AMERICAN HARDWARE & SUPPLY COMPANY
 
AMERICAN HARDWARE & SUPPLY CO.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA   1910-1975+-
By Tom Lamond ©
   The American Beauty Rose symbol was registered by the American Hardware & Supply Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The trademark registration was issued on December 22, 1914 as No. 81, 360. Included in the write-up that accompanied the application, and subsequently became part of the registration, was the claim that the trademark had been used since March 1, 1911. Indications are that the American Beauty Rose was hybridized in 1875 and the theme was applied to all kinds on things.
   Tool markings usually included a depiction of the American Beauty Rose within a circle along with the name AMERICAN BEAUTY. The markings were used on axes, hatchets, butcher-knives, paring-knives, pocket-knives, shears & scissors, hammers, auger-bits, bit braces, chisels, handles, shovels, wrenches and tin snips. It has also been seen on a spokeshave cutter.
   Some designs etched into axes and hatchets were deeper and more detailed than others. One style was even areas that were painted. The markings on the other types of tools were stamped as line depictions. One form of marking only included the wording AMERICAN BEAUTY along with a simplified star.
    Sometime just after WWII the company moved north to Butler, Pennsylvania. It is believed that they were primarily distributors and did not manufacture all, if any, of the tools they marketed. Tools have been observed with the name of the actual maker as well as American Hdw. & Sup. Co.
   In 1975 the American Hdw. & Supply Co. was instrumental in the forming of a cooperative buying group called Servistar. Sometime in the 1990s Servistar joined with the True Value buying group which resulted in the larger group called TruServ.
Facsimile of a paper label used on some axes.
Painted designs had similar coloring.
Trademark registered as No. 81,360 to the American Hardware & Supply Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The issue date was December 22, 1914 and the registration  indicated that the trademark had been used since March 1, 1911.
Stamped marking used on some double bit axes.
The name AMERICAN BEAUTY with a star-type marking was stamped into some tools.
American Beauty stamping as used on spokeshave cutters.
American Beauty embossing as used on some axes.
American Beauty embossing as used on some hatchets.