The metal hoe-head on the right was crafted on/with a machine in
England, while the one of the left was chiseled from using hand tools,
mostly an awl. The “rougher” one is Burmese, while the more “refined”
one is English. Despite differences in appearances, these tools were
each made at relatively the same time (mid-20th century). Although the
British tool took less skill and time to make than the Burmese version
(and the materials are basically the same), the British tool demands a
higher price. Is it the inherent brand strength of something foreign?
Are local aesthetics set to appreciate the blander, predictable,
precise lines of mass-production rather than the more erratic, roughly
crafted character of the domestic tool-crafter’s creation? Did the
craftsmen have knowledge/awareness of one another while they practiced
their craft that would bring a new gardening tool into existence?