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Souvenirs from
Hot Stampers and Extruders |
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3044
Unusual brass model of a first world war tank made c1922 as a paper weight
mainly promoting the ‘Tank Brass’ made by McKechnie Bros. Ltd. who
made many varieties of brass and had a good speciality in anti-friction
bearing metals. Idle moments at the owner’s office desk might be spent
reading their comprehensive overkill of messages: ‘Specify Tank Brand’
‘McKechnie brothers Ltd Birmingham England’, ‘Non-ferrous ingot metals,
phosphor copper, chill cast phosphor bronze bars’ ‘Extruded brass and copper
rods, bars and sections, solid brass & bronze pressings’ and even underneath
‘This is one of our solid brass pressings’, ‘and at London, Manchester,
Leeds, Newcastle-on-Tyne – Metal refining works Widnes. They must have
used an expensive four-draw mould to obtain the detail on each face. It is
80mm (3”) long and weighs 650g (1lb 7oz). The company moved out of
Birmingham to Aldridge, Walsall and became McKechnie metals. |
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2418
A later souvenir from the same company is this desk penholder by
McKechnie Metals, Aldridge, celebrating the opening of their fourth
extrusion press, c1988 that had the power to produce large special shapes. A
special die had been cut with the 'Mc' initials as the design included in a
rectangular extrusion approximately 60 x 40mm (c2¼ x 1½”) with a superb
surface finish. The die was used only the once and each section was
cut to length on an angle and polished to form a very acceptable desk pen
holder. |
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5300
A lucky horseshoe in the form of a promotional hot brass pressing by
Robinsons of Liverpool. There was a Joseph Robinson established as
a brass founder in Upper Pitt Street, Liverpool by 1832 but a more likely
company issuing this might have been the telegraph engineers, A Robinson &
Co who made many engine room telegraphs of brass in the 20th century.
The search will continue. Size 95 x 76mm (3¾ x 3”). |
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9150
This was not meant to be a tube.
It is an educational item from the ‘black museum’ of Aston Chain & Hook
Co. Ltd., Erdington, latterly an extrusion plant of Delta Drawn
Metals. It shows the back end of a square section copper alloy
extrusion cut and opened to show the 'back end defect' that must always be
removed to leave just sound rod for further drawing. This type of souvenir
is invaluable as an example that is better than a thousand words.
Unfortunately it tends to loose perceived value completely when generations
move on in industry and may end up being recycled with other scrap instead
of preserved with its history. The section was 31mm (1¼”) square. |
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5187
Hot stamped paperweight block featuring Revere Copper and Brass Products.
The top has a relief design celebrating the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere in 1775, well celebrated by Longfellow amongst
others. From being an excellent silversmith,
Revere expanded his industrial interests
tremendously and many products are still marketed under his name. Size
80 x 52mm (3⅛ x 2”). |
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851
Circular brass ashtray hot pressed from Delta Bronze No IV, by
The Delta Metal Co., a rare souvenir of a material in widespread use
from the 1920's, 97mm (4”) diameter. |
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2419
Paperweight by Leslie & Co celebrating modernisation in 1994.
Leslie & Co. (Coventry) Ltd 202 Waterloo Rd, Birmingham. West
Midlands. B25 8LD |
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3661
Copper on brass dish in shape of oak leaf with ‘Guests Brass Stamping
Co., Selly Oak’ marked on the underside. They are now at 112-117
Charles Henry Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0SJ
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