[TheForge]Who was Kenneth Lynch?

[postvilleblacksmith at tds.net]

  Mr. Lynch spoke of himself in supurlatives all of the time. Some of this was true, some reworked stories, some total bluff and bluster. He was an Irishman full of Blarney.
 He was very skilled as a businessman, very entrapurnurial, his company did blacksmith work, cast lead, cast stone, copper weathervanes, street clocks,and lots of park benches. It is still is business in Wilton CT. probably on line somewhere.
 A lot of what Rick wrote was true, he did buy a lot if ironwork of all kinds, acres of it. I worked there at the beginning of the end of the old days. There were containers full of old French tools the were salvaged from old factories. These were made for export to French colonies, hatckets and brush hooks, very old patterns. There was a pile of anchors 25 feet across, 8 ft high. Harbor bouies, logging big wheels, stainless steel washing machine drums, punch presses. Sheds were full of branding irons, old salvaged leaf work, hammer handles.......
 Mr. Lynch was very shrewd about recognizing talented crafts people. He had a lead person in each department that were long time employees. The rest of the staff was art students and local town residents. A sign on the wall said " Be good or Be gone!" and there was a lot of turnover. 
 Mr . Lynch was sick most of the time I was there. I did have a few audiences in his office that were scary. But I got out alive and met some great craftsmen that I still talk to today. 
 More things made there that I now remember- armour for motion pictures, picture hanger rods for museums, foundatins, large lead planters.....
> 
> From: "obrien" <obrien at prodigy.net>
> Date: 2004/12/12 Sun AM 01:05:20 GMT
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [TheForge]Who was Kenneth Lynch?
> 
> Hi Rick,
> 
> The person to ask is Bob Bergman.  He used to work there.  Kenneth Lynch had
> a large place on Route 7 just outside of Norwalk Conn.  Visited there
> several times.  Had a large barn(s) loaded with blacksmith tools and tools
> that he imported from overseas.
> 
> Bob Bergman, are you there?  Can you add more?
> 
> John (now in Florida, where it is much warmer)
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "RICK KORINEK" <rickkorinek at rcn.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 4:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge]Who was Kenneth Lynch?
> 
> 
> > Over the years, I have heard people talk about blacksmithing
> > tools that they bought when equipment from the Kenneth Lynch
> > collection was auctioned off.  I would like to know more
> > about this man, his company and when the auction took place.
> > Are there folks on theForge who can provide some history here?
> >
> > Here are a few bits I have heard.  Please abvise if truth or
> > fiction...  KL was a blacksmith and sucessful business man
> > whose primary market was NYC.  His shop was located in NY
> > state or just into Conneticut.  His company was the first to
> > do restoration work on the Statue of Liberty in the 30's. He
> > had an ongoing offer to buy blacksmithing tools from those in
> > the trade.  Many smiths, when retiring would contact him to
> > sell the contents of their shops. KL would hand them a blank
> > check and allow the seller to determine and write in the
> > amount.  Eventually, he emmassed an enormous collection of
> > high quality tools.
> >
> > Any information would be appreciated.  Thanks,
> > -Rick
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