(U.S. Coins) Catalog - Stack's Bowers

Page 478Stack’s Bowers Galleries The November 2013 Baltimore Auction10129 Maine. J.F. McKENNEY on an 1805 cent. Brunk M-473,Rulau-Me 2A. Host coin About Good. Golden brownsurfaces. J.F. McKenney was a gunsmith, as noted in anearlier lot, and worked at various times in Bath, Biddeford,and Saco (all cities in Maine). As a sideline, McKenneyseems to have cut steel letters. The paucity of guns madeby McKenney, either offered at auction or preserved inmuseum collections, suggests that McKenney’s primary rolewas probably one of firearms maintenance and repair ratherthan manufacture.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10130 Maine—Bangor. N.H. BRAGG & SON / BANGOR, ME.on an 1831 cent. Brunk B-1041, Rulau-Me-Ba 2. Hostcoin VG. Violet-brown toning. Greenough & Co.’s BangorDirectory, 1882: “Bragg Norris H. & Sons (Norris E. andCharles F. Bragg), hardware, 4 Broad.” An advertisement inthe same publication reads: “N.H. Bragg & Sons / Dealersin / Iron & Steel, / Cumberland Coal / Spokes, Wheels.Bent Rims, Anvils, and Vises, Screw Plates, Sledged andHammers, / Smiths’ Bellows, Rhode Island Horse Shoes,Wagon Axles, Nuts and Washers, Side and / Elliptic Springs,Rasps and Files, Lever Punches, Carriage Bolts, MalleableIron, Cast- / ings, etc. / No. 4 Broad Street, Bangor, ME.”From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate. Rulau plate coin.10131 Maine—Biddeford. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH /Biddeford, with [B]iddeford in lower case letters onan 1848 cent. Brunk M-471, Rulau-Me 2F. Host coinFine. Olive-tan surfaces. This counterstamp is assigned byBrunk to Henry H. McKenney of Biddeford, Maine, butit could have been used just as appropriately by his sonJ.F. McKenney, who also worked in Biddeford. NeitherMcKenney appears to have had much of an output (if any)as a gun manufacturer. It seems likely that their attentionwas probably devoted to the maintenance and repair (andperhaps the sale) of firearms. The McKenneys are probablyboth better known to numismatists that to collectors offirearms.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate. The Rulau plate coin.10132 Maine—Biddeford. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH /BIDDEFORD, with Biddeford expressed in upper-caseletters on an 1854 Arrows quarter dollar. Brunk M-471,Rulau-Me 2H (type). Host coin About Good. Pale lilacgrayand gold. Host denomination not listed by either Brunkor Rulau.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10133 Maine—Portland. J. SPOFFORD / PORTLAND on an1851 cent. Brunk S-773, Rulau-Me-122A. Host coin VF.Golden brown surfaces with hints of violet. The MaineRegister and Business Directory, 1856 lists Josiah Spoffordas a sealer of weights and measures; another section of thesame publication lists J. Spofford of Portland as a gunsmith.Spofford’s output as a gun manufacture—if any—does notappear to have been prolific.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.Stack’s Bowers Galleries10134 Maine—Portland. ULMER & HEHR / PORTLAND, ME.on an 1865 Fancy 5 two-cent piece. Brunk U-14, Rulau-Me-Po 20. Host coin Fine. Blended tan and chocolatebrownwith hints of rose and navy blue. The following isfrom an advertisement published in Portland and Vicinityby Edward H. Elwell, 1876: “The largest and only complete/ cutlery establishment / this side of Boston / Besides ourlarge stock of the best and finest / imported cutlery, / wewould call the special attention of the public to our / ownmanufacture of / every description of knives, razors, /shears, and scissors, / and / all kinds of edge tools made toorder. / Every article warranted. / Special attention given to[////] and honing / razors, grinding shears and scissors. /Ulmer & Hehr, / 35 Temple Street, ... Portland.”From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate. Earlier, from Presidential Coinand Antique Company’s July 1993 Sale, lot 101. Brunk plate coin.10135 Maine—Saco. J.F. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH / SACOon an 1818 cent. Brunk M-477, Rulau-Me 2K. Host coinVery Good. Golden brown with gray highlights. Scratchesare noted on the reverse.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10136 Maine—Saco. J.F. McKENNEY / GUNSMITH / SACO onan 1845 cent. Brunk M-477, Rulau-Me 2K. Host coin VeryFine. Chocolate-brown toning.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10137 Maine—Winthrop. I. MATHEWS & CO. / WINTHROPME on an 1858 half dollar. WINTHROP expressed inboth upper- and lower-case letters. Brunk M-299, Rulau-Me-117. Host coin Fine. Pearl gray with hints of pale goldoverall and wisps of slate gray around the design elements.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10138 Maine—Winthrop. A.S. RICHMOND / WINTHROP,ME. on an 1853 cent. Brunk R-271, Rulau-ME-Wi 6. Hostcoin VF. Golden brown surfaces with hints of violet. Brunklists A.S. Richmond as a shoe salesman.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate. Rulau plate coin.10139 Massachusetts. 1857 / M. SMITH / PATENT / CASTSTEEL / MASS. / M. SMITH on an 1846 cent. BrunkS-617, Rulau-Mass 575. Host coin Fair. Two different M.SMITH logotypes were used to make this counterstamp.Golden brown overall. Areas of localized light oxidationcan be seen. M.Smith was presumably a tool maker, as thelogotype CAST STEEL is something frequently stamped on19th-century forged tools.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10140 Massachusetts. WARNER / WHATELY / WARRANTED /MASS. / 1836 on a worn Draped Bust cent. Brunk W-221,M-280, Rulau—Unlisted. Host coin Poor, date missing.Golden brown surfaces.From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate.10141 Massachusetts—Amherst. IRA C. HASKINS / TIPTOP/ PEN / EN on 1850 cent. Brunk H-341, Rulau-Ma-Am7. Host coin Very Fine. Golden brown toning overall withwisps of slate gray around the design elements. Brunklists Haskins as a gold pen manufacturer in Amherst,Massachusetts. The following is from The History of the Townof Amherst, Massachusetts, by Carpenter and Morehouse.“As early as 1854, Ira C. Haskins began the manufactureof gold pens in Amherst. For several years his brother J.C.Haskins, was associated with him in the business underthe name Haskins Bros. Gold pens were manufactured innearly fifty different patterns. In 1867, by special Act of theGeneral Court (i.e. Massachusetts legislature), the HaskinGold Pen Manufacturing Company was incorporated, forthe manufacture of pencils and gold pens in Shutesbury andAmherst.”From the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate. The Rulau plate coin.