Witherell Axe?

T

The Gopher

Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
176
I picked up an axe head this summer at a garage sale for a buck. I thought it was unmarked and i didn't think it was anything special but since it wasn't very rusty and looked to be in pretty good shape it figured it was worth a buck. I finally got around to cleanign it up and was suprised to find a stamp that read "WITHERELL". there was also a "5" stamped on the heel and a "4" stamped on the side of the head. A quick search says there was an old Witherell Axe Co. in Oakland Maine but that is about it. does anyone else have any information on Witherell axes? thanks, Dan.
 
Found this under a google search, Registry of Maine Toolmakers.

"Witherell, J. H.** Oakland 1885-1916? Tools Made: Axes Remarks: The axes made by J. H. Witherell may have been made at the Witherell Scythe Co., as implied by Klenman (1997). At the least, the J. H. Witherell company was part of that Oakland, Maine, Emerson Stream ax-makers complex, which was the location of many other Maine ax-makers and tool companies, such as the famous Emerson and Stevens Manufacturing Company. Klenman (1990, 26) lists 14 other Oakland ax-makers and reproduces a Witherell ax label, date unknown, with the notation in the lower right corner that the Pierce Hardware Company of Taunton, Mass. was one of their vendors."

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/PDFs/Vol_10_Registry.pdf

Would love to see a pic of the axe.
 
Ad-Witherell.gif

picture from http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mecoakla/photos/old/old-ads.html

"Witherell Scythe Co. Oakland 1885-1926 Tools Made: Axes and Scythes
Remarks: Their mark WITHERELL SCYTHE CO. | OAKLAND, MAINE has been reported on a paper ax label. Another company, Witherell Axe Co., supposedly was in operation during the same years as this company in Oakland. Perhaps these two companies were the same and the name was changed at some point. Klenman (1997) indicates that James H. Witherell opened the company in 1886, and his sons, Carl and Louis, continued the business when he died in 1916. They sold it to Emerson & Stevens in the mid-1920s. E. & S. continued to use the label for awhile."

text quoted from the .pdf link provided by cooperhill
http://www.davistownmuseum.org/PDFs/Vol_10_Registry.pdf
pages 244-255
 
Old maker from Maine, along with the other 16 or so makers in the same region at the same time.

Sadly I do not have one yet, but somehow have one of their old paper labels, though I dont remember how or when I got it.

Good find.
 
WITHERELL
looks like the Collins axe shape.
or could be Collins used the WITHERELL axe for their pattern.
maybe Collins used the same dies to forge their axes?

the rounding or profile of the poll is what i'm referring to

thanks for posting

buzz
 
markv said:
WITHERELL
looks like the Collins axe shape.
or could be Collins used the WITHERELL axe for their pattern.
maybe Collins used the same dies to forge their axes?

the rounding or profile of the poll is what i'm referring to

thanks for posting

buzz
Click to expand...

Collins didnt have anything to do with them I believe.

Emerson and Stevens bought them out, continued the Witherell line for awhile, then dropped it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top