0970ac5f__Historic_Archaeology_Database__Description
[Canterbury Museum ID] 2007.160.67 [Title] Brick with Double Frog [Notes] Most likely made by Crum Brothers of Ashburton who were renowned for their double frogged bricks. This brick has a fancy frog on one side. Albert Crum and his brothers purchased the brickworks in Ashburton off the Friedlander brothers in 1895. In 1902 the introduced steam power to the works. Albert Crum worked as a brickmaker and building contractor, operating from Ashburton. In 1905 Albert sold out to younger brothers Oliver and Frank who entered partnership with Lauritz Dyhrberg and traded as Crum Bros. and Dyhrberg. In the 1920s the plant shifted to electric power. In 1921 Dyhrberg withdrew from partnership. IN 1978 the brickworks closed down and in 1988 the kiln was demolished. Albert moved to Auckland and established the NZ Brick Tile & Pottery Co in Avondale. This was taken over by R O Clark Ltd in 1924, and in 1929, the 4 sons of Albert Crum formed a partnership and founded the Crum Brick Tile & Pottery Co. In Ashburton the bricks were hand made until 1900. Clay was thrown into a wooden mould, cut off level and a hollow called a frog was pressed into the clay to compress it. The brick was then tipped out to dry before firing. Various shapes and sizes of bricks were made as well as ornamental and plain chimney pots and field tiles. Dry bricks were stacked in a circular Hoffman kiln of twelve chambers with each chamber holding 5000 bricks. The output from the kiln was one chamber per day or about enough for five houses per week. Albert?s records of the company along with his later companies, including drawings of the brick making and pressing machines used are held in the Auckland War Memorial Museum Library Te Pataka Matapuna Ms 1051. Ashburton Museum has some early records of this company including photographs. [filename] 2007_160_67.jpg [Description] 
Rectangular faun brick with rectangular depression frog with angled corners on one side with air bubble hole in centre. On other side is a second frog with curved angled sides, curved cut off corners. Circa 1892 - 1900.
NZ Historic Archaeology Database
Description