This is a bush hammer. A bush hammer, also known as an axe hammer, is a masonry tool used to texturize stone and concrete. In 1831, Joseph Richards (1784–1848) of Braintree, MA, invented the bush hammer. The US patent was issued February 20, 1828, for a stone-working tool, with a patent number of X5010 or 5010X. His patent sparked many other inventors' designs for the bush hammer.
This particular hammer has inscriptions reading ‘H. H. HARVEY & CO. [/] AUGUSTA. ME. [/] MANUF'R. [/] 5143 [/] 1873 [/] T[E]STED [/] No 5’ which refer to the manufacturer.
It has an iron body ("pole") gibbed across the top and bottom and four bolts to secure two sets of sharp plates or teeth inserted into jaws at either end of the head (12 on each end). There is a wooden handle force-fit into the eye of the pole that has a drilled hang hole, not original to the piece, added by a tool collector for display.
H.H. Harvey was a manufacturer of tools for quarry workers, stone masons, and blacksmiths, with a factory in Augusta, Maine, and a store and office in Boston, Massachusetts. They were in operation from 1871 to at least 1914 (possibly 1920). The business was named for Henry H. Harvey (1840-1928), a native of England. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1893, and the announcement that it was being rebuilt said that Mr. Harvey's 3 sons were then active in the business. They were George H. Harvey (1862-1902), Fred M. Harvey (1863-1945), and Frank A. Harvey (1867-after 1930).
This is a chiseling hammer which would have been used by a stone carver. The inscriptions - H.H.HARVEY [/] MANUF'R [/] AUGUSTA,M[E.] [/] [?] XELL – refer to the manufacturer.
It has a symmetrical, double-faced head with a sloping top and a flat bottom. Chamfers are flared to round faces and it has an evenly tapered handle wrapped with bright wire at the neck. The bottom of the head tapered upwards slightly.
H.H. Harvey was a manufacturer of tools for quarry workers, stone masons, and blacksmiths, with a factory in Augusta, Maine, and a store and office in Boston, Massachusetts. They were in operation from 1871 to at least 1914 (possibly 1920). The business was named for Henry H. Harvey (1840-1928), a native of England. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1893, and the announcement that it was being rebuilt said that Mr. Harvey's 3 sons were then active in the business. They were George H. Harvey (1862-1902), Fred M. Harvey (1863-1945), and Frank A. Harvey (1867-after 1930). The 1894 book, Boston and Bostonians has a page about the business.
This is a bush hammer. A bush hammer, also known as an axe hammer, is a masonry tool used to texturize stone and concrete. In 1831, Joseph Richards (1784–1848) of Braintree, MA, invented the bush hammer. The US patent was issued February 20, 1828, for a stone-working tool, with a patent number of X5010 or 5010X. His patent sparked many other inventors' designs for the bush hammer.
This particular hammer has inscriptions reading ‘H.H.HARVEY & CO. [/] AUGUSTA.ME. [/] MANUF'R [/] 4145 [/] 1872 and W.PIRIE [/] C.WOODS [/] TESTED No 3 [/] T. These refer to the owners of the tool, W. Pirie and C. Woods, as well as the manufacturers, H.H. Harvey.
It has an iron body ("pole") gibbed across the top and bottom and four bolts to secure two sets of sharp plates or teeth inserted into jaws at either end of the head (9 on each end). There is a wooden handle force-fit into the eye of the pole that has a drilled hang hole, not original to the piece, added by a tool collector for display.
H.H. Harvey was a manufacturer of tools for quarry workers, stone masons, and blacksmiths, with a factory in Augusta, Maine, and a store and office in Boston, Massachusetts. They were in operation from 1871 to at least 1914 (possibly 1920). The business was named for Henry H. Harvey (1840-1928), a native of England. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1893, and the announcement that it was being rebuilt said that Mr. Harvey's 3 sons were then active in the business. They were George H. Harvey (1862-1902), Fred M. Harvey (1863-1945), and Frank A. Harvey (1867-after 1930).
This is a bush hammer. A bush hammer, also known as an axe hammer, is a masonry tool used to texturize stone and concrete. In 1831, Joseph Richards (1784–1848) of Braintree, MA, invented the bush hammer. The US patent was issued February 20, 1828, for a stone-working tool, with a patent number of X5010 or 5010X. His patent sparked many other inventors' designs for the bush hammer.
This particular hammer has inscriptions reading H.H.HARVEY [/] MA[NUF'R] [/] AUGUSTA.ME. [/] 987 [/] 1878 [/] H [/] J. McKERICHAR [/] [?]BONNA[?] in reference to the manufacturer, H.H Harvey.
It has an iron body ("pole") gibbed across the top and bottom and four bolts which usually secure two sets of sharp plates or teeth inserted into jaws at either end of the head (8 on each end). There is a wooden handle force-fit into the eye of the pole that has a drilled hang hole, not original to the piece, added by a tool collector for display.
H.H. Harvey was a manufacturer of tools for quarry workers, stone masons, and blacksmiths, with a factory in Augusta, Maine, and a store and office in Boston, Massachusetts. They were in operation from 1871 to at least 1914 (possibly 1920). The business was named for Henry H. Harvey (1840-1928), a native of England. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1893, and the announcement that it was being rebuilt said that Mr. Harvey's 3 sons were then active in the business. They were George H. Harvey (1862-1902), Fred M. Harvey (1863-1945), and Frank A. Harvey (1867-after 1930).
