Manufactured by James Neill & Co. Ltd in Sheffield, "Eclipse" magnetic chucks, magnetic bases, raiser blocks, adapter plates, V-blocks and demagnetisers were, for decades, an industry standard. A large range was of different types and sizes was offered - some specially built to one-off orders - the units finding employment not only in engineering but a variety of other trades as well. The following pages show the range of magnet holders as produced during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s and includes examples of how they might be employed, successfully, on a wide variety of machine tools - as well as for different kinds of bench work where awkward-to-hold, small or thin ferrous components can be held firmly without damage.
James Neill is now part of Spear & Jackson, another Sheffield-based Company who have traded there since 1760. The S & J Group now manufactures a variety of products including metrology and magnetic equipment, Gardening and woodworking tools using the Brand names Eclipse, Neill Tools, Bowers, Robert Sorby, Moore & Wright, WHS and Tyzack with divisions across England, France, Australia and China.