Tool Talk
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: t115145 on April 15, 2017, 01:56:16 PM
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I found two claw hammers marked PLUMB. Are these the guys that made Plomb change the name to Proto?
Are they worth anything?
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A lawsuit by Plumb made A Plomb's company change to Proto .
http://www.vannattabros.com/plomb/plombtool.html (http://www.vannattabros.com/plomb/plombtool.html)
Read this part- From PLOMB to PROTO
A most vital phase of the Plomb story was totally absent from the above pamphlet. Legal action was initiated in 1946 by one Fayette R . Plumb of Philadelphia, the owner of the PLUMB Tool Co.. Mr. Plumb alleged that the Plomb Tool Co. infringed on Trademark. --- Evidently Alphonse Plomb had been rather a free spirit and did not concern himself with mundane matters, such as registering trademarks. Consequently, in 1947, as a result of the pending litigation, Morris Pendleton agreed to cease using the Trademark "Plomb" in advertisements by Mar 24 1948 and to cease using the Trademark "Plomb" by Mar 24 1950. However, in 1948 Pendleton started marking his tools "PROTO -Mfg. by Plomb Tool Co.," and advertised them in that manner. Fayette Plumb then filed contempt action against Plomb and in 1949 a settlement was reached permitting Plomb to mark products with the word "Plomb" and advertise "Proto tools, formerly Plomb tools" both until Mar 25 1950. For this concession Plomb was permitted to retain the profits from sale of tools marked "Plomb" but, was also required to forfeit $250,000 in non-interest bearing notes which were tax deductible. Plomb Tool Co. estimated a net loss of $155,000 under tax rules at that time. As a footnote here, Plumb Tools are still being manufactured (primarily "striking" tools) as a Division of Cooper Tool Inc.
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Yes. They forced the name change.
They are worth whatever a hammer of that quality level supports in your area. Nobody collects them that I know of.
Usually an end user will pick those up for cheap just to have another for the basement shop or whatever.
From what I seen decent quality stuff but not high demand.
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There is one that is actually worth a couple bucks up here. And that is the one with the the screw wedge. I can usually get them for a buck or two because most sellers have no clue what they are. They look like your typical hammer that somebody stuck a screw in the end. The patent below will explain it better than I can.
Patent no. 1,426,316
Mike
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Thanks for sharing. This is another cool tool to add to the search list.
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People do collect Plumb tools, particularly the earlier Fayette R. Plumb ones, and the Anchor logo ones. I would not say they are super high value, but a lot of users prefer the Plumb axes and hatchets. The Plumb Boy Scout hatchets are always good sellers.
This thread reminds me of the adage that people will collect anything. I have met cribbage board collectors (one guy had over 600), and heard of chastity belt and vintage condom collectors among other things. My wife has a collection of wildlife skulls, bones, and other critter parts she has found in the woods.
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Hello, Papaw. Thanks for clearing up Plomb vs. Plumb. When I go to a sale and ask for Plomb Tools, people look at me like I am Plumb crazy!!!!!!