Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
Roots
Mountain climber
SoCal
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 4, 2013 - 12:57pm PT
|
I have a bunch of these...the markings have worn off most of these but this one is still clear. "Osborne Coinage 1952". On the flip side; "U.S."
Anyone know anything about these? Common back then?
How about "DC"..any idea who's intials there were?
Enjoy!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Contact Osbourne Coinage for their stamp connection to this carabiner. The ink stamp could easily be removed and resembles the US AMES dated stamps common on other military hardware.
As far as the "DC" stamp, no clue. Dean Caldwell?
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
Doug Cairns
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Osbourne Coinage made them on contract for the Gov I would wager.
|
|
jabbas
Trad climber
phx AZ
|
|
Or maybe they were used to lift pallets of encased coins for which they were known for - you have probably seen those "never be broke" pennies surrounded by an aluminum horseshoe shape. Just guessing!
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
Company History
Originally founded in 1835 under the name of the Z. Bisbee Co. and known today as Osborne Coinage Co., it is America's oldest private mint. In 1943 the mint was acquired by Clifford Stegman Sr. and two partners as Osborne Coinage Company. Today, it is operated by Thomas Stegman and his sons Jeffrey and Todd.
Osborne holds numerous distinctions. It minted the 1860 presidential campaign medals for Abraham Lincoln's successful campaign, and for eight other presidential candidates. During World War II, Osborne was called upon by the U.S. Government to mint 5 billion food ration tokens, causing production to reach 80 million tokens a day. ...
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
If anyone has written a definitive history of military hardware I sure would love to see it.
Last half of the Korean War would be a good time to land a contract for a few thousand. Formed rod stock ovals are pretty simple to jig, form and finish.
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
SoCal
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 22, 2013 - 12:30pm PT
|
The company did not return my email. I'll call them this week and see what they know.
I thought these were interesting because climbers from this period talk about the weight of metal carabiners as only a few companies making carabiners from aluminum but were costly.
Then we have some here made for the military...I've seen steel military carabiners dated all the way through the 80's.
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
SoCal
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 3, 2013 - 02:51pm PT
|
I spoke with a employee at Osborne. He's more or less become their "historian". He told me that as old files are found, he saves the literature and enjoys keeping track of all of their past products, etc. but not much was writtin years ago so not much to look back on and the main owner passed away taken a lot of the history with him.
He was surprised that Osborne Coinage made carabiners. First time he had heard of it! I am sending the pictures to him for his files.
The most he could provide was what he had already contributed to an internet article:
"Osborne Coinage Company, manufacturer, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Founded 1920 by Wiley W. Osborne as Osborne Register
Company. That same year the firm had purchased the Murdock
Stamp and Speciality Company -- headed by James Murdock Jr.
(q.v.) -- which, in turn, traced its roots to John Stanton (q.v.)
the area's first diesinker. While the exact date may be nebulous,
Osborne uses 1835 as the firm's founding date. In 1944 W.W.
Osborne sold the firm to Dayton Acme Company, which later
named it Osborne Coinage Company."
He did say that he has literature from Osborne Register that remarks that during WWII they made pilot survival equipment and parachute "clips" for the war effort. But he thought once the war ended and the company was sold to Acme that they stopped making military equipment.
...I wonder if 'clips' means carabiners?
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
May 26, 2013 - 02:01pm PT
|
Bump for a news clip...
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2013 - 12:05pm PT
|
Any closure here?
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2013 - 12:10pm PT
|
Gotta admit, that's a pretty interesting little tidbit of history/trivia.
Still not weirder than a couple of old Euro nuts and pins I have, HA!
|
|
Bobert
Trad climber
boulder, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2013 - 12:47pm PT
|
That looks like a carabiner we used to call "Army Ovals". We bought them at a hardware store here in Boulder. They were grey in color instead of the usual aluminum color and were prized because they were cheap and slightly larger than Bedayn ovals which made them good for racking pitons. There were never very many of them available here.
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
SoCal
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 26, 2013 - 05:31pm PT
|
Thanks for the info! I've since came across reference in one of my 1950's gear catalogs (Sport Chalet) and they list US Army aluminum oval carabiners....probably the same!?
|
|
| Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!