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6562 This stylish
late Victorian inkstand was obviously intended for use on the desk of senior
management. It was commissioned by Muntz’s Metal Company from a
manufacturing jeweller who was required to celebrate the long life of the
boiler tubes made by the Company. The centrepiece is an engraved copper
tube into which are fitted three copper inkwells with decorated caps.
Endplates are used to mount it to the rear of a richly engraved baseplate to
which is also fitted a pair of pen rests. The whole is mounted on four feet
also made from copper tube.
The inscription reads:
‘This ink-stand is entirely made from a specially hardened copper locomotive
tube, one of a set which ran 480,000 miles between the years 1879 and 1898.
Muntz's Metal Company Limited, French Walls Works, Birmingham England’.
The main tube and four
supporting feet are made of copper tube 78mm (1?") dia. The copper base is
a 190 x 140mm (7½ x 5½") copper plate with chamfered edges and art nouveau
decoration. Apparently there is a silvered version of this piece in
Greenwich Museum. A maker’s note on the base reads: ‘Makers E. Camelinat &
Co., amalgamated with Thos & J S Turner Ltd,
Fisher Street, Birmingham, England’.
The original patent for
60/40 brass in the form of Muntz Metal had been taken out in 1832 and it had
proved very cost-effective for the sheathing of ships. Each sheet had to
have the Muntz stamp for gauge and manufacturer. Stocks of sheet bearing
the Muntz stamp were exported and held in ports round the world. Some
domestic items of Indian design and manufacture and bearing their stamp have
appeared. By the end of the century when the inkstand was made the Muntz
family was heavily involved in public work. George Muntz was the first MP
for Birmingham in 1840. |
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5315, 6237, 8013, 8222 A more common promotional
item is their ashtray which can be found made of copper sheet or a 70/30
brass that Muntz knew as ‘Nergandin’. These are marked with an
interesting mixture of English and other characters. These promotional dishes made by Muntz’s Metal Company, French Walls,
Birmingham. The centre shows Neptune with a stylised trident admiring a
three masted ship that presumably has a hull clad with Muntz Metal. All this
surrounded by ‘Muntz's Patent’ and an outer ring of Asian hyroglyphics and
the word "Soft". Size 108mm (4.25”) maximum diameter.
Outside the central design is the legend
‘MUNTZ’S METAL Co. Ltd. FRENCH WALLS NEAR BIRMINGHAM’. The centre shows
Neptune with a stylised trident admiring a three masted ship that presumably
has a hull protectively clad with copper or Muntz’s Metal (60/40 brass).
All this is surrounded by ‘MUNTZ’S PATENT’ and an outer ring of Asian
hieroglyphics and the word ‘SOFT’. Diameter 108mm max.
The Muntz Metal Company was bought by
IMI (Imperial Metal Industries, later IMI Metals Division) and the records
of their works in Walsall and plate mill in South Wales are in Birmingham
Reference Library.
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3304 Fireside flatback or mantleback ornaments in the form of a pair of shoes cut from
copper plate and mounted on half section of 2" diameter copper tube. They
have whitemetal buttons. Both the tube and plate are thicker than usual for
flatbacks with the unseen sides showing obvious signs of prior use and
pitting corrosion. The copper tube is heavily blackened as is typical of
old locomotive boiler tubes. These items were favourite topics amongst the
'foreigners' made from scrap metal during workshop lunchbreaks. They show
much more ingenuity than the cribbage boards more often made during spare
time. This type of item was made secretly at work and then presented as a
love token. No doubt the wife or girlfriend was very impressed! Length
157mm (6?"). Height 90mm (3½"). |
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5140 A trinket dish
by The Broughton Copper Co. Ltd. Salford, Manchester that shows the
tremendous ductility of their product. It has been made from copper
condenser tube approximately 50mm (2") diameter by folding the lower part in
a concertina shape and flanging out the top section. The base is carefully
closed by folding in the tube side.
The
maker’s name is stamped under examples seen but could not be stamped in hard
enough when made show clearly for fear of the impact collapsing the tube
still further. The Company was taken over by ICI
Metals sometime before 1937 and then formed part of Yorkshire Imperial
Metals. Records for the Company between 1881-1944 are at Birmingham City
Archives Works. Scovill made a similar item, see 4192. |
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4192 Brass
Candleholder made from cup drawn admiralty condenser tubing by Scovill,
Waterbury, CT USA. Height 55mm (2¼”). The Scovill
Manufacturing. Co. was founded in 1802 in Waterbury, Connecticut and in 1850
was incorporated as Scovill Manufacturing Company. In the early years they
produced brass buttons, sewing hardware, cameras, printing plates, oil and
electric lamps, fasteners and other brass and copper items.
At its peak during the 1940s, 10,000 people
worked at the factory, later sold to Century Brass. Also in Waterbury were
the main works of Anaconda American Brass and Chase Brass & Copper Co. |
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748 Good quality
stamped copper promotional ash tray - The Builders Copper Tube Co, Temple
Bar, London, Centre logo of feather encircled by copper tube. 125mm dia.
110g. |
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1258 Boulder Copper
paperweight showing copper segments formed to make a spiral tube that was
used for the sheathing of power cables carrying current from the Boulder Dam
hydro-electric power station.
It was distributed by the
Boulder Dam Visitors' Bureau and was manufactured by General Cable
Corporation. The copper was originally supplied by Anaconda Copper
but this may be made from a leftover section of copper high voltage
transmission cable that was used in building the dam. The city of Los
Angeles Department of Water and Power oversaw the operation which was built
during the late 1920s depression years and has been officially called the
‘Hoover Dam’ since 1947. This section measures approx. 1.5" in diameter and
stands about 2" tall. |
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3717 Anaconda
triple message promotional paperweight showing early vertical integration
with ‘Anaconda Roofing Copper’ and ‘Anaconda Copper Pipe’ engraved on a base
plate either side of a copper pipe bearing its own, slightly battered
message: ‘Anaconda from Mine to Consumer’ Length 110mm (4½").
The development and growth of Anaconda
American has been the subject of several good books. It involves ‘Copper
Kings’ of the industry including the prospectors and miners in Montana and
the financiers of Wall Street in a story that is as interesting as many
works of fiction
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4731
An elegant copper promotional paperweight by Revere Copper and Brass
Products, a penholder or candleholder made by deep
drawing with four diameters with conical transitions and a rolled edge to
the top. The base is rolled in place and clearly marked 'Revere'. Height
90mm (3½"). |
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