Vintage Hatchet Axe Maker's Mark ID

[justingsperry]

Hey folks, I recently purchased a hatchet head off of eBay. It has a maker's mark on it, and I can't quite identify it. Anybody got any ideas?

The most that I can make out is "SAND CAST STEEL" and "PHILADELPHIA [PA?] USA"
I am very curious about the top part of the makers mark. It is very worn, and all I can make out is a "G" and maybe part of an "E". I suspect that this hatchet is made by Germantown/Griffith Tool Works. But I can't find examples of Germantown logos which match the one on my hatchet.

The hatchet looks very similar to the Barrel Hatchet or the Produce Hatchet from the Germantown and Griffith Tool Works catalogs. It also matches the weight and dimensions of those hatchets. My hatchet is 14 oz.

Germantown Tool Works : Catalogue Number 12 : Germantown Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

52 p., illus., 22.8 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Griffith Tool Works [Catalog Excerpt] : Griffith Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

4 p., illus., 27.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

I'd appreciate anyone's ideas, guesses, or facts on this one. It would be great to get a range on how old the hatchet is.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In post #1 of the Germantown Tools thread, I posted a link to a mason tools site with a very good article on the history of GTW by @Mark Stansbury, a GJ member, collector, and proprietor of the Int'l Hand Tool Catalog on Internet Archive, that includes some early advertising, tools, and logos. And if that doesn't help, I'm sure Mark will chime in when he sees this.

 

[justingsperry]

Thanks, I'll check that out!

 

[RTM]

The most that I can make out is "SAND CAST STEEL" and "PHILADELPHIA [PA?] USA"

The hatchet looks very similar to the Barrel Hatchet or the Produce Hatchet from the Germantown and Griffith Tool Works catalogs. It also matches the weight and dimensions of those hatchets. My hatchet is 14 oz.

Poking about into the DAT, I will go with Germantown, and guess that it's Solid Cast Steel, not Sand. Also, Germantown is the only maker in DAT to use "Solid Cast Steel"

(1) GERMANTOWN/TOOLWORKS/SOLID CAST STEEL (top & bottom lines curved to form an oval)

1884 - 1894 in their list

DAT - Directory of American Toolmakers (pre-1900)

 

[justingsperry]

Yes, I think you're right, it does say SOLID CAST STEEL. If Germantown is the only maker to use SOLID, then I guess that seals it. Thanks for pointing that out!

And are you saying that the stamp on my axe matches Germantown stamping between 1884 and 1894? Unfortunately, I don't have any access to the DAT.

 

[RTM]

Yes, I think you're right, it does say SOLID CAST STEEL. If Germantown is the only maker to use SOLID, then I guess that seals it. Thanks for pointing that out!

And are you saying that the stamp on my axe matches Germantown stamping between 1884 and 1894? Unfortunately, I don't have any access to the DAT.

They were the only one in DAT to use the full phrase .

No that is the era they claim Germantown was in business. The book is 20+ years old, and someone may have uncovered more literature giving better date range. So if someone like @Private Lugnutz says they worked in a different date range, I would not hesitate to believe him. An eBay or Etsy seller, maybe less faith.

 

[justingsperry]

 

[llaht]

Is that not a "G" , seems to be the beginning of a signature in an arc...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No that is the era they claim Germantown was in business.

Are you sure? That's very odd. Sometimes it's difficult to establish a "start" date with some of these early makers. There was a blacksmith making axes and hammers at their first address on Armatt Street since 1921, for example, which the principals in GTW took over. But GTW ads state that they were established in 1858. We know they were in business until 1920, when they became Griffith Tool Works. So I'm going to say that particular DAT is either mistaken, or the description of the marking "(1) GERMANTOWN/TOOLWORKS/SOLID CAST STEEL (top & bottom lines curved to form an oval)", which seems to be describing the marking on the OP's barrel hatchet minus the "PHILADELPHIA, PA., U.S.A." underside, is strictly referring to the date range of that particular marking.

 

[RTM]

I’m sure what DAT says. I have no idea on reality, unlike your research, which is more thorough.

They only have 1884-94 as dates for the company, not that logo. Griffith is “sometime after 1894….” So I will add this to my errata file, for whenever they do a revision, or online version.

 

[four.cycle]

1902 Witte Hardware Co. catalog Germantown ad pp 123



other Philadelphia axe makers:

C. Hammond & Son
Philadelphia Tool Co.
Plumb Tool Co.

see also http://www.yesteryearstools.com/

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, RTM.

That 1902 cat page that 4.c posted illustrates why Justin is probably still wondering when his hatchet was made. It seems to depict the same marking that the DAT file is describing in words - "GERMANTOWN/TOOLWORKS/SOLID CAST STEEL (top & bottom lines curved to form an oval)", where the slash marks are used to indicate separate "lines" or places within the marking. Justin's takes a similar shape and approach, but is "GERMANTOWN / SOLID CAST STEEL / PHILADELPHIA, PA., U.S.A."

At this point, I wish Justin had posted on the GTW thread, because it would be tidier and this one will likely squander away after we resolve this, if we resolve this.

I am goinn to cross-link this one over there.

 

[justingsperry]

This all makes sense. Regardless if we can actually pinpoint the date of manufacture, I think we've pretty well figured out that the axe is Germantown. That being the case, it must have been manufactured between 1840 and 1919. I'm pretty happy just to know that it's over 100 years old.