Axe maker "I W P" or "J W P" ?

[bugbear]

Can any one help; I have recently acquired a nice axe, and the head is stamped (rather heavily and crudely) with

I W P Co

(which could be J W P, of course).

Can anyone identify the maker? I would guess the axe at around 1880.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Hi BB,

This is quite a tough one - I expect you are quite well supplied with reference sources and have looked in most of the places that anyone else would know to look. Is it English? (Co = Company) or American? (CO = Colorado)

Could we have a photo or two?

 

[bugbear]

Hi BB,

This is quite a tough one - I expect you are quite well supplied with reference sources and have looked in most of the places that anyone else would know to look. Is it English? (Co = Company) or American? (CO = Colorado)

Could we have a photo or two?

Ingenious thought on Colorado, but I think the tool is English.

Here's a thread about it (on a more practical matter than identification) from OLDTOOLS:

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php? ... =1#message

The side axe is on the left.

(the two on the right are a Brades and a Whitehouse).

Here's an enhanced logo from one of those shots.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

It's also none of the companies on the Spear and Jackson family tree:

http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/s&j_family_tree.htm

http://toolemerablog.typepad.com/toolem ... son-f.html

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

I've taken a better photo of the name stamp.

BugBear

 

[Argus]

.

It occurs to me with a better picture that the stamp is a bit top-heavy.

Perhaps the lower part is worn away or badly impressed in the first case. That being so, with the 'I' and 'W' tapering away, the 'P' may be 'B'. - giving 'IWB Co'.

Even so, it may have been an owner's mark.
Most manufacturers spent some effort on elaborate logos. Elephants, Kangaroos, Shamrocks, Goats etc.

.

 

[AndyT]

I agree with Argus that the stamp is top heavy, but as the tips of the W and the vertical of the P are present, I think it's safe to assume that we are not missing the base of a B, and that the mysterious maker or owner was IWP. If it's an owner's mark, it might have been put on clumsily on cold metal - which could account for the uneven stamping. What's more, if it's a maker, no-one has heard of it. So my guess is that you have an owners mark. As to what it could be, we could play a guessing game...

Irish Wood Products Company
Improved Woodland Planting Company
Imperial Welsh Potato Company... I don't think I'm getting very close.

I think if you really want to know a good next step would be to join TATHS and put a query in the bulletin. Membership gets you the quarterly bulletin, the occasional Journal and all their special publications as they appear, plus the chance to go to local / national meetings of like minded enthusiasts. I find it hard to believe you're not already a member!

 

[bugbear]

I agree with Argus that the stamp is top heavy, but as the tips of the W and the vertical of the P are present, I think it's safe to assume that we are not missing the base of a B, and that the mysterious maker or owner was IWP. If it's an owner's mark, it might have been put on clumsily on cold metal - which could account for the uneven stamping. What's more, if it's a maker, no-one has heard of it. So my guess is that you have an owners mark. As to what it could be, we could play a guessing game...

I don't think so - it's hard enough cold stamping brass, let alone steel, let alone tool steel.

Hot stamping (prior to heat treat) seem more plausible, and that can only be done by the maker.

Further, for it to be an owner's stamp, we have to hypothesise a manufacturer making a totally unstamped side axe.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

I thought old axes were mostly soft, tough iron with a welded on bit of steel to make the sharpenable edge?

 

[jimi43]

I agree with BB here...I think it is IWP and Company.

We just ain't nailed it yet! Could this be another "obelisk" quiz!? 8)

Jim

 

[bugbear]

At the risk of backtracking, whilst a normal "end user" couldn't cold stamp, if a large company ordered a large number of axes, the manufacturer might hot-stamp the axe on behalf of the customer.

For example, tools marked LNER, GWR (etc) exist are are highly collectible.

BugBear

 

[DTR]

For example, tools marked LNER, GWR (etc) exist are are highly collectible.

Intriguing...

 

[bugbear]

A friend of mine has emailed this:

... a Sheffield edge tool making firm known as John Woodhead Parkin & Co. Known working dates are from 1833 to 1837, located, first, on Eyre Lane, then on Arundel Street.

Nice piece of research.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Nice to know that you have found an answer!

 

[heimlaga]

At the risk of backtracking, whilst a normal "end user" couldn't cold stamp, if a large company ordered a large number of axes, the manufacturer might hot-stamp the axe on behalf of the customer.

For example, tools marked LNER, GWR (etc) exist are are highly collectible.

BugBear

Are all those customer stamped tools collectible?
I have some Sheffield made chisels which are stamped with the makers name on one side and the Finnish importers name on the other side.

 

[bugbear]

At the risk of backtracking, whilst a normal "end user" couldn't cold stamp, if a large company ordered a large number of axes, the manufacturer might hot-stamp the axe on behalf of the customer.

For example, tools marked LNER, GWR (etc) exist are are highly collectible.

BugBear

Are all those customer stamped tools collectible?
I have some Sheffield made chisels which are stamped with the makers name on one side and the Finnish importers name on the other side.

Not that I know of; the cases I cited are collectible because they're railway companies, who are collectible in their own right.

BugBear

 

[heimlaga]

Good to hear. Thanks for bringing me this relief.

My tools exist for being used and i feel better using them after checking that the aren't valuable collectibles.

 

[brlsam]

Its Indian Wood Products. I have a similar side axe made by Yates of Birmingham and additionally stamped IWPCo.
Founded about 1920 and still trading.

 

[bugbear]

Its Indian Wood Products. I have a similar side axe made by Yates of Birmingham and additionally stamped IWPCo.
Founded about 1920 and still trading.

Wow! Can you upload photos?

Edit; some followup research;

http://www.iwpkatha.com/profile.htm

"The Indian Wood Products Co. Ltd. established in 1919 is a Pioneer manufacturer of Katha (Catechu) and Cutch."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechu

It's a wood extract used a chemical dye and spice.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

I was quite close when I guessed at "Irish Wood Products Company" then!

(But not so close with the Imperial Welsh Potatoes...must try harder!;-) )