This hammer, made by C. E. Bonner Mfg. Co, Champaign, IL, patented 5 March 1901, first belonged to my maternal grandfather, John Zimmerman (3/5/1872 - 5/18/1962), West View Farm, Eureka, IL. He gave it to his daughter, Elizabeth, (3/3/1907 - 4/14/2005), who passed it along to me. It appears to have been made from cast steel. One face of the hammer was roughened with a repeated rope pattern; the other was smooth. The claws at the bottom of the handle may have broken off in use. If so, it was before Aunt Elizabeth was given it. The current length is 5-1/8" and the head end is 2-1/8" x 5/8" x 5/8".
I'd love to see a photo of an intact hammer if this is really the case.
thanks
baumgrenze