A Leaf Springs Into Art

In 1882 James Harvey Williams and Matthew Diamond started a drop-forging business in Flushing, New York called Williams & Diamond.  Drop-forging is a process of heating metal and hammering it into a die (cast) to form a product - the hammer is raised and then "dropped" onto the piece to form it into the shape of the die that's being used. In 1884, Williams & Diamond moved to Brooklyn and was renamed J.H. Williams & Co.  It was known as one of the first companies to make mass-produced drop-forged hand tools.

J. H. Williams was eventually purchased by a company that today has immediate name recognition as Snap-On Tools.  Williams is now a subsidiary of Snap-On Industrial Brands.

This sculpture, made by Mike Lettera of Carpenter Avenue Classics, is called the J.H. Williams Desert Leaf, because it's made from automotive leaf springs and sits on a vintage forged wrench made by that very same J.H. Williams & Company.

Here is another blog post I found with a little more information on the J.H. Williams Company.

To see other art pieces made by Mike Lettera, visit the Carpenter Avenue Classics website HERE.



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2015: Life Imitates Art
2014: You Keep Us Dancing
2013: Make Life More Interesting
2012: Supply Meets Demand
2011: What Do You See?
2010: If No One Hears You Talking To Yourself, Are You Still Considered Crazy?
2009: It’s A Shame He’s Such A Crab
2008: I’m A Big Fan
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday Coming To An End
2006: And Everyone Thought It Was Dick Cheney
2005: But They’re Hard To Find!