18x-Vintage-antique-forged-wrought-iron-canal-windlasses-narrowboat-lock-keys 18x-V

[Ray T]

No connection:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18x-Vintage-antique-forged-wrought-iron-canal-windlasses-narrowboat-lock-keys-/322393549992?hash=item4b10272ca8:g:F88AAOSwNnRYfei0

 

Looks as if there may be some Cooke ones in there.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2017 by Ray T

[David Schweizer]

Definitely three (possibly four) are Wheelock windlasses, but I cannot see any evidence of the G.H.Cooke mark, the pipeclay mark suggest that they were probably made by his father or possibly his grandfather .

 

Are these being sold by Magnetman of this Parish? I know he had found quite a few. If they were not "collection only" from London, I could be interested

 

P.S. You have reminded me, I must finish my article about G.H.Cooke , and get it published.

Edited January 20, 2017 by David Schweizer

[David Schweizer]

The seller has found more, there are now 22 for sale, bidding is now at £23.

[David Schweizer]

Bidding has now reached £185, and still one and a half days to go.

[Ray T]

Bidding has now reached £185, and still one and a half days to go.

 

To quote those on Dragon's Den - "I'm out."

[FadeToScarlet]

Bidding has now reached £185, and still one and a half days to go.

How much?!

 

Will have to get the magnet out when out and about this summer....

[Paul H]

The Historic Narrow Boat Club will shortly be holding another auction of canal and narrow boat collectables. Amongst the items we are cataloguing are a number of "Cooke" windlasses. Some have the name G H Cooke stamped and others just the clay pipe mark. Can it be confirmed absolutely that a windlass with the pipe but without the name is made by a relative of G.H but not the man himself. There are also a collection of brass miniature windlasses with the kite mark. It has been suggested that they were made as boatman's gifts but could they be modern copies?

 

Also one or two have notches ground out around the eye - was this a boatman's way of identifying his own windlass or something else?

 

Further details of the auction nearer the date!

 

Paul

[Ray T]

The Historic Narrow Boat Club will shortly be holding another auction of canal and narrow boat collectables. Amongst the items we are cataloguing are a number of "Cooke" windlasses. Some have the name G H Cooke stamped and others just the clay pipe mark. Can it be confirmed absolutely that a windlass with the pipe but without the name is made by a relative of G.H but not the man himself. There are also a collection of brass miniature windlasses with the kite mark. It has been suggested that they were made as boatman's gifts but could they be modern copies?

 

Also one or two have notches ground out around the eye - was this a boatman's way of identifying his own windlass or something else?

 

Further details of the auction nearer the date!

 

Paul

 

Top two Windlass of the five:

 

 

"Brass & small windlass are embossed with the mark of a clay pipe, denoting the manufacturer "Cooke". Small steel windlass has been filed to personalise it."

 

Photo taken by me at the Museum Stoke Bruerne, 2012.

 

ETA the display has been changed since photo was taken.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Ray T

[David Schweizer]

The Historic Narrow Boat Club will shortly be holding another auction of canal and narrow boat collectables. Amongst the items we are cataloguing are a number of "Cooke" windlasses. Some have the name G H Cooke stamped and others just the clay pipe mark. Can it be confirmed absolutely that a windlass with the pipe but without the name is made by a relative of G.H but not the man himself. There are also a collection of brass miniature windlasses with the kite mark. It has been suggested that they were made as boatman's gifts but could they be modern copies?

 

Also one or two have notches ground out around the eye - was this a boatman's way of identifying his own windlass or something else?

 

Further details of the auction nearer the date!

 

Paul

 

Yes and no.

 

Having undertaken a considerable amount of research about the maker of G H Cooke Windlasses, I feel that I can safely state that, whilst it cannot be proved, it can be reasonably assumed that those with just a pipeclaty impression were also either made by him or by a relative (probably his father)

 

Many years ago i was advised by a reliable source (John Knill), that all the windlasses with a pipeclay impression originate from Wheelock in Cheshire, and were known collectively by the working boatmen as "Willocks"

 

There are usually six notches and It has been suggested that they are a means of identifying ownership, but on all those I have examined the notches are all the same and in more or less the same location, and their occurence is far too common to achieve any indication of ownership. The notches feature more frequently on those maked G H COOKE than those with just a pipeclay mark, but both types are known to posses them. In the absence of any alternative evidence, it my belief is that they are merely addidional decoration.

 

I hope that helps. I really must finish and publish my short history of the Wheelock Windlass!!

Edited February 8, 2017 by David Schweizer