Warner Hammer Company

Warner & Noble

Tools Made: Hammers and edge tools.

Working Dates: 1818 to 1931.

     Isaac Warner, blacksmith, made hammers in Middletown starting in 1818. He was born in New Haven and moved to Middletown in the late 1700s. His first home there, still standing, is located at 33 Ferry Street. There he operated four forges and is credited with originating the claw hammer. Decker states Warner might have been the first claw hammer manufacturer in this country. I was able to find another two references with this information. The oldest is J. H. Beers, 1903. His mark is below.

                                                    Fig. 1                                                                     Fig. 2

Claw hammer Marked "I. WARNER".

     Isaac's sons Marvin R. and Issac H. Warner, in association with William P. Allison made hammers in the Nooks area of the Middletown Upper Houses, after 1851, this area became the town of Cromwell. The partnership started in 1846 and ended in 1849. The Warners then moved to west Cromwell. (Walling). The mark was Fig. 3.

     

(Photos courtesy of MWTCA member Bill Warner, Nappanee, IN)

Fig. 3

Marked "M.R. & I.H. WARNER / CAST STEEL"

William M. Noble became a partner in 1849. After Noble joined the mark was WARNERS & NOBLE, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4.

Marked "WARNERS & NOBLE

CAST STEEL"

     Isaac sold his shares in the company and the mark became WARNER & NOBLE, Fig. 6. Also, WARNER & NOBLE / CAST STEEL, two lines. This happened after 1877. The heading on the invoice below, provided by Ken Bassett, Fig. 8, is WARNERS & NOBLE. In 1884 Noble sold his shares to Marvin’s son, Chauncey and the business was M. R. Warner & Son. Chauncey' son Willis Warner, b. 1883, is listed in the 1910 as a hammer manufacturer and in the 1920 census as an advertisement manager in a Manufacturing shop. (This entry is not very clear). The 1930 census has him as a salesman in a stock office.

Fig. 5.

9 1/2 inch jeweler's hammer.

Fig. 6

Marked "WARNER & NOBLE"

Below is a mark for Warner's U.S.A.

Fig. 7

Marked "WARNER'S U.S.A.".

     Bill Warner provided the mark in Fig. 8. This was after the country of origin was required, 1896?

(Photo courtesy of MWTCA member Bill Warner, Nappanee, IN)

Fig. 8

Marked "WARNER, U.S.A."

The 1916 invoice supplied by Ken Bassett shows that the company now made edge tools. Fig. 9. The company ended in 1931.

The following invoices were supplied by MWTCA member Ken Bassett, Tacoma, WA.

  Fig. 8

1877 invoice.

     Notice the variety of hammers made.

Fig. 9

1916 invoice.

     This invoice from Ken Bassett supplied the link for the Warner family. Fig. 9 shows the establishment date, 1818. The trademark in the upper left corner marked WARNER & NOBLE. Fig. 10 is a picture of the trademark on a ripping hammer. This is the only mark on it.

Fig. 10

     Marvin Warner served as Justice of the Peace for many years. Also as Cromwell's representative in the State legislature, 1852-52. He was a Selectman for several years and held other town positions. (Beers,).

     Below is an undated picture of the Warner Hammer Factory and a hammer display at the society. (Photos courtesy of the Cromwell Historical Society)

Fig.11

Warner Hammer Factory.

Fig. 12

Display at the Cromwell Historical Society.

Fig. 13

Various hammers made by The Warner Company

The family plot is located in the old center cemetery in Cromwell.

Fig. 14

Also see William P. Allison and  W. M. Noble.

 References:  14, 39, 40, 47, 50, 51.    Back Home

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