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The 1868 patent is for a sickle bar grinder. Dated Feb. 18, it includes the names of W.H. Laubach, Philadelphia, Pa., and George Mellen, Alexandria, Va.
"Supposedly the five companies that formed International Harvester are Champion, Deering, Piano, McCormick and Milwaukee," Robert says. "When IH started selling stuff, they continued to have the (original) names on it. Later, they acquired Osborne and Emerson Brantingham. Most people like to get the International Harvester grinders. I like them all, especially the oddball ones. You can find some with a real strange name. People had workshops and small factories, and they made all kinds of stuff. That's why there are so many patents. But a lot of farmers couldn't afford all these grinders. They made do with a whetstone."
While many of the grinders are made to be hand-held or secured to a workbench, some are pedal-driven. Robert has a fully operational chain-driven McCormick-Deering sickle bar grinder that was patented in 1901 by E.A. Johnstone of Chicago, which also patented its pedal stand in 1903. Robert says his was probably made in the 1920s.
"You can buy them for $6 up to $75, depending on where you're at," Robert says. "Most average around $20 ... you never know. Sometimes I buy something at a flea market and then take it to an auction and it goes for a scandalous price. You never can tell."
Robert is not the only collector in the family. His wife, Hazel, has her own hobby collections back at the house.
"She has her junk inside, and I have mine outside," Robert says. "It works out just fine."
For more information: Robert Schwab, 9733 Garis Shop Road, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Jill Teunis is a freelance writer living in Damascus, MD. She is interested in writing about communities, their people and history.