Mohawk Hammers

The Henry Cheney Hammer Corporation produced a line of hammers that were marketed as “Mohawk Hammers”. These are listed in Cheney catalog No. 25, which was published circa 1941.

Below is a fine example, a bell face curved claw hammer, from the personal collection of the last Superintendent of the Cheney hammer factory, Frank Bostner.

At first glance it appears that these were their economy line, but a closer look leads toward the theory that this was an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the western genre and/or the famous Mohawk Ironworkers who built the skyscrapers of Manhattan. It’s markings are a bit more elaborate and include an Indian head figure (presumably Mohawk) on both the handle and head.

No mention has been found of the company and the Mohawk people together — only the company and the Mohawk river, upon which the company relied for water-power for just over a century — from the Spring of 1854 until July 2, 1954. In 1782, during the Revolutionary War, the Mohawks burned a gristmill, at the site which later became the home of the company.

This face seems reminiscent of the 70's “Keep America Beautiful” anti-pollution PSA. Of course it turned out Iron Eyes Cody wasn’t a Native American at all.

Acknowledgement

This page was made possible by the generosity of Don Gregory — grandson of Frank Bostner.

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