1885 KELLY "PERFECT" Vintage Axe Shirt

In 1874 the W.C. KELLY company was formed and went on to become the greatest maker of iconic axes in the world.
 
In 1921 the Kelly Axe & Tool Co. purchased all the holdings and equipment, along with the rights to all the brands and labels, owned by the American Axe & Tool Co.
 
In 1930 the Kelly Axe & Tool Co. was purchased by the American Fork & Hoe Co. Axe production was continued under the new name of the Kelly Axe & Tool Works.
 
Eventually by 1949, American Fork & Hoe became known as True Temper. In 1987 the Kelly name was sold to Barco Industries where it remains today.
 
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In a highly competitive turn of the century market of over 400 axe makers, the Kelly Axe Mfg. Co. stood above the crowd with catchy names, beautiful artwork and forged high-quality axes that people wanted to own. Names like "True Temper", "PERFECT AXE", "HAND MADE", "Black Raven" and "Falls City", created excitement and gave beauty and persona to the axe.
 
This shirt celebrates the artwork of Kelly Axe Mfg. Co. for their iconic "PERFECT" axe.  You get a high quality, exact reproduction of the original etching that shaped the iconic KELLY PERFECT axes.  This is the beautiful axe design that started the axe advertising hay day.
 
The back of the shirt reads "THIS AXE is made of the Finest Steel and is hand hammered tempered and tested before leaving the Shop.  The Blade is so shaped IT WILL CUT DEEPEST BUT WILL NOT BIND IN TIMBER IT WILL BURST THE CHIP and IT WILL NOT BECOME STUBBED after Grinding.  IT HAS A TAPER EYE which binds Handle.  Try it and you will use no other."  This iconic praragraph displays as a printed outside tag, high in the middle of the shoulders.