Tool Crib Checks

[briankeith]

Been seeing a lot of these tool checks this year on EBay so I bought one - took it to the West Orange plant (historic site) and showed it to one of the museum people and he said it was a fake. Opinions?

[cmshapiro]

I don't think these are fake. I am sure they had them produced by the hundreds over the years. This is just not an item historically important enough to justify "faking".

All said museum curators and tour guides are notorious for having/giving false info. The Smithsonian has many very incorrect dates on items in their early electrical/lighting exhibit, and that data is provided by head curatorial staff. I would always use information from a museum personal as a basis for reaching a conclusion, but never the final proof.

[briankeith]

It's funny though, all of a sudden, this year anyway, two or three of these are showing up on EBay every month or so - and the area where it is stamped EPW (Edison Phonograph Works) seems to have been re-tooled (?)

[cmshapiro]

It's funny though, all of a sudden, this year anyway, two or three of these are showing up on EBay every month or so - and the area where it is stamped EPW (Edison Phonograph Works) seems to have been re-tooled (?)

No question that they are turning up more commonly but also they are all from the same seller. Chances are they found a box of them. I know from antique light bulb collecting that often a bulb will be very rare and then a bunch will pop up as they are often found as a stash of spares someone put in at attic, etc.

I just don't see the value in trying to fake these, stamp each one with a different number, fake different patinas on each one (as they all look different), to sell them for $30?

I also think that often "museum people" don't have any clue how common some of these items are in the "real world", and its easy for them to assume that an item not in an institution is fake. Without a back story on how they are fake (usually this justification is the other way around), I think this is pure conjecture.

[Marco Gilardetti]

What's the purpose of these "tool checks" however?

[briankeith]

I guess to keep track of who takes a tool out of the tool crib? If you look at my photo it seems to me that an area was ground off and the new letters "EPW" were stamped in. Another department may have been closed so these tool checks were re-purposed to be used at the phonograph department ?? I'm really not sure. Plus I assume EPW stands for Edison Phonograph Works, I may be wrong.....

[Garret]

I'd be curious to know who you showed it to at the Edison National Historic Site. Charlie Hummel could probably give you some advice on this item as well, presuming you can find a way to contact him.

Best,

Garret

[briankeith]

I didn't bother to get a name sorry