General Antiques and Collectibles Spring Auction
Lot 605:
Description
C-18301
c. 1930s; Specialty Tool MFG Co. – Belleville, IL Cast-iron "Improved Handy" Model L asbestos shingle cutter manufactured by Specialty Tool MFG Co. of Belleville, Illinois. Patented in 1931 by inventor Severin N. Gundlach, this robust bench-mounted device was designed to shear asbestos-cement shingles with precision and speed. The machine features a long lever handle for mechanical advantage, a fixed cutting base with graduated openings, and cast lettering across both sides of the frame. An example of early 20th-century industrial problem-solving, it embodies the heavy-duty craftsmanship of Depression-era toolmaking.
Shows oxidation and surface wear throughout with traces of original gray paint; mounted to a wooden display base.
38.5" W x 7.75" D x 17.5" H
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