Button-Hole Punches:
Use:
Button-hole punches create a slit in leather with either a round hole or teardrop shaped "pippen hole" in one end for the threads of the button to set in. Most of the tools have a means of adjusting the length of the cut.
Toolmaker: H.D. Walcott
Inventor: H.D. Walcott
- A very clean H.D. Walcott button-hole cutter.
- Marked, "H.D. WALCOTT'S PATENT JULY 27, 1852", once in large print and again in small print, around the hinge.
- I believe the patent to be:
- U.S. Patent No. 00009158, Dated July 27, 1852, "Graduated Cutter for Cloth and Other Substances", Halsey D. Walcott, of Boston, Massachusetts.
- This punch has a pippen hole. The brass bottom plate may be adjusted to change the length of the slot.
Toolmaker: F.C. Leypoldt
Inventor: F.C. Leypoldt
- The first tool is stamped with a "6" the second tool is stamped with a "2" and the third tool is stamped with "3" and finally the forth is stamped with a "1". I believe these to be size codes. The length of cut may be adjusted by positioning of the bottom cutting plates. All punches have pippen holes
- I have found a variety of U.S. Patents and re-issues for these tools as listed below.
- U.S. Patent No. 00030925, Dated December 18, 1860, "Apparatus for Cutting Button-Holes", Frederick C. Leypoldt, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- U.S. Patent No. 00048962, Dated July 25, 1865, "Improvement in Button-Hole Cutters", Frederick C. Leypoldt, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- U.S. Patent No. 00202446, Dated April 16, 1878, "Improvement in Button-Hole Cutters", Frederick C. Leypoldt, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- U.S. Patent Re-Issue No. 1728, Dated July 12, 1864, of U.S. Patent No. 30925.
- U.S. Patent Re-Issue No. 8713, Dated May 12, 1879, of U.S. Patent No. 202446.
- Marked "F.C. LEYPOLDT, PHILA PA PAT. DEC. 1860" stamped on the brass plate that holds the cutting blade in the tool. The upper tool is stamped with a date of "JULY 25 65".
- I found this tool in an antique store labeled as a wire cutter, what a find.
- Marked "F.C. LEYPOLDT, PHILA PA PAT. DEC. 1860" stamped on the brass plate that holds the cutting blade in the tool.
- This tool does not have a date stamped on it, and it does appear to be of later origin.
- Marked "F.C. LEYPOLDT, PHILA. PA PAT. APR 16, 78 RE. MAY 13, 79" stamped on the side of the tool.
- The rotating cutting surface appears to be a response to the Bauer 1872 patent.
- Marked "F.C. LEYPOLDT, PHILA PA PAT. DEC. 1860" and "JULY 25 65"stamped on the brass plate that holds the cutting blade in the tool.
Toolmakers: H. Sauerbier's Sons, R. Heinisch, J. Wiss & Sons and Reliance Compton.
Inventor: Peter Bauer
- These tools are all based on U.S. Patent No. 129309, Dated July 16, 1872, "Improvement in Button-Hole Cutters", Peter Bauer, of Newark, New Jersey.
- The bronze cutting surface can be rotated to different positions to adjust the length of the cut. The punch creates a round hole.
Top: H. Sauerbier's Sons
Left to Right: Unknown Maker, R. Heinisch, J. Wiss & Sons and Reliance Compton
- Marked "H. SAUERBIER'S SONS" on the handle and "P. BAUER, PAT JUL 16 '72, NEWARK, N.J." on the head.
- This tool is missing it's spring and depth gauge.
- Unknown maker, marked with patent date, tool complete.
- Almost identical construction to the H. Sauerbier's Sons version above.
- Marked "R. HEINISCH, NEWARK, N.J., U.S.A.".
- Slightly different construction to the origional design. The depth gauge is moved to the side and the tool appears to be made out of stainless steel. This tool is complete.
- Marked "J. WISS & SONS, NEWARK, N.J., U.S.A.".
- This tool appears to be identical and marked similarly to the R. Heinisch version above. Wiss bought out R. Heinisch and this may be the reason. This tool is complete.
