Hammer

Object Name:

Hammer

Object ID:

1968.049.31

Place of Origin:

Enfield, NH

Date:

circa 1870

Description:

Hammer, carpenter's claw, probably Shaker. Heavy iron or steel head, paneled, forked tail, fastened into handle with iron braces, front and back. Oval cross-section, medium-brown hardwood handle extends into hammer head. Two 3.5" long straps extend downward from hammer head at front and back of socket. Straps about 0.5" wide; outside surfaces convex. Wooden handle fits between them. Two rivets extend all the way through straps and handle. One rivet near bottom end of strap. Second rivet near midpoint of strap. Hammer face roughly square with chamfered corners, about 1" square. Wide chamfers on corners taper back to area where handle fits into head at all four corners. Bottom chamfers turn downward slightly at their back end to meet bottom surface. Top chamfers taper completely into shape of body at sides. Claw groove is ~1.5" long. Claws curve downward and flare out at their ends. Claws bend downward about 70 degrees from horizontal. Stamp on left side hammerhead behind face: "[.]HOWUST[O][?]". ("I (J) Houston".

Material:

Metal
Wood
Steel
Iron

Dimensions:

W-4.5 L-11.7 D-1.4 inches

Credit Line:

Gift of Ethel Rock Millen

People:

Millen, Ethel Rock (1890-1980)

Subjects:

Hammers, Tools, Shakers