Lippincott and William Mann axe

[Steve Tall]

Responding to this inquiry from another thread:

...My head has two stamps that helped narrow the production timeframe. Lippincott Co Pittsburgh PA and William Mann Lewistown PA. From what I can tell that places the date of production in the mid 1800s, but please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

My thinking is that the Lippincott and William Mann names weren't associated together until American Axe & Tool Co. used both brands, as evidenced by this article from 1904.

Lippincott and William Mann are both listed as being brands of American Axe & Tool Co. in 1904.

 

[Square_peg]

In 'Axe Makers of North America' the Lippincott brand is listed as having been in Kelly's 1921 catalog, noting that is was a former American Axe brand. Looks like that name got passed around like a joint at a Dead concert.

 

[Operator1975]

Lippincott started in mid 1800s in Pittsburgh, then had 2 or 3 changes, then wound up with Hubbard, then into AATCo, if I remember right. Mann was a seperate beast, again, if I remember right. Mann was very well known for providing axes to all kinds of other companies(Keen Kutter, etc), so maybe that was a Lippincott Co axe made by Mann pre AATCo?

 

[Hacked]

Steve Tall,

Thanks for the information, its possible its newer than I initially thought. I was basing my assumption of age based on the following.

American Axes Google Books

It's states that William Mann was succeeded by James Mann in 1866. That is not to say that is when the name changed, or that axes didn't continue to be manufactured under the William Mann Name. I also have a Rockaway Stamped OLD TIME (note it is not stamped old timer) that I believe was produced by James H. Mann.

Also the timeline shown here from the AAT section of yesteryear tools.

Please let me know if any of this information is incorrect, I don't consider myself an Axepert by any means.

 

[Hacked]

Axe on the left, note the very pronounced high centerline, and extremely thin eye walls. Thinnest I've ever seen.

 

[Steve Tall]

...Please let me know if any of this information is incorrect, I don't consider myself an Axepert by any means.

I don't consider myself to be an 'Axpert' either, by the way, just somewhat skilled and/or lucky at information searches.

What doesn't make sense to me is how the axe would be stamped with both "William Mann" and "Lippincott", unless it was done when A.A.&T. owned both brands. The 1904 article (mentioned earlier in this thread) states that A.A.&T. was indeed manufacturing axes with these brands ("Lippincott" and "William Mann"). So it seems most plausible that the axe was made during the existence of A.A.&T.

The 1913 price list for A.A.&T. still lists the Lippincott brand, but the "William Mann" brand seems to have been dropped by then (although A.A.&T. still has a "Robert Mann" brand at this point.)

 

[Hacked]

Here is another example. Its hard to make out but the picture shows an embossment on the bit. I doubt it will help narrow things down, buts its amazing that there is a hatchet like mine in that condition even if its only around 100 years old ;-)

The thing that strikes me as weird is not only the two companies on the stamps but the locations. I was under the impression at first that Lippincott was a hardware store of sorts and not an axe manufacturer. I suppose I need to do some more research on Lippincott and when Pittsburgh would have been associated with the brand.

 

[Operator1975]

Wasnt the original Lippincott and Co a hardware co, so, perhaps Wm Mann made the axe for Lippincott, pre AATCo? Or are we not going that route?

 

[Hacked]

Wasnt the original Lippincott and Co a hardware co, so, perhaps Wm Mann made the axe for Lippincott, pre AATCo? Or are we not going that route?

I honestly can't find much information about Lippincott & co. That is to say I really don't know either way.

 

[Steve Tall]

This source from 1860 says that Lippincott and Co. was a manufacturer of axes, shovels, and saws (not a hardware store), so I'm thinking it's more likely that they would make their own axes instead of stamping their name on axes made and stamped by William Mann.

The A.A.&T. page at YesteryearsTools states that "The Lippincott & Co. name was a carryover from when Hubbard & Co. took control of Lippincott & Co.", and a label used by A.A.&T. is shown with both "Lippincott and Co." and "Pittsburgh, Pa."

A related article from 1898 says that John Lippincott tried to stop Hubbard & Co. from using the brand "Lippincott and Co." on Hubbard's axes, etc., but the court ruled against him. Hubbard was part of A.A.&T. at this time, according to YesteryearsTools.

 

[Operator1975]

Top notch research as always Steve. Guess the true reason why the two names might not ever be known.

 

[Operator1975]

Ill have to upload these via photobucket I guess, but I thought it was interesting seeing we are talking about Mann, AATCo, and Lippincott -

This is an old axe head I got, and interesting enough it is stamped True Temper on one side, AmericanAx on the other, then the paper label reads - at least what I can read -

Lippincott & Co
Manufacturers of double refined tool steel axes The American Fork and Hoe Co Kelly Axe and Tool Works Charleston Wv USA

The Lippincott Axe Kelly Axe and Tool Works Co The American Fork and Hoe Co Charleston Wv USA

So you talk about 1 axe head with a lot of carry over info on it - Lippincott, AmericanAx, Kelly, True Temper, AFHCo. All on one axe. Crazy indeed!

Sorry, realized it doesn't really go with the whole Mann/Lippincott but thought it might be able to show the craziness of the marking and labels post 1930.....

 

[gben]

Nothing crazy or confusing about any of this, it is just common sense.

When a company buys another out they use the old names to market products, especially in the regions familiar with the old name.

Business as usual as long as business has been done. Thanks to Steve Tall for sharing his crystal-clear common sense and logic.

 

[Hacked]

Nothing crazy or confusing about any of this, it is just common sense.

When a company buys another out they use the old names to market products, especially in the regions familiar with the old name.

Business as usual as long as business has been done. Thanks to Steve Tall for sharing his crystal-clear common sense and logic.

So Pittsburgh and Lewistown are two separate regions now huh? It's still not clear as to who manufactured the axe and when. Steve made a good argument for the axe having possibly been made by one of the many companies owned by AA&T. Then again it's also possible that it was made for Lippincott by William Mann, just like Nissan made the Equator for Suzuki, or is that not "common sense logic" to you?

 

[Operator1975]

So Pittsburgh and Lewistown are two separate regions now huh? It's still not clear as to who manufactured the axe and when. Steve made a good argument for the axe having possibly been made by one of the many companies owned by AA&T. Then again it's also possible that it was made for Lippincott by William Mann, just like Nissan made the Equator for Suzuki, or is that not "common sense logic" to you?

Good luck trying to have any kind of rational discussion with him