Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 1:30 PM #1

Gary Smyth
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Monday-Late Start

18th century America.

The cities of Boston, Plymouth, in Massachusetts, Windsor, Milford, in Connecticut, Walpole, and Portsmouth in New Hampshire were famous for what I�m searching. (Even more famous today if you can find one!) New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia also made what the above places made but some of the latter makers moved from the above states to start their business and others simply copied the simpler forms of them. As they moved to the big city they adopted different execution of the product.

What was unique about the former group? What product were they specialized in making?

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 4:25 PM #2

Dan Donaldson
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Re: Monday-Late Start

Going to have to sit here and think about that for awhile.

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 5:06 PM #3

Gary Smyth
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Re: Monday-Late Start

Thinking is involved but not necessarily sitting. By that I mean chairs are not involved.

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 5:59 PM #4

Ken Oakley-Sunny St. Cloud, Fla.
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Re: Monday-Late Start

I do some of my best thinking sitting on the toilet, but Trenton, N.J. would probably be better known for toilets then the cities you mentioned. Antiques Roadshow features a lot of sideboards, dressers, highboys, etc. from your areas.

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 8:37 PM #5

Gary Smyth
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Not furniture. Get particular.

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 9:22 PM #6

Thomas Skaggs
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Is this particular enough?.....

....is it the wings for wing nuts?

Tom

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/2/07, 11:48 PM #7

Ken Oakley-Sunny St. Cloud, Fla.
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Re: Not furniture. Get particular.

All cities mentione are seaports, so I suspect something nautical or related. I seem to remember seeing something, somewhere about baskets and seafarers--maybe?

Re: Monday-Late Start

4/3/07, 2:44 AM #8

Gary Smyth
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Monday Answer

Ken got the connection to seaports. The cities I mentioned were famous for precision WOODEN instruments, particularly compasses, backstaffs and the like. Some were nautical and some were for land surveying. Instrument makers of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston of the time favored brass as their base material. So far there are only thirty known examples of wooden compasses mostly scattered in museums and ivy league school collections. All were made in the cities I mentioned and no other towns of origin have yet been discovered. For those of you who have stuff stored in your attic the makers were Joseph Halsey, James Halsey II, Thomas Greenough, William Williams, John Depee, Jere Clough, Andrew Newell, Aaron Breed, Charles Thacher, Benjamin Warren, Benjamin King Haggar, Thomas Bowles and Samuel Thaxter. Several of these instrument makers moved away from New England later in life and made brass instruments after they moved. Not part of the trivia was the type of wood used and it varied. Of the known instruments, Maple, Cherry, Walnut, Apple, Mahogany, Oak, Gum, Hickory, Birch, and Basswood have been found. If you find a wood compass with wooden sights contact an appraiser real fast.

Monday-Late Start

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