Tool Talk

Wrench Forum => Wrench Forum => Topic started by: Papaw on February 02, 2016, 07:57:11 PM

Title: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Papaw on February 02, 2016, 07:57:11 PM

In preparing some bicycle wrenches for Ebay i noticed something curious.
An 8" wrench marked Billings and SPENSER, not the usual Billings and SPENCER. Reading up on it I don't see SPENSER anywhere.
Thoughts?

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: bill300d on February 02, 2016, 08:13:47 PM

I think some one made a bobo. I wonder how many got out before they caught it.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: turnnut on February 02, 2016, 08:32:07 PM

you may have a collectors item Papaw.

it's too late to fire the person who set that up.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Northwoods on February 03, 2016, 08:38:27 AM

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I have a Blue Point Snap-On 8" adjustable with a forged-in misspelling. It claims to have been made in KENOSHA, WISCONSON.
Maybe we have a whole new collecting category!

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Twertsy on February 03, 2016, 09:45:54 AM

Yup, definitely an "oops." It was always "Spencer."  Put it on eBay as a "one of a kind" misprint, worth more than upside down airplanes and any doublestrike.......you may get lucky.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: mvwcnews on February 03, 2016, 07:56:33 PM

Photos of Charles Ethan Billings & Christopher M. Spencer appeared on pgs. 14-15 of the June 2015 MVWC Newsletter.
As to how a die maker  (or a name stamp maker)  screwed up a company name -- we'll never know.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Papaw on February 03, 2016, 10:22:29 PM

Stan- Should I save it and hope for high value?

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: mvwcnews on February 04, 2016, 04:02:19 PM

Quote from: Papaw on February 03, 2016, 10:22:29 PM

Stan- Should I save it and hope for high value?

Don't know about value -- are there "error" wrench collectors the way there are "error" collectors for stamps, coins, & currency?  I know there are malleable implement wrenches where some part of the markings are missing in some examples -- a letter fell off one of the masters or the sand shifted before the iron was poured.  And somewhere in past newsletter someone noted a drop forged wrench where a die had been "repaired" creating a backwards "S" in U.S.A.
As they say in the auction business -- you'll know more after the hammer drops -- in the mean time you have a conversation piece.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Nolatoolguy on February 05, 2016, 03:03:22 AM

Very interesting :)

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: bunger on February 10, 2016, 05:06:00 AM

I don't know if that is actually an "S".
If you look in the area of the marking there are quite a few diagonal marks. One of those marks could have landed just right to make the "C" look like an "S".

(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h188/mayo4/old%20Tools%20and%20Toys/2016-02-10_060300_zpsewcnppat.jpg)

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Papaw on February 10, 2016, 10:59:18 AM

Could be, since no one has ever seen Spenser before. I will try for a macro shot of it .

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Papaw on February 10, 2016, 03:21:27 PM

Some closer shots. Studying the other S and C strikes, I still see it as an S.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/papao55/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser1_zpsaofvjehr.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/papao55/media/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser1_zpsaofvjehr.jpg.html)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/papao55/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser3_zpsgdl6gbvb.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/papao55/media/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser3_zpsgdl6gbvb.jpg.html)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/papao55/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser4_zpsfeoatcil.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/papao55/media/Assorted%20wrenches/Spenser4_zpsfeoatcil.jpg.html)

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: humber2 on February 10, 2016, 03:48:21 PM

I see 8PENSER

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: turnnut on February 10, 2016, 07:30:55 PM

 no question about it, it is  Spenser  !

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: eddie hudson on February 11, 2016, 06:52:32 AM

I totally agree with Bunger and Pawpaw :grin:

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: Papaw on February 13, 2016, 01:07:23 PM

The wrench in question has gone to a new owner. I guess I hope for his sake that it is found to be very rare and valuable! If that happens, I can say I owned it at one time.

Title: Re: Spencer or Spenser?
Post by: lptools on February 22, 2016, 04:20:25 PM

Nice catch, Papaw!!! Time to look at the ones that I have. Regards, Lou