The introduction of hand-forged aluminum into the jewelry industry is credited to Wendell McMinn August (1885 – 1963) of Grove City, Pennsylvania. In 1907, after completing his thesis “Origin and Development of the American Railroads”, he graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science degree.

For two years he worked as teacher of mathematics in private school in Easthampton, Massachussetts. Then, from 1911 to 1930, Wendell August was superintendent and one of the owners of the Toby Coal Mining Company in western Pennsylvania. With an engineering mind, he was also a creative person who enjoyed his hobby, namely, forging decorative ironwork.

In his spare time, he made light fixtures for his home while working in the forge at his mine near Brockway, Pennsylvania. Soon, August turned his hobby into a thriving business manufacturing hand-wrought giftware and jewelry. He established Wendell August Forge, Grove City, Pennsylvania, in 1923.

The range of products, along with jewelry, was quite diverse – cup holders, trays, ashtrays, pots, bowls, ice buckets, coffee tables and many other aluminum serving items. Production was interrupted only during World War II, due to the use of aluminum in the defense industry.

Robert Edward August

Wendell August and Jessie M. Palmer got married April 8, 1912 in New York City. They had three children – Wendell McMinn II, Robert Edward August and Richard. Richard, an honor student, cadet of Valley Forge Military Academy at Wayne, Pa, died in a plane crash in 1935.

Following the sudden death of Wendell McMinn August in 1963, Robert Edward August took over the business.

Robert August retired in 1978 and sold the company to the Knetcht family. They continued the business under the same trademark. Notably, the Wendell August Forge company went through changes of owners and locations twice, in 1978 and 2020, and even closed its doors twice – in 1941 and 2020.

Since 2024 the new owner of Wendell August Forge has been Christian Werner. Accordingly, the company with a glorious history of more than a century, is still active.

Wendell August Forge Hand Wrought Jewelry