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Canadian or american manufacturers? (bis)

D

Dandebur

Well-Known Member
Hello!
My question today concerns cases of 18Pr made by the manufacturers E.V.& M.CO. and EWBC.
It seems to me that the order is as follow, but perhaps it is the opposite:
The manufacturer E.V.& M.CO. was at the beginning canadian: lot with letters as some others canadian manufacturers, broad-arrow inside a C, inspector's mark N° 5. The production has most probably started in 1916. Then he has used the system used by the american firms or english firms from 1916 i.e. lot with a number. (if this order is correct, because there is no more date). But now we can see near the name the two letters IF in a circle. My idea is that E.V.& M.CO. has been owned by a american firm in 1916. Recently, I have found a case made by EWBC in 1916 with the same two letters IF in a circle.
Can somebody shed the light on the relation between E.V.& M.CO. and EWBC ?
pic 1: E.V.& M.CO. lot CH 22 6 16 ( I have also the lots HK 22 8 16 and LX 7 9 16)
pic 2: E.V.& M.CO. with letters IF in a circle lot 152. ( I have also the lot 136)
pic 3 : EWBC with letters IF in a circle.
Regards,
Dandebur.1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg
 
Dandebur,

E.V. & M.Co is Edward Valve and Manufacturing Co. Inc. Of East Chicago, Indiana.
EWBC is E.W. Bliss of Brooklyn, New York.

As far as I can ascertain, Edward never had a factory in Canada. I think it possible that the first case was supplied to Canada, hence the Canadian acceptance stamp. The second two supplied direct to the UK, hence the plain Broad Arrow. Is the mark actually “IF” within a circle? As under magnification the circle appears to be broken and more of a stylised “C”.
The second and third case have both been filled at least twice and thus it is possible that the IF mark is post production and that both cases have been through the same establishment where, for whatever reason, they’ve been stamped with this mark.

You do have some interesting cases!

TimG
 
TimG,
Thank you very much for your reply. It is the solution to the mystery regarding E.V.& M.CO. american or canadian.
About the letters IF in a C (You are right, it is not a circle), it seems to me that they are of origine and not added at the time of the refilling. I add the two other cases, I have from E.V.& M.CO, both have the letters IF and on both, I have not seen the letters CF! On the N°4 , lot 136, there is only the F of the refilling but not on the N°5 (another lot 152). Still a question to solve.
Regards,
Dandebur.4.jpg5.jpg
 
Dandebur,

I would suggest you've solved the mystery. As you state both cases are missing what we would consider normal case history stamps (C + Fs) but, that is what the "IF" within the "C" must be - a case history stamp. As both cases are American, one would assume they were filled in the US and it is quite possible the filling contractor misinterpreted the Ministry of Supply's requirement for marking (I have an British fuze from the 1950's when the numbering system changed and the manufacturer used half of the new system and half the old system). We've now got to work out what the "I" signifies, it could be a "1" denoting the first filling.

Regards

TimG.
 
Last edited:
TimG,
The solution was in face of my eyes and I have not seen it! All my questions have found their answer.
Thanks again.
Regards,
Dandebur.
 
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