Jim Mau. Mesa, Arizona
Jim Mau and his “Whats my Trade?” hammer display
Avid hammer collector and tool researcher Jim Mau passed away in 2018. Jim trained as a cabinet maker and earned a degree in Industrial Arts Education from Stout Institute in 1961. After teaching Industrial Arts in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Jim retired in 1989. He and wife Pat moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1990 where Jim’s hobby of collecting and researching tools flourished. Jim describes his interest in collecting:
“My interest in hammer collecting is two-fold. Of course there is the acquisition, which is challenge enough, and then there is the research into the origins and uses of the tools. For me, the research is as much fun as the collecting. I visit the flea markets, garage sales, and tool shows in search of hammers. I visit the patent files at the Arizona State University Hayden library at least once a week in search of information. I average one trip a year to Washington D.C. where I do my research in the Patent Office, Library of Congress, and the research library of the Smithsonian. To add to all of this I own an extensive library of patent papers, tool references, and vintage tool catalogs.”
Jim’s “Whats my Trade?” display
Jim’s Hammer Room