From September 1952 Popular Mechanics

In early 1952 Albert J. Tatu (also Albert J. Tatu Co. and Albert J. Tatu, Inc.), of Williamsville, NY, began selling a patent combination bender, shear, punch and riveter. Weighing only 6 lb., this small item was sold through ads in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science. Similar ads appeared intermittently until 1960 then disappeared until 1965 when the identical tool was being produced by Albert J. Tatu Co. of Naples, Florida. These ads continued through to 1967.

We have also seen a small sheet metal brake from "Albert J. Tatu, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., 14221". The Zip Code means that it is no earlier than 1963. An undated flyer for the 4-in-1 tool is from "Albert J. Tatu Co. / 545473 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14221".

Albert J. Tatu, Inc., was formally dissolved on 1980-11-21 but had probably been inactive for some years prior to that.

Information Sources

• 1947 issue of The Canadian Patent Office Record and Register of Copyrights (volume 75 issues 5-8, page 1883).

  N.S. 24914. FUEL MIZER—Word mark. Wares: Fuel saving and smoke control devices, used in furnaces, boilers and the like. McKeown Engineering Company, a firm whose principal members are: Albert J. Tatu and Merton J. Anderschott, Buffalo, New York, United States of America. Date of registration: 12th of July, 1946. Date of first use: United States—April, 1935—Canada—27th December, 1945.

• Findagrave.com page for Albert J. Tatu (1912-1986).
• New York State Corporations Database entry for Albert J. Tatu, Inc..