I recently picked up these huge 16-inch tin snips. I've cleaned them up and oiled them, and am looking forward to using them to handle heavier gauge steel.
The Rev. John Cartwright was born in Sangamon County, Illinois. After serving in the American Civil War, he preached as a Baptist minister in Illinois. In 1868, he brought his wife and four children across the country to California. An arduous journey in those days, it took five months. The party that was following him was massacred by Indians. Eventually locating in Fresno county in 1885, he bought a 40-acre plot near Malaga and created a vineyard. Familiar with the blacksmith's trade, around 1869 he began to manufacture the famous Cartwright pruning shears. After he died in 1902, his two sons carried on the firm, naming it J. Cartwright & Sons. In 1910, they built a brick factory, electrified it in 1914, and continued to hand-make the pruning shear out of oil-tempered steel, selling as "the best that is." By 1919, over 90% of the pruning shears used for pruning grapevines in California vineyards were Cartwright pruning shears.
At some point, the company diversified into "Tru-Cut" tin snips. It persevered into the early 1950's, but disappeared after that.
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Popular Science, September 1948
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I have a small clipper by them pat no 2138726
ReplyDeleteI just was given a 1 handled pair of lopers I saved them from the trash. Just wondering if I should keep em or trash em? What’s their value?
ReplyDeleteIf they work well, I'd keep them. I suspect they would not be very valuable but you could check Ebay...
ReplyDeleteI have checked all over the internet and found only 1 other pair. It had mis-matched handles, and new bolts etc holding it together.
DeleteI just came across a pair of the long-handled lopping shears. Beautiful piece of old equipment. I believe it's all original. Any idea of the value?
ReplyDeleteCan't help you with values, I check ebay...
ReplyDeleteJohn Marion Cartwright born 1874 was my grandfather. There is a pair of his pruning shears in the Madera Museum. You might check there for value. There is also a street in Malaga called Cartwright.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought 3 pair on e bay, each are stamped different, and made slightly different,one has larger handles
ReplyDeleteAll are in good shape ,one seems near new.
I am the granddaughter I have several pairs of his pruning shears. Would love to find a few more.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Hanford, California not far from Malaga, now in Montana. A couple of years ago found a Cartwright tin snip. The best snips I have ever used.
ReplyDeleteAbout a week ago In an estate sale came across Cartwright lopping shears. I didn't realize that until I got home. Again very nice shears.
Both of these are I'm sure older than me, I'm 70.
I have a horse trailer and the tongue is made by J. Cartwright and son, Malaga California! Would love to know how old this is
ReplyDeleteThat’s an odd product for a company knows for shears. It also would suggest the company was around till fairly recently.
ReplyDelete