah, people are not supposed to grab and collect these. But a local initiative (that also organizes a "medieval market" around Linn castle) suggested using historic seals for the covers.

So earlier this year, for different seals were picked, and 60 man holes got new covers (press release in German). The oldest seal used is from the early 14th century; it shows a lion and (half of) the Kleve/Cleves CoA. The four seals were also used for a fountain in Linn, see the depictions here (roughly in the middle of the page). A few days ago I was there and took photos of three manhole covers ...

[chrisild]

Two more. Thank you for not asking where number four is. But you get the idea ...

Christian

[malj1]

 

[Alex Island]

Once I searched for all the coins and tokens from each of the islands in Japan.
That's when I met the "collectors of hatches." Photos of this kind I have preserved specifically for Japan, on my topic of collecting geographical islands ..
Moreover, they even produce souvenir especially for such collectors.
Exhibitions...

Now I'll see what I have saved on this topic from Japan, it's fun

Gunkanjima island (Hashima) :

[Alex Island]

Dejima Island :

[Alex Island]

Hakata Island :

[bagerap]

Just spotted these Japanese covers on social media:

[Pellinore]

Manhole cover from the fortified city of Bergen op Zoom. It was issued for the enthronement of King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and his Queen Máxima.

-- Paul

[Saikat]

Chandigarh manhole cover sold for Rs 10L in London
City's Heritage Items Protection Cell member demands probe from UK
A Corbusier-designed UT's manhole cover was auctioned by Sotheby's in London for Rs10.15 lakh on Tuesday night.

In connection with this latest auction of Chandigarh's heritage item, Ajay Jagga, member of the city's Heritage Items Protection Cell, has written to Nadine Dorries, Britain's Culture Secretary, Government of UK, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and some Lords and MPs of the UK Parliament.

In his representation, Jagga has asked for a probe with respect to the auction of the city's manhole cover and if the auction house was the legal owner of the manhole cover. He has also asked how the protected articles reached London?

"The recent Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) orders again banning the export from sea and airports further evidence that our nation is committed to stopping this cultural trafficking and bringing back smuggled items. Since the item was auctioned in London, the Culture Minister/Secretary is also being informed, seeking probe into the sale of our heritage item. Auction of UT's heritage items, especially designed by Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, in the UK is going prior to 2010. So we appeal to the UK Parliament to come to the rescue for our heritage," read Jagga's representation.

"In 2010 also, a manhole cover was auctioned in the UK with almost similar price," he said.

Jagga wrote that the auction of Indian heritage by foreign auction houses was spreading, causing huge losses to the nation's prestige apart from violation of ban.

The representation

In his representation, Ajay Jagga, member of the city's Heritage Items Protection Cell, has asked for a probe with respect to the auction of the city's manhole cover and if the auction house was the legal owner of the manhole cover. He has also asked how the protected articles reached London?

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/chandigarh-manhole-cover-sold-for-rs-10l-in-london-314844

[chrisild]

The plastification not only of money but also of man hole covers is making progress, I am afraid.   Today I spotted one in a street that I know well - never has there been a man hole cover at that spot! Also, why is this one colored?