An interesting couple of bricks with dubious origins.
This ETNA 2 brick was found in Russia by Vladimir Smirnov.
It was found near to the TROTTE 10 brick.
The ETNA does not look like the ETNA bricks manufactured in West Lothian. Both Vladimir and I believe this is a forged ETNA brick.
It is possible it is a product of the Etna Brick Works, Buckley, Wales but I do not think so.
The TROTTE is very similar in all aspects, colour, shape, composition, size, brickmark etc and that too could be a forgery … Possibly imitating the TROTTER brickmaker from Stourbridge
Vladimir Smirnov has found or is aware of many forged bricks which were manufactured in Volyn Province (Ukraine) in 1910-20 with imitations of the RAMSAY mark (English) in various versions like RAMSAU, RAMSAV, RAMSAI, RAMSEV
Below – The Following Etna brick was found by Ilya Malcow from Moscow. It was uncovered in 2017 during the repair of the road on Khavskaya Street. The brick may date from c. 1910. It is very possible that this too is a fraudulent use of the ETNA stamp if it is purporting to have been manufactured at the Etna Works in Scotland.
Many thanks to Bruce MacDonald for the following photographs which were taken at The Sunbury Plantation House, St Philip Parish Barbados. All the bricks present were fire bricks and included English manufacturers such as Ruffors of Stourbridge, Cowen of Newcastle and Duddell of Fenton. 90% of the bricks present appear to have been stamped ‘Glenboig’….
Many thanks to Gustavo Coronel for the following information. This ‘Crater’ brick was found in lime kiln furnace No 5, Malagueño, Córdoba, Argentina. Gustavo states that bricks stamped ‘Etna’ were also found lining the furnace but no photograph is available as yet. Manufactured by the Etna or Atlas Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. . . ….
Found by Karine Pilon in New Brunswick, Canada. Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: West Works, Armadale, West Lothian. . .
This tile was found by Marco Samaniego in the abandoned ruins of an old house in the City of Humaitá, Department of Ñeembucú, Paraguay. It measures 29.5cm x 29.5 cm. Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: West Works, Armadale, West Lothian. . .
This example was found by Jeffrey Wong Sang on the Constance Estate, South Trinidad. Jeffrey states – The ‘Etna’ bricks are from the old Constance Estate and can be found in the sand as the sea reclaims the land and destroys the houses in its march forward. This was once a coconut estate. Etna Brickworks,…
Found at High Bonnybridge. The consensus of opinion, prior to finding this brick, is that ‘Crater’ was a trademark of the Etna/Atlas Brickworks in West Lothian. This information is detailed in this link The Bricks of Bathville and Armadale and bricks stamped ‘Crater’ have been found on the site of the old Etna/Atlas Brickworks. This…
Found by Ian Suddaby on the boundary of the old Bonnyside Brickworks site, Bonnybridge. I am not in possession of this example. Manufactured by the Etna or Atlas Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. . . Below – Brickmaking in Armadale – states that the Crater trademark was used by the Etna/Atlas Brickworks. The Survey of Scottish…
Found at Oakvale, Livingston. Note the ‘9’ appears to be an upside down’6′ and the ‘T’ has serifs which is very unusual on an Etna stamped brick. Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: West Works, Armadale, West Lothian. .
This brick was found by Gustavo Agustin Coronel. It was found at a lime kiln, Hornos Fabrica No 4 in Malagueño, Córdoba, Argentina. Below – Etna Great Britain fire brick. Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: West Works, Armadale, West Lothian. . . . .
Found by Ian Suddaby on the site of the old Etna Brickworks. This example is not in my possession. This looks like an ‘8’ stamp but it may possibly be a ‘3’. Etna Brickworks, Armadale, West Lothian. Alternative brickworks include: West Works, Armadale, West Lothian. Below – Some photos demonstrating how Ian suspects this…
