Please Help ID & Date Miner's Pick

D

DustyDave

Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
5
Hello!

I'm a prior lurker and a present collector of miner's tools, specifically picks. I've recently come across an interesting pick that is stamped with an H inside of a shield as well as WASHOE on the reverse side. From the research I've done, it seems that this pick was manufactured by Hubbard & Co. I'm unable to find any documentation stating that Hubbard had a Washoe brand, but I know that at least a few other companies did: Washoe Mfg Co, Lathrop & Co, and J. Wright Extra. Anyway, if you can offer any insight, I would be most appreciative. Also, I have no clue as to its potential age. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your help.


Thanks!!
 
I know they were still around in 1959 because a catalog page was posted here.

https://archive.org/details/HubbardToolCatalog1959

Hubbard%20Tool%20Catalog%201959_0018.jpg
 
Iron City made a Washoe branded pick. They became part of Warren tools I think. But iron city had a star trade mark. Maybe the H is a hardware brand?
 
Sure looks like the same H trade mark as Hubbard used in the link Squarepeg posted. Maybe Hubbard didn't manufacture everything they sold?
 
Thank you for the responses guys! All good insight and suggestions.
Very interesting. Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
Right on, thanks again guys! It must be at least 100 years-old if it's possibly owned by the Washoe Mining Company or named after the Washoe mining region in Nevada (operations there ceased for the most part in the 1890s).
 
I ran across another miner's pick with the same stamp: WASHOE. However, there are no other marks on it - no maker's mark - and it's shaped just slightly different than my Hubbard WASHOE pick. It's stamped in a different location as well. Given this, I'm thinking that the Washoe Mining Company purchased a variety of miner's picks and then stamped their company name into it. But, this begs the question, how easy was it to stamp iron back in the day? Is it even possible, or make sense, to stamp an already finished product? Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
rjdankert said:
http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/...l-with-h-in-crest-logo.1217102/#post-13939889
Click to expand...
Thanks. We know Hubbard made the pick, but are trying to determine who stamped WASHOE into it. And, now we have 2 picks: one has the Hubbard mark and is stamped WASHOE. The other pick does not have a maker's mark, but is a slightly different shape and also stamped WASHOE. The question at hand is who is taking picks from various manufacturers and stamping them WASHOE. Would a company go through the hassle of stamping picks after they've been purchased? Thank you.
 
Last edited:
I'd say with large contract buys, the tool maker would setup and stamp the heads for the buyer. Just like FSS, Bell systems, or the various RR's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top