SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                ----------------

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 1999


                                    Crane Co.
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           Delaware                     1-01657                13-1952290
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(State or other jurisdiction          (Commission            (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)               File Number)         Identification No.)


100 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT                            06902
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   (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(203) 363-7300







Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

          Crane Co. previously announced its intention, subject  to receipt of a
ruling from the Internal Revenue Service,  to distribute to its shareholders all
of the outstanding common stock of its Huttig Building Products, Inc. ("Huttig")
subsidiary in a tax-free  spin-off and Huttig's  agreement to acquire as soon as
practicable after the spin-off all of the outstanding common stock of Rugby USA,
Inc. ("Rugby USA"), the U.S.  building products business of The Rugby Group PLC,
in exchange for 32% of the common stock of Huttig.

          On November 17, 1999,  Crane received a tax ruling  from  the IRS that
the spin-off  would be tax-free to Crane and its  shareholders.  On December 16,
1999,  Crane  distributed all of the  outstanding  common stock of Huttig to its
shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 8, 1999. Huttig's
acquisition  of  Rugby  USA was  completed  on  December  16,  1999  immediately
following the spin-off.

          As a result of the  spin-off,  Huttig  is  a separate  company and its
common stock trades on the New York Stock  Exchange  under the symbol "HBP." The
pro forma  effects of the  spin-off  were  reported in Crane's Form 8-K filed on
October 21, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (b) Pro Forma  Financial  Information.  The unaudited pro forma  financial
information is incorporated herein by reference to Item 7(b) of the Registrant's
Form 8-K filed on October 21, 1999.  Reference is also made to the  consolidated
balance sheet as of September 30, 1999 and consolidated  statement of income for
the nine months then ended included in the Registrant's quarterly report on Form
10-Q,  incorporated herein by reference,  which reflect Huttig as a discontinued
operation.






                                    SIGNATURE

          Pursuant to the requirements of  the  Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                     Crane Co.
                                     (Registrant)



Date:  December 23, 1999             By:  /s/ Michael L. Raithel
                                          -----------------------
                                          Michael L. Raithel
                                          Vice President and
                                          Controller