History of H.A. Lothrop Manufacturing Co.

H.A. Lothrop, of Sharon, Massachusetts, was one of the first American brick trowel manufacturers. As early as 1864, their trowels had patterns and handles that other manufacturers would use 50, 75, and 100 years later. Their tools are in the 1864 New York City hardware catalog of Blevin, Mead & Co.

Because others have researched Horace A. Lothrop's life, I won't repeat it here. Mr. Lothrop (1828-1898) had factories for trowels and cutlery, operating as H.A. Lothrop Manufacturing Co. In 1876 the trowel factory had 14 employees and the cutlery factory had 25. After his death, the company name changed in 1899 to H.A. Lothrop Co. His sister was married to Oliver Ames Jr., of shovel manufacturer Oliver Ames & Sons of nearby Easton, MA.

The complete Bliven, Mead & Co.'s "Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of American, German, English and French Hardware" is located here.

H.A. Lothrop advertisement, 1893

Lothrop's XX brick trowel, handle unknown