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Trethaway Bros. Rollins Patent RSide
Trethaway Bros. Rollins Patent LSide
Trethaway Bros. Rollins Patent Marking
UMWA Family
UMWA Direct Stamping RSide
  UMWA Direct Stamping LSide.JPG - UMWA COPPER - Rare copper marked lamp, stamped on font inside circle with U M W A marking, all other UMW or UMWA markings are stamped onto brass or copper shields or banners that are soldered to the lamp’s tin font, 2 5/8 in. tall to the top of the lid, 1 3/4 in. base dia., 3 1/4 in. long single spout, lamp has an extended breather tube toward the back of lid, from a Mt. Carmel, PA estate (One of the most sought after varieties of wick lamps are those marked with the United Mine Workers of America logo, usually identified with the stampings U. M. W., U.M.W.A. or U.M.W. of A. A number of different markings exist; most of these lamps were made by the Trethaway Bros. of Parsons, PA, although many of the earlier varieties were not stamped with the company name. It is thought these were ordered by the UMWA over the years for advertising purposes and were not necessarily intended for mine use, but over the years these as well as others manufactured by Trethaway did find their way to the mines and were used throughout the coal fields. All of the known varieties of these lamps, with the exception of this very rare marking, were stamped with the UMWA logo on brass or copper shields or banners which were then soldered to the lamp’s tin font. This direct stamping of the UMWA logo is thought to be the earliest of the markings. The copper variety of this lamp is also extremely rare. All the known varieties of these UMWA lamps have tin fonts with tin, brass or copper shoulders and collars. The UMW or UMWA is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. The UMWA was founded in Columbus, Ohio, on January 22, 1890, with the merger of two old labor groups, the Knights of Labor Trade Assembly No. 135 and the National Progressive Miners Union. Adopting the model of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the union was initially established as a three-pronged labor tool: to develop mine safety; to improve mine workers' independence from the mine owners and the company store; and to provide miners with collective bargaining power. After passage of the National Recovery Act in 1933, organizers spread throughout the United States to organize all coal miners into labor unions. At some point before 1930, the UMWA became a member of the American Federation of Labor. The UMWA leadership was part of the driving force to change the way workers were organized, and the UMWA was one of the charter members when the new Congress of Industrial Organizations was formed in 1935. However, the AFL leadership did not agree with the philosophy of industrial unionization, and the UMWA and nine other unions that had formed the CIO were kicked out of the AFL in 1937. In 1942, the UMWA chose to leave the CIO, and, for the next five years, was an independent union. In 1947, the UMWA once again joined the AFL, but the remarriage was a short one, as the UMWA was forced out of the AFL in 1948, and at that point, became the largest non-affiliated union in the United States. The UMWA spent the 1980s healing the rift between the UMWA and the now-conjoined AFL-CIO (which was created in 1955 with the merger of the AFL and the CIO). In 1989, the UMWA was again taken into the fold of the large union umbrella.)  
UMWA Direct Stamping Marking
UMWA Direct Stamping Open
UMWA Banner RSide
UMWA Banner LSide
UMWA Banner Open

UMWA Direct Stamping LSide | UMWA COPPER - Rare copper marked lamp, stamped on font inside circle with U M W A marking, all other UMW or UMWA markings are stamped onto brass or copper shields or banners that are soldered to the lamp’s tin font, 2 5/8 in. tall to the top of the lid, 1 3/4 in. base dia., 3 1/4 in. long single spout, lamp has an extended breather tube toward the back of lid, from a Mt. Carmel, PA estate (One of the most sought after varieties of wick lamps are those marked with the United Mine Workers of America logo, usually identified with the stampings U. M. W., U.M.W.A. or U.M.W. of A. A number of different markings exist; most of these lamps were made by the Trethaway Bros. of Parsons, PA, although many of the earlier varieties were not stamped with the company name. It is thought these were ordered by the UMWA over the years for advertising purposes and were not necessarily intended for mine use, but over the years these as well as others manufactured by Trethaway did find their way to the mines and were used throughout the coal fields. All of the known varieties of these lamps, with the exception of this very rare marking, were stamped with the UMWA logo on brass or copper shields or banners which were then soldered to the lamp’s tin font. This direct stamping of the UMWA logo is thought to be the earliest of the markings. The copper variety of this lamp is also extremely rare. All the known varieties of these UMWA lamps have tin fonts with tin, brass or copper shoulders and collars. The UMW or UMWA is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. The UMWA was founded in Columbus, Ohio, on January 22, 1890, with the merger of two old labor groups, the Knights of Labor Trade Assembly No. 135 and the National Progressive Miners Union. Adopting the model of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the union was initially established as a three-pronged labor tool: to develop mine safety; to improve mine workers' independence from the mine owners and the company store; and to provide miners with collective bargaining power. After passage of the National Recovery Act in 1933, organizers spread throughout the United States to organize all coal miners into labor unions. At some point before 1930, the UMWA became a member of the American Federation of Labor. The UMWA leadership was part of the driving force to change the way workers were organized, and the UMWA was one of the charter members when the new Congress of Industrial Organizations was formed in 1935. However, the AFL leadership did not agree with the philosophy of industrial unionization, and the UMWA and nine other unions that had formed the CIO were kicked out of the AFL in 1937. In 1942, the UMWA chose to leave the CIO, and, for the next five years, was an independent union. In 1947, the UMWA once again joined the AFL, but the remarriage was a short one, as the UMWA was forced out of the AFL in 1948, and at that point, became the largest non-affiliated union in the United States. The UMWA spent the 1980s healing the rift between the UMWA and the now-conjoined AFL-CIO (which was created in 1955 with the merger of the AFL and the CIO). In 1989, the UMWA was again taken into the fold of the large union umbrella.) Download Original Image
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