National

The “National Pattern” by Plumb was a product of Nationalism brought on by the political, social, and economic environment of World War II. In the late 1930s, Plumb advertised a number of "tapered back" striking tools, including their Oregon Pattern Mauls and a Constructor Axe in the standard "Rafting" pattern. The restrictions of the early 1940s and World World II kept much innovation from the company, though the limitation orders brought about by the War Production Board gave rise to the "Plumb Victory" lines to market against the general public’s perception of the "War Finish" being less desirable. When the War was over in 1946, the marketing teams of Fayette R. Plumb Inc. began to set in motions the retirement of the Victory line and looked toward new marketing strategies. By 1948 they had formulated a new "pattern" of axes with the same intent of the "Tommy Axe" of the True Temper Company, a general purpose axe with a hammer face on the poll. Due to limitations of the War Production Board who had restricted the patterns that could be produced, a new pattern was not a possible product before the end of the war, but once the limitation orders had been lifted, the company could move ahead in a new direction. The new "National Pattern" was marketed towards both the heavy nationalism of a country coming victoriously out of a war and a newly found utilitarian era that was seeing innovations in the timber industry and in home heating that had led to decreased axe sales. Though "Patent Pending" stamped National Axes insinuate the submission of a patent request on the axe, no registered patent for the pattern has been noted. However, on September 10th of 1948, Fayette R. Plumb Inc. did receive a copyright certification on the phrase "Here's the new Plumb National Axe", protecting the new product at least in written marketing. The new pattern would be advertised by Plumb through the time that the company was sold to Cooper in 1980.