Ancient Greek and Roman first used spigots in their bathhouses for obtaining water from aqueducts, routing it into pipes and buildings, and finally into their tubs or baths. The subject spigot or tap in Flagstaff collection was used in wine, beer, or spirits barrels to dispense the liquid contained within. A spigot definition is a device that controls the flow of liquid from a container. As mentioned earlier the Greeks and Romans created theirs for use in plumbing water later spigots were adapted to use in barrels or casks. An item still in use today in wine and beer barrels to dispense liquid and although spigots today are made from differing materials other than wood their function has not changed over the centuries.Wooden barrel spigotMarked "H Gage Maker Melbourne" on the side & 2B marked in black flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel spigot, cask tap, h gage melbourne, coopering accessories

This wooden tap consists of two parts - the main body, and the tap which is made of the same wood and is polished. The body and the tap have been decorated with circular marking.Chandler's Fitzroy encircling a kangaroo. No 1 Reverse : H. Gage Maker Melbournewine, spiggot, tap, cask, barrel

Bung borer are a class of tools that bore a tapered hole in a wooden barrel, cask or flask, the tool makes a graduated tapered hole called a bung hole. The bung that goes into the hole can be made from wood, rubber or cork to make a tight seal or a tap is used to dispense the liquid inside the barrel. Often two holes would be made the first in the middle of the barrel and its highest location when laying on its side, this is use to fill the barrel. The second one, with the barrel now standing up, would be bored on one side of the head, near the rim, opposite the filling bung. That would be the one that would receive a tapered wooden or metal tap for dispensing liquid. There have been many models of bung borer used, the age old pattern is of a simple tapered spoon, later more sophisticated models would appear to do the same job and over the years numerous types of design have been patented.The subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Bung borer threaded with wooden handle. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel bung hole borer, barrels, coopers tools

Bung borer are a class of tools that bore a tapered hole in a wooden barrel, cask or flask, the tool makes a graduated tapered hole called a bung hole. The bung that goes into the hole can be made from wood, rubber or cork to make a tight seal or a tap is used to dispense the liquid inside the barrel. Often two holes would be made the first in the middle of the barrel and its highest location when laying on its side, this is use to fill the barrel. The second one, with the barrel now standing up, would be bored on one side of the head, near the rim, opposite the filling bung. That would be the one that would receive a tapered wooden or metal tap for dispensing liquid. There have been many models of bung borer used, the age old pattern is of a simple tapered spoon, later more sophisticated models would appear to do the same job and over the years numerous types of design have been patented.The subject item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown, item assessed as a collection asset as it is believed to have been produced before 1950.Bung borer threaded with wooden handle. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel bung hole borer, barrels, coopers tools

Cask or keg bung (spigot) used for tapping the barrel.Reid Bros./Melbournefood technology, brewing