Photos H.S. Newins Black Raven

[ithinkverydeeply]

I’ve done a little research into this interesting Black Raven I picked up that is embossed with the name H.S. Newins.

H.S. Newins was born in 1887, I discovered he was a professor of forestry at four different universities from 1919-1951 when he retired Director Emeritus of the Forestry School in Florida.
He died in 1963 having pioneered the teaching of forestry in Florida.

Was it a tenure gift from one of the schools he taught at, retirement gift?
A thank you gift from True-Temper or did he just know someone at the factory who made it for him?

It’s marked 2 2 on the back and has a very nice short slender haft. It would stand to reason that the professor would have a cool custom Black Raven.

Although I don’t know this axe’s exact story, it definitely has one!

 

[FLINT77]

That is very very very cool. How did you end up with it? I guess some families don't care about such things.

 

[muleman77]

How about that. What a cool find.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

That is very very very cool. How did you end up with it? I guess some families don't care about such things.

I bought it at auction with no information given about the H.S. Newins stamp or who the seller was.
I thought the same thing... Was it a great grand kid of his cleaning out their garage or perhaps more likely it was an estate sale? idk

 

[Miller '72]

Sadly, my guess is estate sale or university storage type auction. Beautiful axe and fantastic history of the man.

 

[Trailsawyer]

Sadly, my guess is estate sale or university storage type auction. Beautiful axe and fantastic history of the man.

The university storage auction guess is quite possible...... several years ago I purchased a well worn Simonds crosscut saw and handle from a private party. The handle had a tag on it "
"University of Oregon HSC - surplus property". Interestingly, both the saw and handle were marked with OSU orange paint.

 

[Square_peg]

The university storage auction guess is quite possible...... several years ago I purchased a well worn Simonds crosscut saw and handle from a private party. The handle had a tag on it "
"University of Oregon HSC - surplus property". Interestingly, both the saw and handle were marked with OSU orange paint.

The UW has a few that I'd really like to get my hands on.

As for that beautiful axe, my guess is that the university etched it as an honorarium. The 'Newens' etch doesn't have the precision that one would expect from the manufacturer. And any college metal shop could turn that out.

Super cool piece!

 

[Miller '72]

The UW has a few that I'd really like to get my hands on.

As for that beautiful axe, my guess is that the university etched it as an honorarium. The 'Newens' etch doesn't have the precision that one would expect from the manufacturer. And any college metal shop could turn that out.

Super cool piece!

That's a great observation and exactly my thought when I saw that bold etching.
Some schools after so many Dean's or presidents rotate in and out, generations of students and staff cycle thru...some storage rooms are rehabbed and the items within pillaged, some may make it to its next storage spot, some may goto the bin.
Damn sad really.

I’ve done a little research into this interesting Black Raven I picked up that is embossed with the name H.S. Newins.

H.S. Newins was born in 1887, I discovered he was a professor of forestry at four different universities from 1919-1951 when he retired Director Emeritus of the Forestry School in Florida.
He died in 1963 having pioneered the teaching of forestry in Florida.

Was it a tenure gift from one of the schools he taught at, retirement gift?
A thank you gift from True-Temper or did he just know someone at the factory who made it for him?

It’s marked 2 2 on the back and has a very nice short slender haft. It would stand to reason that the professor would have a cool custom Black Raven.

Although I don’t know this axe’s exact story, it definitely has one!

Great axe and I am pleased you learned all you have of its namesake. Excellent work

 

[Square_peg]

Some schools after so many Dean's or presidents rotate in and out, generations of students and staff cycle thru...some storage rooms are rehabbed and the items within pillaged, some may make it to its next storage spot, some may goto the bin.
Damn sad really.

When I worked at UW it seemed that every department had a storage room full of cool old stuff like that which would eventually go to surplus. I used to love going to their surplus sales.