Colonial Axe

[phm14]

Anyone ever have any info on this axe maker? Just purchased a nice double bit that looks to e fairly old, with a nice liberty bell embossed logo, but my search-foo is coming up short...

 

[Steve Tall]

An example, with the embossed Liberty Bell:
RINGS FOR QUALITY
COLONIAL
TRADE MARK

I don't have the book, but Axe Makers of North America supposedly lists Colonial as being a house brand from Schwabacher Hardware Co, Seattle.

Some evidence of Colonial being a house brand of axes from Schwabacher Hardware:

from Hardware Age, 1956

 

[phm14]

Thanks Steve.That's it, though the embossing on my example isn't quite as clean as that. Cool article on the family that made these. They did very well on the West Coast supplying miners, among other things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwabacher_Brothers This is the first "antique" axe in my collection, unless you count the True Temper I bought new ~40 years ago

 

[VintageToolCo]

Hey guys, 12 years later I have some info for you about the Colonial. Two of the pics are from the super rare and coveted book, "Embossed American Axes" by Jerome T Grismer. The other larger page is from "Axe Makers of North America" by Allan Klenman.



Embossed American Axes:
https://app.box.com/s/u96n4cbdkrsl704gypxj16c2odjsixyz
https://app.box.com/s/6xcf6iq7ecdolfgemsjq82ijjyzqsb3t

Axe Makers of North America:
https://app.box.com/s/ie4dyk2gesqlw90uasfnek75ria21aj0

 

[Java_Dude]

Hey guys, 12 years later I have some info for you about the Colonial. Two of the pics are from the super rare and coveted book, "Embossed American Axes" by Jerome T Grismer. The other larger page is from "Axe Makers of North America" by Allan Klenman.



Embossed American Axes:
https://app.box.com/s/u96n4cbdkrsl704gypxj16c2odjsixyz
https://app.box.com/s/6xcf6iq7ecdolfgemsjq82ijjyzqsb3t

Axe Makers of North America:
https://app.box.com/s/ie4dyk2gesqlw90uasfnek75ria21aj0

Thanks for the info.

 

[Miller '72]

Hey guys, 12 years later I have some info for you about the Colonial. Two of the pics are from the super rare and coveted book, "Embossed American Axes" by Jerome T Grismer. The other larger page is from "Axe Makers of North America" by Allan Klenman.



Embossed American Axes:
https://app.box.com/s/u96n4cbdkrsl704gypxj16c2odjsixyz
https://app.box.com/s/6xcf6iq7ecdolfgemsjq82ijjyzqsb3t

Axe Makers of North America:
https://app.box.com/s/ie4dyk2gesqlw90uasfnek75ria21aj0

Thank you, history and uncovering research for leads and information hold no time.
Thank you for sharing.

 

[Java_Dude]

Thank you, history and uncovering research for leads and information hold no time.
Thank you for sharing.

The older I get, the more I apprecite the history of everything. I guess that is because I am getting closer to being history myself. Ha!

 

[longtimealaskan]

Schwabachers must have also made some Colonial axes without the Liberty Bell logo. I have an old axe with "Colonial" imprinted on one side of the axe head and a "W 43" imprinted on the other side but I see nothing that I can imagine into a Liberty Bell. I don't recall when/where I acquired the axe but I probably got it at a garage sale. I moved to Alaska in 1974 and bought many of my tools at garage sales. I have had the axe since the mid to late 1970's, possibly early 1980's.

 

[rjdankert]

I have an old axe with "Colonial" imprinted on one side of the axe head and a "W 43" imprinted on the other side but I see nothing that I can imagine into a Liberty Bell.

I don't know what you have, but Mann also used "Colonial":

Bob

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Schwabachers must have also made some Colonial axes without the Liberty Bell logo. I have an old axe with "Colonial" imprinted on one side of the axe head and a "W 43" imprinted on the other side but I see nothing that I can imagine into a Liberty Bell. I don't recall when/where I acquired the axe but I probably got it at a garage sale. I moved to Alaska in 1974 and bought many of my tools at garage sales. I have had the axe since the mid to late 1970's, possibly early 1980's.

Paper label made by Warren for Schwabacher Bros https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-colonial-axe-liberty-bell-lb-3880910300

 

[longtimealaskan]

I don't know what you have, but Mann also used "Colonial":

Bob

Thanks Bob. I don't know what axe I have either but I will check out the Mann axes.

 

[longtimealaskan]

Paper label made by Warren for Schwabacher Bros https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-colonial-axe-liberty-bell-lb-3880910300

 

[longtimealaskan]

Paper label made by Warren for Schwabacher Bros https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-colonial-axe-liberty-bell-lb-3880910300

Thank you. That would explain why mine is not embossed with the Liberty Bell.