E. J. Towle Mfg Company.

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I have been researching a Sterling Souvenir spoon from my Mother-In-Law's collection and I finally found a hallmark that is almost identical posted on another website. (I don't know if I am allowed to say where I found it, so I won't. If someone wants to ask me, I can e-mail the information.) The only difference between the hallmark they list and my hallmark is the position of the E. In their drawing, the E is below the X and in mine it is above the X - in both cases the E is between the two instruments. In any case, if they are accurate, you may want to add it to this site. You may use my picture(s) if you like.
They say that the hallmark is for E. J. Towle Mfg. Co. then in parenthesis it states: (successor to Mayer 1945). So this tells me that the age of the hallmark would be no older than 1945. The E. J. Towle Mfg. Co. doesn't appear to be in business today. Does anyone know when they when out of business? or a new owner/company name and when?
I found a sortave obscure reference to a company called West Earth Inc as "presumably" the new company name in 1985. I can find no other reference whatsoever to West Earth Inc.
Does anyone know how long this hallmark was used?

I am including a picture of the hallmark and the spoon itself, front and back. I am also including a sketch that I made of the imprint. As you can see there is a pick and a shovel crossing each other like an X and then the letters: J T and E in the spaces between the crossed handles.
(This is a commemorative spoon that says Alaska 49th State ...1959. I am researching to determine if it was produced in 1959 or later.)

[2209patrick]

I believe that is a mark used by the E.J. Towle Mfg. Company from 1945-1980.

Around 1895 Joseph Mayer and his two younger brothers, Marcus and Albert, emigrated from Germany to the Seattle Washington area. There they established a wholesale and manufacturing business. Albert and Marcus set up a jewelry business in Dawson in the middle of the Klondyke gold rush. This is were the gold miner's pick and shovel trademark came from.



In 1980 Charles B. Cantrell purchased E.J. Towle in partnership with Raoul Leblanc. They renamed the company West Earth, Inc.
In 1985, Cantrell bought out Raoul Leblanc and named the company Metal Arts Group.

Regards,
Pat.

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Thanks

[LaurenceL]

I remember E.J. Towle and I knew Raoul very well. I also remember Mayer Bro. as I'd did business with them up until the company changed to Seattle Findings. Vincent Nastus was with Mayer for I have no idea how many decades. He's gone too. I think he was in his 90s when he passed.

Raoul was a good friend. It's very sad what happened to his company.

I didn't know the early history of E.J. Towle. Very interesting. In 1924 47 men contributed gold for the fabrication of a commemorative golden bowl which still exists today.

I'm now in my 70s and remember what old Seattle was and some of the people who did business here.

[dognose]

Hi Laurence,

Welcome to the Forum.

Many thanks for sharing your memories with us. Please feel fee to add any further thoughts that come to mind, they are appreciated.

Trev.