PRICES OF PLANES, MADE AND SOLD, For HOME CONSUMPTION & EXPORTATION By JOSEPH CLARK, PLANE-MAKER, NEAR THE NUN-GATE NEWCASTLE, REGULATED BY THE TRADE AUG.. 1816. This fascinating price list from an early 19th Century British planemaker comes to us courtesy of the Tyne & Wear Archives Service. Found through the A2A (Access to Archives) site, the Tyne & Weare Archives Service was kind enough to arrange for a copy of this microfilm. Paul 'Bugbear' Womack stepped in to arrange for the funds for the copy. Unfortunately, Tyne & Weare are not set up for international funds. The original of this price list was donated by a local gentleman, who unfortunately can no longer be located. The microfilm copy is, as they often are, less than distinct. I worked some Photoshop magic to produce a variety of versions, from which I managed to transcribe most of the price list. If you find a mistake, please let me know.
NOTE: This document is provided for the purposes of research and education, courtesy of the Tyne & Weare Archives Service. The document may not be copied or reproduced.
1859
Monhagen Saw Works. Wheeler, Madden & Bakewell, Manufacturers of Warrented Patent Ground, Extra Cast Steel, Circular Saws, Mill, Mulay, Cross-cut, Hand, Panel and Rip Saws, Butcher's Bow Saws, Back Saws, Wood Saws, Felloe and Turning Webs, and Plastering Trowels. Manufactory, At Middletown, Orange County, N.Y.. Branch Office and Warehouse, No. 39 Platt Street, New York. 1859. A very early catalog from the company that morphed into Wheeler, Madden & Clemson, Woodrough & McParlin which eventually was abosrbed by the National Saw Company. For a full history, see WkFinetools. This catalog has what is known as a 'self-cover', which simply means the cover is constructed of the same paper as are the contents. This makes for a very fragile catalog. That plus the use of acidic paper has resulted in the loss of many mid-nineteenth century trade catalogs to the depredations of time and the elements.
Interestingly enough, there are refernces within this catalog to "see another page" for more information on various hand saws. But there is no other page and there never was one included in this catalog. I can only guess that there was an insert at one time that has been lost. The 1860 catalog at WKFinetools has images of the various hand saws which must be the same ones referred to in this 1859 catalog. Both catalogs feature this engraving of the factory as well as an engraving of their patented saw grinding machine, something that would have given OSHA nightmares.
So far as I can tell, Josiah Bakewell made saws under his own name and under the Wheeler, Madden & Bakewell name. If anyone has a saw stamped only with the Wheeler, Madden & Bakewell name and not Bakewell & Co. please send an image to me for inclusion in the accompanying image gallery, which can be found here>
c1860
UNDERHILL EDGE TOOL COMPANY , NASHUA, N.H.. c1860 Single plate from an unkown catalog. This in a single plate, unfortunately parted from the original catalog. I have a few more plates. Somewhere. When I find them, I'll add them. This one is a very clean bronze powder enhanced engraving from an early folio sized catalog.
1868
Revised Price List of T. H. Witherby Tool Co., Sole Manufacturers Of The Witherby Chisels & Drawing Knives, Adopted at a Meeting of the Manufactuers, April 1st, 1868. ... All orders for the above should be addressed to Durrie & Rusher, 16 Beekman Street, New-York. 1868. A very interesting and early price list from the famous T. H. Witherby Tool Co. Originally folded to fit in an envelope, this price list looks as if it was pasted into a hardware store's desk catalog or price book. Brian Welch notes that the brand T. M Clarke indicates "that The Winsted Hoe Company was in full possession of the company and making Witherby chisels by April 1, 1868." For more information on the Witherby Company, stop in at WKFineTools nd at Brian Welch's review of the company.
CHARLES H. SMITH'S ILLUSTRATED CATALOG OF WOOD-WORKING MACHINERY, 135 North Third Street, Philadelphia, PA. 1870. A catalog of heavy wood working machinery, both wood frame and cast iron. Includes machinery of their own manufacture as well as R. Ball and Woodrough patent designs. It's unusual to find a paper covered catalog of this period with the cover intact..
1872
BOYNTON'S IMPROVED PATENT LIGHTENING SAWS. NEW YORK. E. M. BOYNTON, SOLE PROPRIETOR AND MANUFACTURER. No. 80 Beekman Street. 1872. A delightful little catalog by the celebrated E. M. Boynton, skewering Disston and all comers as to their claims regarding saws in general, and addressing the clear superiority of the Patented Lightening Saw.
1873
MECHANICS' TOOLS MANUFACTURED BY DOUGLASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ALSO, EXCLUSIVE MANUFACTURERS OF COOK'S PATENT BORING IMPLEMENTS. Warehouse, 45 & 47 Chanbers Street, New York. May 1st, 1873. Not really a catalog, this four page flyer was apparently mailed to holders of the catalog in an attempt to clarify misrepresentations by other manufacturers. As a result, in four pages there is a concise and complete review of the full line of tools manufactured by the Douglass Mfg. Co.
1874
Ohio Saw Works, Established 1854, Woodrough & McParlin, Manufacturers of Patent Ground Saws, Circular, Mill, Mulay, and Cross-Cut Saws, Hand and Back Saws, Billet, Cooper, and Power Webs, Etc., Factories and Warehouse, Corner Sixth and Hoadly STS., OPP. Cin., H. & D. R. R. Depot, Cincinatti. August, 1874. Emerald green cover with gilt (actually bronze powder) lettering. Even the back cover is a great example of 1870's commercial design. In business from 1856-1893, Woodrough & McParlin produced, amongst other items, the famous Panther Saw, a saw with the head of a panther carved into the tote. Sorry, but that one is not in this catalog. I can only assume that the panther carving improved the usability of the saw in some fashion. Eventually absorbed by the National Saw Company, Woodrough & McParlin offered some of the nicest looking handsaws, judging by those that exist today. The quality of this catalog attests to the pride they took in their product.
THE HAND-SAW. How To Use It, How To Choose It, and How To Keep It. Being a series of practical hints to Practical Mechanics. By One Who Knoweth Whereof He Speaketh. Henry Disston & Sons, Keystone Saw, Tool, Steel and File Works, Front and Laurel Streets, Philadelphia, Penna. Presented by William H. Hankins. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1875, by Henry Disston & Sons, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. This small catalog was possibly made for distribution at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, judging by the publication date and the notice of the introduction of the Centennial No. 76 saw.
1880
LITTLE GIANT Tools. For Sale by Montgomery & Co., 105 Fulton Street, New York, N.Y. c 1880. Small fold out supplemental catalog for a few of the Little Giant line of tools and accessories manufactured by the Wells Bros. of Greenfield, Mass. I like the wheelwrights drilling jig.
1880
PRICE LIST OF THE TREMONT NAIL CO., Salesrooms No. 17, Oliver Street., Horace P. Tobey, Agent. Works at West Wareham, Mass. April 15, 1880. Nifty little catalog for the famous Tremont Nail Company. Tremont Nail is still in business, producing cut nails and other traditional hardware.
1889
Nicholson Swiss Pattern Files, also Tools and Specialities. Nicholson File Company, Providence, R.I., U.S.A. Nicholson Files, Increment Cut... Nicholson File Company, Providence, R.I., U.S.A. both, 1889. Files and rasps get a bad rap. People think of them as poor seconds for shaping stuff. They're seen as 'cheaters' for when you can't get a joint right, or make a mistake that needs to be corrected. Files and rasps are anything but. Essential tools that should be in every mechanicks tool chest, they are the intermediate step in shaping wood, plastic or metal. Don't leave home without them.
Courtesy of Peter Evans.
1890
WINSTED EDGE TOOL WORKS, West Winsted, Conn. c1890. Reprinted in 1976 by the Early Trades & Crafts Society of Long Island. The makers of the famous Witherby edge tools. The only catalog for this maker that I know of at this time.
Contributed by Nathaniel Mitkowski.
1895
PRICE LIST. MACK & CO., SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF THE D. R. BARTON BRAND CARVING TOOLS. 18 BROWN'S RACE, ROCHESTER, N. Y., 1895. Aside from one split fold and some minor damp staining, a surprisingly well preserved small fold out catalog of carving tools.
1896- 1900
FORD BIT CO. Holyoke, Mass. c1896-1900 Yes, this catalog really is that yellow. A nice catalog from one of the lesser known auger bit companies.
