Johann Hawel
In 1854 Hawel had his workshop at Alsergrund, Herrengasse 82 in Vienna. He produced all kinds of joiner tools as well as lathes.
In 1863 the address changed to Herrengasse 91.
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In September 1874, an announcement appeared in the newspaper "Neues Wiener Tagblatt", in which Hawel states that he has dissolved his warehouse for joiner's tools at Mariahilferstraße 85 and moved it to Mariahilferstraße 96. As a factory address, he specifies Veronikagasse 2 in Vienna Hernals.
It is noteworthy that at the address Mariahilferstraße 85 the tool dealer (and perhaps also manufacturer) Karl Mayer opened his shop shortly after that.
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In 1891 Johann Hawel died of a heart defect at the age of 64. In the death notice, the address is Veronikagasse No. 16.
A very nice toothing plane by Johann Hawel, probably built around 1860.
Karl Mayer
Whether Karl Mayer was really a toolmaker or rather a dealer is not clear. He may have been both. A newspaper advertisement from 1876 suggests that he was more of a dealer with a very extensive assortment. He offered all kinds of tools for joiners, coopers, wainwrights, turners, carpenters, bookbinders, sculptors, gold workers, watchmakers and hobby craftsmen.
His shop was located at Mariahilferstraße No. 85 (the same address tool maker Johann Hawel had his warehouse).
So we know very little about his life, but all the more about his death.
On 23 April 1883 Karl Mayer was found fatally injured in his shop (Mariahilferstraße Nr. 87). He had shot himself twice in the chest with a revolver. The reason for this act of desperation may have been a threatening prison sentence, because he was found guilty of aiding and abetting theft for the purchase of stolen tools.
Two of his planes are in my collection, both bearing a stamp "Karl Mayer in Vienna", which could also be interpreted as a manufacturer's stamp.
I hope they are not the stolen goods of 1883 ......
Grooving plane for making floor boards by Karl Mayer
Narrow roughing plane (or scrub plane) by Karl Mayer
Franz Heitschel
All we know of the tool maker Franz Heitschel is that he died of pulmonary tuberculosis on May 3, 1867 in Vienna at the age of 42 and lived at Kaiserstraße 15 in District VII.
So far, I have only known one single plane from him that is in my collection.
This plane from Franz Heitschel is a round plane, but interestingly enough it has a toothed blade.
Anton Wasserzill
Anton Wasserzill was a master carpenter and "fabricator of all genres of tools". As proof of his existence, on the one hand, we are served by an advertisement in the Wiener Zeitung of 1 April 1817: in it, he recommends his "best made tools" to all tradesmen "on the frequent requests".
On the other hand, there is a report of February 5, 1817, which reports on the death of his 6-year-old son George.
Josef Scheu
The tool manufacturer Josef Scheu produced workbenches for joiners and coachmakers, screw clamps, all types of planes with plated irons, saws, chisels and other blade tools.
We neither know exactly when he opened his factory, nor how large the volume of his production was.
In any case, the first advertisements appear in the Wiener Zeitung in 1843, a second series in 1846.
The addresses that appear from these advertisements are very interesting:
The factory was located at 667 Neue Wieden, at the address where 10 years later Johann Baptist Weiss built his new factory, which later became the company headquarters of Weiss & Sohn.
The address of Scheu's sales point in 1846 is even more interesting: Johann Weiss' workshop was located at Lumpertsgasse No. 715 from 1828 to 1839.
However, there is no evidence of whether there was a direct relationship between Weiss and Scheu.
In 1847 Josef Scheu got into financial difficulties. Apparently he went into hiding because in June the official gazette of the Wiener Zeitung published several payment reminders about open bill of exchange claims because his whereabouts were unknown. In July the bankruptcy proceedings against Josef Scheu was opened.
Johann Horak
Johann Horak was a manufacturer of tools for woodworkers in Karolinenthal, Prague. The company was founded in 1852. In 1865 Horak won a silver medal for his tools at exhibitions in Linz and Salzburg. Apparently, Ottokar Skrivan took over Horak's business in 1870.
Johann Walz
Johann Walz was a master carpenter in Vienna and manufactured tools for carpenters and turners. The only evidence of his existence are address book entries from 1834, 1835 and 1838, each giving different addresses:
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1834 Alt-Lerchenfeld, "Stadt Wien" No. 26 (Note: The designation "Stadt Wien" is not a place name, but a house name or house sign such as "Zum goldenen Faß" or similar house names, which were widespread in Vienna and some of which still exist today).
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1835 Schottenfeld, Kaiserstraße 40
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In 1838, 2 addresses are then given: Spittelberg, Breitengasse (Breite Gasse) 16 and Mariahilferstraße No. 213.
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The last entry in particular is interesting, as it suggests a connection to Daniel Ammon, who also had his factory at Mariahilferstraße No. 213 by 1842 at the latest (but probably as early as 1839). The defeat at Breitengasse 16 was also later used by Ammon.
It stands to reason that the two knew each other, possibly Ammon was even an apprentice or journeyman at Walz. However, there is no evidence of this.
G. Duschek
The only evidence of his existence is a toothing plane with his name from the collection of Anton Vierthaler (many thanks for the pictures!!). Whether Duschek was a manufacturer or a dealer is just as unknown as his first name.
The plane seems to have been made at the end of the 19th century. The iron is by Desider Flir, it is probably the original iron.
