Besides the stampings being worn, they were double struck. The big clue is the word AUTO on the handle. All I can read is they were made by W.M. something something. Can any of you steer me in the right direction to ID these please? Thanks!

Hello, moparthug.  J P Danielson , Crescent, Cee-Tee , and possibly Motorkit , had the Jamestown NY stamp. Still scratching my head over the rest of it.

Well, it ends in "& CO[mpany."  But, no, got nothin' else.

You might try rubbing all over with a pencil (your basic No. 2 pencil), then wiping off with a paper towel.  Sometimes, the graphite will get into the stamping, and highlight the letters.

Wm HJORTH & CO


from Alloy Artifacts: (also photo)
"The company was apparently in operation by 1903, based on a notice for the "Empire" pipe wrench published in that year.

[1904 Advertisement for Wm. Hjorth & Company]
Fig. 196. 1904 Advertisement for Wm. Hjorth & Company. [External Link]
Fig. 196 shows an ad for several of the tools offered by the Hjorth company, as published on page 547 of the July, 1904 issue of the Hardware Dealers' Magazine.

The illustration at the top shows a "Lightning Wrench", a plier-wrench combining pipe and nut gripping surfaces. The patent date on the tool refers to patent 738,444, filed by A.W. Hjorth in 1902 and issued on September 8, 1903, with assignment to William Hjorth & Company.

The middle illustration shows the "Empire" pipe wrench, with a patent date referring to patent 735,289. This patent was filed by Karl Peterson in 1902 and issued on August 4, 1903, with assignment to William Hjorth & Company. (Karl Peterson went on to become the founder of the Crescent Tool Company.)

Finally, the bottom illustration shows a pair of combination pliers.

The advertisement was placed by Wiebusch and Hilger, acting as manufacturer's agents for the Hjorth company.

A similar reference can be found in the January 18, 1905 issue of The Horseless Age, which notes Hjorth as the maker of a "Lightning" plier wrench, an "Empire" pipe wrench, and combination pliers."

And we have a winner!  Great job geneg!

Thanks, you guys are awesome!

Now I just have to figure out how to pronounce "Hjorth".

Hello, geneg. Nice work!

Quote from: moparthug on January 29, 2024, 01:00:55 PMNow I just have to figure out how to pronounce "Hjorth".

Google Translate thinks it's Danish, and says that it's pronounced, almost, "yort," although I picked up a very quiet "h" sound right before the "y."

BJORN BORG or similar?  Hold one side of your tongue while speaking 2 non flowing constanents.