“Calumet” Hammer

[rdjohannes]

Found this hammer last week, and can find almost no information about Calumet Tools. Only info is from someone on Ebay who has one for sale for $125 because it is so rare. Doesn’t seem to be selling, so I wonder about the information. Any help would be appreciated. It’s going on Ebay eventually, but I’m thinking an auction starting at $10!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks like a nice hammer. Sorry no info on it

 

[Oldtuleguy]

There is a pretty huge company calumet Inc founded in 1919 that produces waxes oils and solvents. Maybe a property stamp?

 

[rdjohannes]

Here’s the description from Ebay:

Up for sale is this Calumet claw hammer. From extensive research this hammer was distrubuted from Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. during the late 1800’s. For its advanced age this hammer would be considered in very good to excellent condition. This hammer was produced pre-Vulcan Calumet Vulcan hammers. I am not sure that the handle is original. The chances are that it is not. The total weight of the claw hammer is 1 lb., 5 oz. Most likely the hammer head weighs in the neighborhood of 1 lb.

 

[RTM]

It’s probably old, HSB carried them in 1891

General Catalog

books.google.com

There was a Calumet Iron and Steel company in that era,


1910 distributor catalog, listing them as a “ who made this?”

Hardware Dealers' Magazine

books.google.com

 

[rdjohannes]

My hammer is identical. Does that Ebay description ring true? I have searched and can find no other info on Calumet,

 

[rdjohannes]

All of you at Garage Journal are amazing! Thank you!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's an old hammer

 

[Etchase]

Good condition too.

 

[four.cycle]

It’s probably old, HSB carried them in 1891

Calumet / private label brand of Hibbard Spencer Bartlett / marked on claw hammer / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/calumet-hammer.521500/ /



1890s Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co. Calumet Plumb ad pp 31

Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co. offered a number of private-label "house brands".

(revised 03/20/25 09:10 PDT)

 

[RTM]

Considering that HSB sold at least a couple dozen different trademarked house brands .

hmm, my trademark skill aren’t very good, but I did not find anything patented for Calumet that seemed relevant in the 1800s.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I was just noting that there seems to be no end of brand names used by HSB.

 

[RTM]

^ I was just noting that there seems to be no end of brand names used by HSB.

Understood, but seemed like a good rabbit hole to go down, unfortunately I’m not an expert.

HSB, Shapleigh, ANd one other d line used sooooo many brand names, it’s maddening sometimes

 

[four.cycle]

^ True, and I've never gotten around to extracting every one of them out of those old catalog pages. When you get into striking tools - particularly axes - the proliferation of brand names gets a bit nutty. And then maddeningly, you figure out they all got sucked into a gigantic conglomerate known as "American Axe Co." - try Google searching that one!
I'm sure they believed they were doing Ma and Pa Kettle a great favor by nurturing all that brand loyalty. Unfortunately very few of those brands exist in the real world other than in catalog illustrations!

 

[Beerhippie]

Here's one I found in the pub parking lot yesterday:





It's been rode hard and put up wet.

As for Calumet being a house brand, it would be interesting to know if there's any relation to Calumet knives--or the baking powder!