Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

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Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Mon May 07, 2018 4:51 pm

Looking for info on this wrench. It is marked U.S. in a diamond and measures almost 5 1/2" long. I have a similar smaller one for the G519 bicycle tool kit...but what is this one for, and is it WWII or earlier?
Image
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Van
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Mon May 07, 2018 5:27 pm

Well, up until last month I would've sworn that was a WWI martial mark. Believe it or not, it was the trademark for P. Lowentraut Mfg. Co, in Newark NJ, from 1869 to 1919. They made tools and hockey skates (no kidding!) all stamped with that brand. I found a pair of antique dividers and it took me a three-day deep dive to track the history down.

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Last edited by Wingnutt on Tue May 08, 2018 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by mrbill » Mon May 07, 2018 5:42 pm

Another gem from the vaults of the Wingseum! Thank you both for sharing.

Bill
1945 Ford GPW 268739 from the Dallas, TX plant.

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Mon May 07, 2018 6:07 pm

But why would they use that as their trademark? It isn't even part of their name! Did they use that mark for military contract tools?
Thanks,
Van
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"If the DUKW was introduced in 1944 it would have been called a FUKW."
45 GMC DUKW (105mm)
42 Ford GPW
44 Willys MB
44 Clark CA-1
43 Studebaker T-24
42 Harley WLA
44 Cushman 53
42 Willys MBT
44 Columbia F-92L
43 Huffman G-519

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Mon May 07, 2018 7:06 pm

On everything, including the skates. I've seen the ads. I'll post more tomorrow.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Tue May 08, 2018 9:25 am

Yes please
Thanks,
Van
Kosovo, Afghanistan (x2) and Iraq Campaign Veteran
"If the DUKW was introduced in 1944 it would have been called a FUKW."
45 GMC DUKW (105mm)
42 Ford GPW
44 Willys MB
44 Clark CA-1
43 Studebaker T-24
42 Harley WLA
44 Cushman 53
42 Willys MBT
44 Columbia F-92L
43 Huffman G-519

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Tue May 08, 2018 10:35 am

DELETED. Edited the following post to fix link issues.
Last edited by Wingnutt on Tue May 08, 2018 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Tue May 08, 2018 10:43 am

It's an odd brand, to say the least. Even if one doesn't collect military tools one might confuse that “< U.S. >” mark with a COO mark. Typically when a tool already has a COO mark (in the case of my wing dividers, see the "MADE IN AMERICA“ marking to the right of the branding), an extra "U.S." would automatically be considered a martial mark, indicating U.S. property in an international armed conflict. I had read that they were making strap-on ice skates under that brand. I wouldn’t have thought it followed through to tools. But I was wrong.

That doesn’t mean your adjustable wrench isn’t military. P. Lowentraut Mfg. Co. was selling all kinds of tools to the QMC and the Ordnance Dept during WWI. And your adjustable wrench and my wing dividers may very well have been WWI tools. But, based on the historical records I found, the "U.S." branding precedes WWI by a good many years, and I think it's just one of those strange coincidences that would make militaria collectors think martial mark.

Here’s a summary of the company history:
- In 1869, founded in Newark, NJ, by Peter Lowentraut, and located on Fair Street
- In 1884, moved to Brenner Street
- In 1899, incorporated with $200,000 capital
- In 1910, P. Lowentraut died
- In 1914, company re-incorporated by his widown, Anna.
- In 1919, estate sale, building and all its contents

And here's how I established it...

This advertisement in Iron Age, Vol 53, Part 1 (1894)...

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...demonstrates that P. Lowentraut was making various tools, including my wing dividers!

On January 25, 1898, Peter Lowentraut was granted a patent (597,992) for ice skates. Link to the patent on the USPTO site, here.
 
That seemed to change things exponentially for P. Lowentraut. On August 18, 1899, the Wall Street Journal reported that Peter Lowentraut incorporated the company with $200,000 capital, citing the ice skates. Link to an article clipped here.

Here is an ad for the skates I clipped from an 1896 newspaper. Note the branding.

They were still making mechanics' tools, as this ad from Automobile Trade Directory, Vol 8, Issue 1 (1910) illustrates, also confirming that the "U.S." branding was being applied to more than ice skates.

Image

An article in a 1912 book titled, “Newark: The City of Industry,” was most helpful piecing some of my other findings together into a more cohesive narrative. For one thing, it explains how P. Lowentraut was making tools before he incorporated the company, and sets the original establishment date as 1869. It also explains why it was incorporated in 1899 - due to the burgeoning ice skate business! It also reports that Peter died in 1910, that his wife, Anna, retained all interests in the company and was acting as treasurer, and that Lowentraut was 'a manufacturer of "U.S." ice skates, mechanics' tools, and bicycle wrenches.'

Image

In 1914, Anna re-incorporated the company with $125,000 stock, with intent to produce ”mechanical devices.” Link to article clipping here. Note, no mention of skates.

It seems obvious she and her board had their eyes on the war, which wouldn’t be fought on frozen ponds.

The 1918 “Official U.S. Bulletin” includes several contracts Lowentraut had with War Dept agencies, including cape chisels for the QMC...

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Belt punches for the QMC

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Punches, tubes, and screws for the Ordnance Dept

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And wing dividers for the Ordnance Dept

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EDIT: I was trying to capture the whole article for the big picture and headline, and zoom in to the Lowentraut contracts on the page in the second clippings. Not sure why it kept them small. Sorry about that.

In 1919, a year after the war ended, the whole shebang – buildings and contents, were sold in an estate sale. Link to newspaper clipping, here.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Tue May 08, 2018 3:19 pm

Here are some larger screen shots...

It's neat seeing some of the familiar names that were supplying the QMC and Ordnance Dept in WWI, including E.C. Atkins, Shapleigh (Keen-Kutter), Smith & Hemenway (who first branded the Red Devil name), and others.

Lowentraut WWI contracts 1.jpg
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Lowentraut WWI contracts 3.jpg
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Also neat seeing Germantown Tool Works, a very old Philadelphia area company. I just found a Germantown hammer last week.

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Tue May 08, 2018 4:02 pm

It is so refreshing to have a reply backed with substantial information. Thank you so much. It is a very odd marking, and may even have roots to the owners former military service - then being used in the production of a product, not related to military contracts.

Agreed, this wrench and other similar marked tools may have later seen service with government deliveries, but as it stands now, the marking alone does not necessarily link it to the military.
Wild.

Anyway, I figured I'd rescue it, it was not expensive. Just wanted to find it a loved home besides laying on a blue plastic tarp!
Thanks,
Van
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"If the DUKW was introduced in 1944 it would have been called a FUKW."
45 GMC DUKW (105mm)
42 Ford GPW
44 Willys MB
44 Clark CA-1
43 Studebaker T-24
42 Harley WLA
44 Cushman 53
42 Willys MBT
44 Columbia F-92L
43 Huffman G-519

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Tue May 08, 2018 4:32 pm

A not so secret admission - I definitely enjoy the research as much as if not more than the tools. I'm glad you posted, because it's only the second example I've seen - and mine was the first. :)

If you don't mind me asking, where did you find it? I'm only curious for the geographical distribution aspect.

Mine was in NJ, so it didn't travel too far.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Wed May 09, 2018 5:15 pm

This wrench, was found in PA and a similar marked bicycle wrench, also in my collection, found in MD.

Oddly, both of my wrenches only have the <U.S.> mark. Nothing else. Nothing! So I affiliated them to military contracts, which may still be th case. We shall see. :D

Thank you for your well researched post replies!!!!
Thanks,
Van
Kosovo, Afghanistan (x2) and Iraq Campaign Veteran
"If the DUKW was introduced in 1944 it would have been called a FUKW."
45 GMC DUKW (105mm)
42 Ford GPW
44 Willys MB
44 Clark CA-1
43 Studebaker T-24
42 Harley WLA
44 Cushman 53
42 Willys MBT
44 Columbia F-92L
43 Huffman G-519

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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Robin » Wed May 09, 2018 5:53 pm

Well, that certainly explains these skates that I've owned for years.
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Wingnutt » Thu May 10, 2018 2:54 am

Robin wrote:
Wed May 09, 2018 5:53 pm
Well, that certainly explains these skates that I've owned for years.
:lol:
I totally would've been scouring the infantry literature for special winter issue! Especially useful in Scandinavia. They're even stenciled! :)
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Re: Unknown WWII Adjustable Wrench

Post by Quest Master » Thu May 10, 2018 2:44 pm

I found an original press release!!!!
New Haven Harold: "June 6th 1944, at approximately 08:17, Normandy France, the 11th Mountain Division landed on D-Day, Utah beach. Poorly equipped, with only ice skates, wrenches and calipers, all three Regiments of the Division took severe casualties."
:D

OK, I may have made that up.

I have very much enjoyed this thread. Thank you!!!!
Thanks,
Van
Kosovo, Afghanistan (x2) and Iraq Campaign Veteran
"If the DUKW was introduced in 1944 it would have been called a FUKW."
45 GMC DUKW (105mm)
42 Ford GPW
44 Willys MB
44 Clark CA-1
43 Studebaker T-24
42 Harley WLA
44 Cushman 53
42 Willys MBT
44 Columbia F-92L
43 Huffman G-519


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