This firm was active in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They seem to have been best known as a retailer of printer's supplies, but they also sold, and possibly manufactured, woodworking machinery.
Information Sources
- The most direct evidence we have that this firm likely manufactured woodworking machinery is that it was assigned at least four patents related to sawmills. The patents are from 1885 through 1887. Three patent are for sawmill set-works, and one is for insertible saw teeth.
- A legal precedent was set in a lawsuit involving this firm, 46 Wash. 226, 89 P. 547 TATUM V. GEIST (S. Ct. 1907). The decision mentions that the defendant had purchased a planer from Tatum & Bowen: "1 26X8, 6 roll, divided
roll, new Northwest. To be furnished with 1 complete set of Philbrick Matcher heads for flooring and shiplap, $ 1,100." The appellant was "H. L. Tatum, et. al."
- Regarding the reference to Philbrick Matcher heads, above: we know of two 1899 patents for matcher heads, granted to Warren W. Philbrick of Seattle, WA, patents 633,153 and 633,154. A 1923 Seattle city directory has an entry for "Philbrick Cutter Head Co., Clayton Philbrick Pres-Mgr Manufacturer of Planer Heads and Knives 536 1st Ave S Tel Elliott 1013". We have not tried calling that number. A web search did not turn up any more information on Warren Philbrick or Philbrick Cutter Head Co.
- A posting in the Usenet newsgroup comp.fonts provides URLs for some pages from a printer's supplies catalog from this company.
- A ad
from the Hart Emery Wheel Co., Ltd. mentions Tatum & Bowen as a seller of Rogers' Patent Saw Filer.