Mike Tolentino comments:
I recently found what looks like old bricks in my mom's back yard. The bricks were marked CASCO X, Cowen M, BonnieBridge and Evens-Howard St Louis. I was wondering if they were made in the early 1900's or if those markings mean anything?
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteThose bricks seem like fire bricks. Check and see if that
"C" in the CASCO isn't really a "G". Sometimes its hard to tell. If it is indeed GASCO it would have been made by the Stockton Fire Brick Co. of Stocton, CA. Karl Gurcke`in his work-"Bricks and Brickmaking" indicates that the GASCO name was in use in the period of 1921-1942
I'm not familiar with the BONNIE BRIDGE mark. This one may be a Scotch import. The COWEN (if not COWAN which is a PA product) may also be an
imported firebrick. ,,, sorry I can't be of more help. - Fred Rieck
Here's a link for info on Evens-Howard
ReplyDeleteMike, An article in the Spring 2009 edition of the Journal of the International Brick Collectors Association - "Bricks Tell of 16000-mile Voyage" (from Fall 2008 "Lime Kiln Chronicles") quote ... "The COWEN bricks were made by Joseph Cowen & Co., Blaydon-on Tyne, England.
ReplyDeleteThe article goes on to say that it was cheaper to send British firebrick by sea around Cape Horn to California, than it was to ship midwestern firebrick to California by rail.
Fred Rieck