Historical information

The company Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. was founded in Peoria, Illinois, by Alexander Vaughan. It began as a plumbing business, which in those days consisted of digging wells and piping water into the kitchens of the local citizenry. Alexander's business prospered, but the inventive, 18-year-old blacksmith had his eye on bigger things.

Alexander had an idea for improving the design of the augers used for digging fencing post holes. He turned this idea into reality, and believing that Chicago would outstrip Peoria as a business centre, moved to the Windy City. He set up a blacksmith shop in a room behind a hardware store owned by Sidney Bushnell.

On June 15, 1869, Alexander was granted U.S. Patent No. 91,387 for his Improved Post Auger. Customer satisfaction with Vaughan post augers led to requests for other hand tools, and Alexander soon found himself in the custom tool business. Since that time, Vaughan has been transformed from a small maker of hand tools to one of the world's largest manufacturers of striking tools that today are still producing quality tools for the world's markets.

Significance

Vaugahn & Co. was a significant USA company that became the leader in the manufacture of striking tools that have been exported all over the world.

Physical description

Hammer: tinner's setting or pairing hammer. The head has a square poll and a wedge. Stamped with the inscription. Manufactured in the UK by Vaughan.

Inscriptions & markings

Stamped "Vaughan "