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-----:Hoyt Metal bars -- looking for info!
Quickstart:
Hoyt Metal Co. was a supplier of lead-tin alloys used for solder and babbitt bearings ⇦ huh?. Other companies including Magnolia and Griffin were as well.
They sold the metal as ingots which the buyer would apparently melt down in a solder pot or cast to shape as required. There were a number of different formulas for special applications. Lyman did & does sell similar looking ingots but apparently intended for casting bullets and similar objects rather than for use in bearings.
There doesn't seem to be a collectibles market for these ingots, but they are worth at least their weight as scrap metal (high tin content alloys being worth more than lead alloys).
This thread includes postings by several people highly experienced & knowledgable about Hoyt and other babbitt metal. Thread 188/84 is also about such metal bars, and thread 225/36 is about Hoyt thermometers and instruments.
Read on, join in ...
A. @Antonia: The product that you have bars of will be probably be tin-based white metal used for bearings in old engines.
One of the most popular ones for old car engines was called 11R.
But there were many other grades. If you let me know what the numbers are I may be able to tell you what they are.
I was casting Hoyt 11R metal into bearings this afternoon!
Retired engineer - Doncaster, Yorkshire , UK
March 24, 2026
⇩ Similar, related, Q&As -- oldest first ⇩
Q. I have 3 metal bars that I am trying to find out info on value and history. These bars have written on them, HOYT METAL CO. ST. LOUIS GENUINE-A, NOT GENUINE WITHOUT SIGNATURE, THE SIGNATURE ON THEM IS E R HOYT, ON BACK THEY HAVE WRITTEN U.S. PAT OFF.
Hoyt ingots & memorabilia on eBay (affil link)RICHARD M [surname deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Kiln, Mississippi
2001
A. Hoyt white metal is generally tin & lead based alloys used mostly for the lining of bearings. Ingots of specific grades are still made under license to E R Hoyt and still are stamped with the original signature as this is a trademark.
Value is generally according to the composition which would fluctuate according to the price of tin or alloying elements such as antimony, copper, silver, cadmium, arsenic, etc. These bars may have added value due to the age if stamped with a cast date.
Rob P [surname deleted for privacy by Editor]- Australia
Q. Hello Mr. Richard M,
I have one of the bars you spoke of and was like to know if you have found out any information about them. The bar I have has all the writing stamped into it like the one you have and I got it from my grandfather years ago and I am sure he had for awhile.
Please let me know if you found out anything and have a great day.
Sincerely,
- Herrin, Illinois, USA
2007
Q. I have also myself a similar bar; but it's written on it : HOYT METAL CO STANDARD PARIS. The signature E. R. HOYT is on the back with the weight : HOYTONZE . It's seems that it had been manufactured under license also in France.
Unfortunately I could not find any other information. Any detail would be appreciated.
I have some pictures.
- Bordeaux, FRANCE
January 20, 2008
Q. I have a bar also with the embossing Hoyt Metal Co London and in large letters the word ICE and embossed on that "Internal, can't make the e bit out, Engine
It also says THE FORMER UNREGISTERABLE BRAND HAS BEEN ABANDONED TO IMITATORS HOYT METAL CO COPPER HARDENED LINING METAL
- Perth, W.A Australia
March 21, 2008
A. Reply to Paul A Rossi
- Perth, W.A Australia
I found an ingot as you described in a wreck near Oban Scotland -The ingot is in perfect condition it dates to the second world war the letters ICE stands for "internal combustion engine" - this one is due to go to the wreck museum at Puffin Dive Center, Oban.
- Nottingham UK
Q. I have metal bars that I am trying to find out info on value and history. These bars have written on them, griffin tacomaara 1928 30-700-t433107 J245. ⇦ Answer?
Richard Ramos- Davao City, Philippines
March 25, 2008
A. Hi Richard,
I believe there's a missing space in "tacomaara" and the marking should be interpreted as "Griffin Tacoma ARA".
Griffin Wheel Co. operated a brass foundry in Tacoma, Washington which manufactured brass journal bearings. ARA is an acronym for American Railroad Association. So presumably this is a bar of brass material intended for use in a journal bearing.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Q. HI!
I also have Hoyt metal bars with stamp HOYT METAL CO STANDARD LONDON and some numbers and signature on them. Does anybody knows what they are used for? what is their value, can I sell them?
thank you for any information,
greets
- split, Croatia
A. I have a copy of a Hoyt (London) catalogue, and it makes no mention of a type A bearing metal although there are types 4A and 57A. It also mentions type I.C.E. which is heavy duty type used for railway locomotive bearing boxes, bearings in machine tools, steam engines, low speed pumps, compressors, etc. Type I.C.E. has a pouring temperature of 415 °C (780 F).
I hope this helps --Nick.
Nick Mulcahy- Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
May 22, 2008
Hi, Nick. Thanks!
Readers may wish to also see thread 18884 on this subject, and possibly thread 22536 on the subject of Hoyt meters and thermometers.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Q. Hi Nick! I have a signed bar of Hoyt metal inscribed like Antonia's with the London Co STANDARD and on the pour side of each segment "NUMBER ELEVEN" with just one "D".
It weighs 2 Kg so must have been cast since we went metric.
Is there anything in your London Cat on this grade?
I am retired and reconditioning an American tool & cutter grinder- I intend to cast an Acme nut from this ingot.
Regards
- Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
August 1, 2008
! Following my letter of 1st Aug 2008 I have had the ingots X-rayed with the following results:
Hoyt grade eleven = 83% tin; 7% Antimony; 6% copper
Magnolia A.F. Metal Company of Great Britain grade RM2 = 61% lead; 14% zinc; 17% antimony; 3% copper.
Currently scrap value of high grade tin here is 5GBP/kilo.
Regards
Colin Murdoch [returning]
- Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
A. In response to Colin Murdoch's posting on 1/8/2008 the Hoyt catalogue lists No.11D as suitable for several uses including bearings in petrol engines whilst No.11R is used in diesel engines, heavy stationary type, marine and road vehicles. Both 11D and 11R have a pouring temperature of 388 °C.
Nick Mulcahy- Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
May 4, 2009
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Q. I just want to get information about a metal with a hanoi ming print ... is it a valuable metal ... is it worth millions? Joy Orsolino- Philippines October 21, 2008
Regards, Ted Mooney, P.E. Striving to live Aloha finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey Need quick confidential answers? $25 Need project assistance? $100/hr. |
Hi, Joy. For every priceless object out there, there are a thousand people who have been scammed out of their life savings. If you own this item, take it to an an antique dealer or museum curator for evaluationQ. Hi I had found a metal bar awhile back and it is stamped with a circle and what it appears to be a roman numeral 3 the bar is not whole and so I can't tell. It's a really soft metal, kind of heavy, I don't know if it's lead or not.
Lorenzo Gomeznon business - Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
July 13, 2009
A. I have an ingot described exactly as the original inquirer except mine is stamped .999 on the rear, was given to me over 40 years ago by my grandfather which at that time was 88 years old and he had it for as long as he could remember. He told me at the time that it was "babbit" which was used to make rod and main bearings in the first made automobiles.
Fred T Givens- Davidson, North Carolina
September 20, 2010
A. I also have a Hoyt metal bar, I got about 40 years ago. It looked as old then as it does now. It is Stamped Nickel Genuine, With the ER Hoyt signature. Also has the Registered Pat Off on back but no numbers.
Bill holder- Belleville, Illinois
Q. I want to know its value and purpose.
Manal Kassim- Kenya
December 2, 2011
A. Hi, Manal. It seems like most of this Hoyt metal was used for bearings in machinery like locomotives. It probably was a low melting point alloy that could be melted in a solder pot on site and then cast into shape or perhaps "wiped" on in the manner that old time plumbers made joints in lead pipes. There are interesting old flyers and posters illustrated at www.gracesguide.co.uk/Hoyt_Metal_Co
However, it also seems that Hoyt Metal Company offered other metals in addition to these low melting point bearing metals. Your bar is metal of some composition that no one will know offhand, and it's intrinsic value would depend on what specific metals were in it. But the short answer is these metals are more valuable than iron, but much less valuable than silver. I would keep it (or sell it) as an antique artifact rather than trying to melt it down.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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A. Hoyt Metal operated in the St. Louis area (Granite City, IL) ca. early 1900s: "Metal refining, fabricating, and associated activities started at the site before 1900. Hoyt Metal opened a metal processing operating on site. Hoyt Metal sold the operation and it was renamed United Lead. In 1928, NL Industries bought United Lead. This eventually became the NL Industries/Taracorp Superfund Site
Robin McNichol- Nanaimo, BC Canada
Q. I have 2 metal bars signed ER Hoyt and stamped with number 175 and state registered trade mark. Are these of any value? I have had them for approx. 45 years now.
Diana Neilson- South Africa
July 20, 2013
A. I was manager of Hoyt tech sales. Hoyt was bought by Ecka germany and I continued selling metals until retirement in 2009.
Hoyt 11d is approx. 88% tin, 8% antimony, 4% copper.
11r is similar + 1% cadmium + 0.2% nickel
Hoyt 175 is 75% tin, 15% antimony, 7% copper + lead.
There are a large number of Hoyt alloys, all aimed at bearing linings.
- horsham, sussex, uk
September 30, 2014
Hi Phil,
It is nice to see you here ... I think I had the pleasure to meet you in person some years ago through a common friend (Mr. Sascha Ewert). We are a white metal supplier located in Spain, do you remember?
Regards,
Roberto,
gruposenra.com - Ourense, Spain
Q. I have found a square piece of metal marked HOYT METAL CO. it is about 1 1/2 in. square by about 1/2 in thick can you tell me what I have and is it worth anything ?. I don't have a picture and I can't send it anyway because I had a bad virus on my computer and took it to the shop to get it fixed. It came back wiped clean and I can't do much.
wilbur hutzelretired coal miner - mason West Virginia
January 7, 2017
A. Hi Wilbur. Hoyt made metals for plain bearings and things like that; it might be tin and lead or something like that. So it's not worthless, but such a small piece of fairly common metal isn't valuable either. A small piece like that might have been a paperweight giveaway to customers rather than having been intended for melting into bearing linings.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Q. My question is whether anyone can tell me what this might be? I suspect it is a lead alloy, since it looks like it succumbed to someone's hammer. The metal is much harder than the lead in the ingots visible in one of the photos.
I found the bar in my father-in-law's garage after he passed away in 2001.
Thanks,
Paul Hamilton
Victoria, Texas, USA
November 2017
Q. I have one exactly like this. Did you find out anything about it?
Mary Helterbrand- Mobile Alabama
April 7, 2025
A. Hi.
Hoyt was not the only company to sell metal in ingots this way. Magnolia was another, and Lyman sold metal bars as well but apparently for bullets and such rather than as babbitt metal.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
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