what era is this old monkey wrench? S. P. C.

[Comanche Todd]

I found this steel handled monkey wrench at the flea market, it has a unique adjustment built into the handle

marked:

B & C mark

S. P. C.

BEMIS & CALL H & T CO.

SPRINGFIELD MASS USA

anybody know what S P C stands for? could it be a rail road company?

how old do you think this wrench is? what era ? it's about 8 1/2" in long

 

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[Mackaydon]

Here you go:
http://members.mybizz.net/~con12a/saw set website/weirdstuffbemis.htm

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's another:
http://www.goantiques.com/detail,bemis-call-erie,77494.html?source=VYZ4474

 

[Mackaydon]

A good pic of the trademark is here:
http://www.tias.com/8600/PictPage/1922675361.html

I'm only guessing that the S.P.C. is the name of the owner.

 

[Ramitt]

That is a very cool old tool.

 

[mojjax]

That type of "screw wrench" was invented in 1859 by Albert W. Briggs in 1859 of Springfield , Mass . The patent was sold to Solyman Merrick , who probably got various tool makers to manufacture it such as the Bemis & Call Co. Here is a pic of a 1902 version , and a link to the patent :

http://www.google.com/patents?id=i59fAAAAEBAJ&dq=MERRICK+WRENCH

 

[Comanche Todd]

S.P.C. SOUTH PACIFIC COAST RR ?

http://www.spcrr.org/HistorySPCRR.htm

I think this wrench may have came from the South Pacific Coast railroad in California or it could be the Southern Pacific Company?

 

[Ramitt]

That seems reasonable, did they operate near the area that you found it? Not that it could not have travled across the country later.

 

[Comanche Todd]

yes, I live within driving distance of the area where the South Pacific Coast RR was located

I live on the west coast

 

[Mackaydon]

Hey Todd:
It's a good story to claim it's from the SPC RR; and why not make that claim since the bios of that railroad's founders ("Slippery" Joe Friar and Al "Hog" Davis), along with the history of that historic railroad by itself (http://www.spcrr.org/HistorySPCRR.htm)--makes for a great story to tell when showing the wrench. Maybe create a wall plaque with the wrench, adding some historic text; a great conversational piece.

It would also be easy to go from the history of the SPC RR to the history of the Comstock Lode since "Slippery" Joe apparently made a forture near the Lode.