Thursday, July 03, 2008

Marked

Somewhere on my extensive list of Things To Do, hidden amongst such recurring things as "do a blog entry" and "tackle the ironing", are numerous items I fear are just Castles in the Air. These days going into the workshop at all would probably qualify, but that's by-the-by... Anyway, one of aforementioned Castles is to assemble a web page (or pages) of the main British toolmakers with basic location and dates. But most importantly, with their trademarks. So imagine my happy dance when I stumbled across this page and downloaded the PDF of "Trademarks on Base-Metal Tableware. (It's about 9.7MB)

Tableware? I hear you query. Yep. An awful lot of toolmakers made cutlery too, so it's applicable.

The trouble is it has the same drawbacks as a book - you can't do a quick finder search of the text, which is why I dream of a website. Will it ever happen? You never know. Just don't hold your breath 'cos you'll only go blue in the face...

The drawback to finding this is I'll now see just how many more animal-related trademarks there are out there to find. Did I mention my little predilection for tools with animals on them? No? Well it's there. Mainly dormant, and I can obviously stop any time I like, but I do like them. In the words of a well-known character in old tool circles; I sorta collect them. Although I'm not a collector. Nosiree. Just a user. Yep.

Does that work when I haven't been using them? Oh let's not go there... To distract you from that train of thought, how about a quick quiz? Anyone want to identify these marks? 


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7 comments:

  1. Anonymous7/03/2008 02:44:00 pm

    I have a Robt Sorby backsaw with the 'roo punched into the brass spine and on a medallion, and a Tyzack rip saw with a nifty elephant medallion and engraved elephant on the sawplate. But I've no idea whose Punch that is.

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  2. Anonymous7/03/2008 02:45:00 pm

    Let's have a go at two of them.....

    I have a W. Tyzack, Sons & Turner saw with an elephant on it - mine's facing the other way, though. And I have an I. Sorby pig sticker with Mr Punch on it.

    As for the kargaroo, I can only surmise that must be some Aussie bloke.......

    Cheers;)

    Paul Chapman

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  3. Anonymous7/04/2008 02:19:00 pm

    There be at least two incarnations of the Sorby 'Roo that I know of. One with toes and fingers that looks rather more akin to a cross between Godzilla and a rabbit and then there's a simpler one that's less ambiguously a Roo.

    I've yet another Roo on a saw medallion which could be straight out of Hundred-Acre Wood

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  4. Anonymous7/10/2008 01:40:00 am

    Alf, the text of the Trademarks reference is searchable. I use work this extensively for my --in progress-- Directory of British Filemakers. I presume you have the EAIA CD of American Toolmakers. This monumental work gives you some idea of what you are looking at.

    Cheers Peter Evans in Sydney

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  5. Anonymous7/11/2008 02:56:00 pm

    Elepant with stars is French - "Thiers Issard" I beleive...a maker of Sabatier knives....

    See www.sabatier.com for more information on the various firms that comprise the Sabatier brand...

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  6. Wesley11/14/2009 12:14:00 am

    I have an old pair of Sorby Sheep Sheers at least that's what I think they are any way of dateing them? here they are http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31770185

    Wes

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  7. Alf11/14/2009 09:02:00 am

    I'm afraid I wouldn't know, Wes. Although you should be able to at least narrow down the earliest they can date from via the Registered Design mark.

    ReplyDelete

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