Possible Russell & Erwin cowbell??

[Colin Weedon]

Hi,
This is my first post so I hope it arrives!!
I have a cowbell with a finely incised inscription in plain block capitals of '5 R&E MFG CO NY' in four lines. The bell is 18cm high, 8cm wide and 5cm deep. it has a heavy clanger. The metal is cover all over with a raised pattern of a tree/foliage with an oriental 'feel'. If anyone can help with the following queries I would be really grateful:
- Does the inscription relate to Russell & Erwin Manufacturing Co.
- Is it likely that the cowbell is 'as produced' or has it been fabricated from an older item - the pattern looks too good for a cowbell but the incised lettering is nicely centred suggesting it is as manufactured.
Any help or advice would be really appreciated.
Kindest regards from Australia
Colin Weedon

 

[Doug D.]

The hollow ware R&E Mfg. Co. (Russell & Erwin) was a jobber and based in New Britain, Connecticut. If there was a NY branch, I am not aware of it. Although they did market various hardware items, the possibility of an item being fabricated from an older cast iron cookware piece are remote, considering that the iron used to cast cookware was 99.9999% of the time not a malleable form of the metal. I have done a search and have been able to view more clearly the lettering on a cowbell so-marked, and am led to conclude that, if the two R&E are related, the bell's markings appear to be those of a piece produced several decades later than the R&E gem pans.

 

[Steve Stephens]

Wasn't R&E a general hardware seller and didn't make a lot of what they sold? They didn't make the gem pans with their name on them just as Sears did not make the iron cookware that they sold. I have no info on your cowbell but the markings may be original to the new bell.

 

[Colin Weedon]

Thanks Steve - I know nothing of the company - the only reference I could find was the Cast Iron Collector - thanks for you input to my research it, and your time are much appreciated. Kindest regards Colin

---------- Post added at 07:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:13 PM ----------

Hi Doug, What a good point on cast iron not being maleable (I really should have realised - I worked in a foundry for a while after leaving school many years ago!!). Yes I thought the incised marks were a bit 'fresh' for something around a hundred years old. Anyway I will continue my research. Thank you very much for your valued input and for your time, Kindest regards Colin