| The Davistown Museum |
| Center for the Study of Early Tools |
| Scattered throughout The Davistown Museum are tools by important manufacturers who are also the subject of |
| information files compiled by the museum. This is a listing of our holdings for: |
| Loring and Aury Gates Coes |
| | Status | Location |
| Historic Maritime IV (1840-1865): The Early Industrial Revolution |
| Wrenches |
| TCZ3000 | Monkey wrench | bio | DTM | MH |
| Drop-forged iron, wood handle, 11 7/8" long, signed "L. COES PATEN__" (date obscured) and on the second side "____ BOSTON & |
| WORCESTER", probably c. 1835 - 1840. |
| This wrench appears to be one of the earliest versions of the famous Coes monkey wrench; Loring Coes patented his first wrench on April 16, |
| 1841. The wrench has characteristics of the late 18th century or early 19th century hand-forged wrenches in the Davistown Museum |
| collection, particularly in the way the handle is manufactured. According to Herb Page <mroldwrench@mchsi.com> "During the period of |
| 1848 to 1852 the firm of L & A.G. Coes contracted with the firm of Ruggles, Nourse & Mason on a 5 year term to market the entire production |
| of wrenches produced by this fledgling firm. R.N.& M. had branches in both Worcester & Boston and the wrenches produced during this time |
| period were stamped with 1) "L. Coes Patent", 2) "Ruggles, Nourse & Mason" if space permitted, depending on size of wrench and 3) |
| "Boston & Worcester" indicating the sales outlets of the marketing firm. These wrenches were manufactured in Worcester at the firm of L & |
| A. G. Coes and the particular marking referred to is indicative of early production during the above mentioned dates. These are quite rare |
| and have a distinctive circular insert in the working face of the lower jaw which is in line with the adjusting screw. Coes wrenches of this era |
| are quite rare and desirable among antique wrench collectors." |
| 11301T12 | Monkey wrench | bio | photo | BDTM | MH |
| Drop-forged iron and wood, 4 5/8" long, signed "L Coes & Co Pat Mar 29 1868". |
| Loring and his brother Aury Gates Coes had been in the wool machine business until 1839. This is the highly sought-after smallest size of |
| the many Coes wrenches. |
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