Determining the Age of W. Rose Tools

1800s

W. Rose has always stamped their forged tools with variations of the business name, and sometimes an abbreviation of West Philadelphia. However, determining when W. Rose made a particular tool is difficult because of the rarity of catalogs and lack of early advertising with pictures. The only scanned catalog available is 1929. The earliest picture in advertising or a hardware catalog is 1897. Advertising of the period shows that between 1909 and 1916 the firm dropped West Philadelphia as the location from their stamp, so it read "W. ROSE".

Before 1916

1887 Advertisement

Before 1916

Another difference is that earlier tools use a serif style lettering, changing to a sans serif on or before 1916.  On most trowels and leather tools, the lettering is right-side up when the tool is held in the right hand, but a few are reversed. These variations and their approximate dates are:

1902 advertisement (serif style lettering is not accurate)  

W. ROSE
Serif style letters, read with handle on the right or the left
1800s

W. ROSE
PHILAD.
Serif style letters, read with handle on the right
1800s

W. ROSE
WEST PHILA.

1916 advertisement

Serif style letters, read with handle on the right
Before 1916

    W. ROSE
WEST PHILA.
Serif style letters, read with handle on the right
Before 1916

  W. ROSE=
WEST PHILA.
Serif style letters, read with handle on the right
Before 1916

1924 presentation trowel (engraved with date) 

W. ROSE/
Sans serif letters
1924

W. ROSE-
Sans serif letters

W. ROSE U.S.A.
Sans serif letters

In recent decades Rose brick trowel handles were stamped:

U.S.A. version

                  W. ROSE
MADE IN U.S.A. SHARON HILL, PA.

The catalog number and length follow W. ROSE.

1959, stamped handle