In 1845 a rich coal deposit was found near Kladno and the Vojtech Smelting Works was founded by Vojtech Lana and the Klein brothers with Vojtech’s name. In 1857 the Prague Ironworks Company was formed and Austrian Karl Wittgenstein,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Wittgenstein , became director after getting his start at a works in Teplitz and working up to director in 1877. Just prior to this in 1873 he married Leopoldina Kallmus. Vienna must have been a retail outlet or sales office but there could have been facilities there. At any rate he obtained and held an iron and steel monopoly in Bohemia and Moravia and was a buddy of Andrew Carnegie. He became the director of the Prague Ironworks Company and hung out his own shingle in 1889 by founding the Poldi Ironworks(Poldihutte) about 30 km outside of Prague,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kladno . Poldi was named after his wife Leopoldina’s nickname, Poldi, or his pet name for her. In 1893 Poldi Ironworks applied for a trademark which was a image or likeness of a woman or Leopoldina with a 5 sided star above her head, which stood for the 5 continents of which Poldi Ironworks intended on dominating. Littlegun has a page on which the tubes of a Gastinne Renette that have the trademark:
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20e%20f/a%20falla%20gb.htm (if someone would post pic 3 of the stamp I’d appreciate it).
Poldi had several types of steel:
Poldi Anti-corro – I guess it may have been high chromium iron
Poldi Elecktro – more than likely electric ovens like Roechling
Poldi Nickel Steel – probably high content nickel made in an acid open hearth
W02 – can’t say if it was barrel steel but I think auto(Thunderbolt??)
Victrix Special(Airplanes?) and I’m sure others.
But what began this search was the arrival of the latest GGCA publication which is a reprint of a Fred Adolph catalogue. And in it is an article on page “Fifty-Four” is entitled “Poldi “Anticorro” Steel” which is an extract from “Outer’s Book”. Adolph gives Poldi steel as being “Poldi Anti-corro Steel Works of Vienna”, as does E.C. Crossman and Lieut. Townsend Whelen in other similar publications. And after reading M. Petrov’s post
http://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthrea...e6172d7d6ab57c4 I begin to wonder if either of the 3 knew anything about Poldi Steelworks. Now there could have been a facility in Vienna and that is what I am searching for. Anyone have any info on Poldi “Anti-Corro” Steel Works in Vienna, Austria? I've found a reference in "Sporting Goods Dealer 1911 Catalog" but I don't have a copy.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
