Chisel IDs

[JohnPW]

Hello all,

Can anyone help with reading makers' names on some chisels I've got?

First has only a single letter/symbol on it, like a sort of combined E and D, maybe it's an owner's mark:

Next is I think Thos. Williamsons, Sheffield, although search on that name comes up blank:

This one's almost readable, an initial then something ending in what looks like X, then "cast steel":

The last is I think a S.J. Addis "cast steel" gouge, although the "i" doesn't like an "i", with "4" on the other side:

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I'd say the first is etched or engraved by the owner, the second is Thos. W. Ibbotson, the third MAY be Lomax, and the fourth S&J Addis.

 

[Noggsy]

Third one looks like Sorby to me.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Third one looks like Sorby to me.

I'll buy that. 'I. Sorby' is very plausible.

 

[DonMc]

Is there any chance the second one reads "THOS. WALES & SONS"? If so, I have found working dates from 1893 until 1928, when they went into voluntary liquidation. They may have been making only joiner's tools in 1893, on Denby Street, but are listed as making edge tools by 1901 at Midland Steel Works, 266 Queen's Road. They became a Limited firm between 1905 and 1911.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

 

[AndyT]

Looking at your SJ Addis carving tool, and referring to this detailed and useful post on the Old Tools Archive http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=157681&submit_thread=1 gives a date of around 1880s / early 1890s (assuming the info given there is accurate.) The number 4 would be the sweep number for a fairly flat gouge.

 

[memzey]

Never heard of S & J Addis before but they are clearly a Masonic firm. Very interesting

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Is there any chance the second one reads "THOS. WALES & SONS"? If so, I have found working dates from 1893 until 1928, when they went into voluntary liquidation. They may have been making only joiner's tools in 1893, on Denby Street, but are listed as making edge tools by 1901 at Midland Steel Works, 266 Queen's Road. They became a Limited firm between 1905 and 1911.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

I'll buy that, too. On reflection, Ibbotson rarely if ever used a middle initial, or an 's' on the end. 'Thos. Wales & Sons' is a much neater fit.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Never heard of S & J Addis before but they are clearly a Masonic firm. Very interesting

That should be S J Addis (not S & J Addis - my mistake). There was also a J B Addis (related). AndyT's link gives their history (which is complicated), including their later incorporation into the Ward and Payne empire.

 

[rxh]

I'm pretty sure the second one is Thos. Wales & Sons. Here is a photo of one I have for comparison.

 

[JohnPW]

Is there any chance the second one reads "THOS. WALES & SONS"? If so, I have found working dates from 1893 until 1928, when they went into voluntary liquidation. They may have been making only joiner's tools in 1893, on Denby Street, but are listed as making edge tools by 1901 at Midland Steel Works, 266 Queen's Road. They became a Limited firm between 1905 and 1911.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

A belated thanks for that. I have since bought another one.

 

[Mr_P]

Think the large chunk of my brain devoted to facial recognition is playing tricks on me. I can clearly see Mr Punch on the Sorby chisel but he is usually bigger than the text and I have NEVER seen him facing that way.

 

[bugbear]

Think the large chunk of my brain devoted to facial recognition is playing tricks on me. I can clearly see Mr Punch on the Sorby chisel but he is usually bigger than the text and I have NEVER seen him facing that way.

Nice catalogue cover!

BugBear

 

[Mr_P]

Sadly not mine, found on the net and sold for silly money. Described as

A Victorian Sorby Tools card shop sign depicting an image of Punch 15 x 10''

I missed out on this a few months ago

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Light-Edge-To ... 1097262451

but managed to find one cheaper and in better condion recently. Sadly it wasn't as advertised, just I.Sorby and no marples and even worse no planes also from 1959.

 

[JohnPW]

I. Sorby chisels seem to be quite common. I've got quite a few now, some with the punch logo and some without.

Here's another chisel, actually a gouge, is it Thos Ibbotson & Co?

If the letter above the T in STEEL is a T, then the number of characters to the right of it could match, ie ...SON&CO. Before the T it should be B but doesn't look it. I think I can can make out TH at the begining.

The logo/trademark seems to be correct; a sort of horseshoe with loops on the ends, some pics I found on t'web:

and thanks to forum member who uploaded this from a 1938 Marples catalogue:

 

[bugbear]

Sadly not mine, found on the net and sold for silly money. Described as

A Victorian Sorby Tools card shop sign depicting an image of Punch 15 x 10''

I've squared it up; the skew was annoying me

BugBear

 

[JohnPW]

It's a long shot but how about this one?

Nothing's actually readable, it's all smudged in, but the overall shape of the words and/or logo is quite distinctive I think, I haven't seen another one like it.

There is some dirt in the depressions.

 

[Mr_P]

Upside down maybe W.MARPLES, maybe.

Just a thought and did I say maybe ?

 

[JohnPW]

Here's a couple more.

The first one is, I think, Hardy Pick Ltd, Sheffield, England, which seems to be a bit obsure, maybe it's http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Hardypick

The second one is a 9mm in-canel gouge with a distinctive logo on the back, is that a T...R...something then O. To the right maybe it's REGD

The front maybe says ... Old St EC.

 

[AndyT]

Zyto was a trademark belonging to Samuel Tyzack who was at 8 Old Street Road from 1860 to 1871.
The road was renumbered so from 1873 they were listed in directories at 347 Old Street, though they had not moved.
They may have used the old mark for longer though.

Edited to add

This page in the Old Tools archive has good pictures of the Zyto logo on a wooden plane. Also helpful stuff from someone called 'BugBear'!

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=136726&submit_thread=1