Vintage Vise listings in 1920's catalogs

[Lump]

Another Garage Journal poster asked me to post these old catalog pages featuring vises in a separate thread, so people could enjoy them more. I am fairly ignorant of how forums work, but I guess this must be a good idea. So here goes.
This is from a hard-bound 1921 Beckley-Ralston catalog of automotive equipment, hardware, and tools. It was my dad's, and has been in my family for 40 years or more.
Please let me know if you guys like these old catalog pages. I have LOTS of old catalogs.

[Lump]

Here is another page from the same catalog:

[Lump]

This is from a third page, and is the last "vise" listed in this old catalog. This type vise was used when mechanics were rebuilding used batteries. (Yes, it was common for mechanics to rebuild, rather than replace dead batteries.)

[Lump]

Now here is a catalog page from a 1920-21 Lomont Automotive Equipment catalog. Note how the vise brand names have been obscured. Probably to prevent price comparison shopping.

[Dale B]

I've never seen a Columbian Anvil !! Very interesting ! Not that I want one , I have a Peter Wright .....

[Lump]

Now onto an old Pittsburg Auto Equipment catalog. I believe this one is from 1926. Most of thes units are PARKER or Columbian vises.

[Lump]

Okay, last catalog page for tonight. This is also from that 1926 Pittsburg catalog. Notice the price on that largest size Parker vise! Keep in mind that in 1926, a brand new Model T Ford sold for around $500 or so. So this vise was a major investment at the time.

[mjozefow]

NICE! Almost quick enough too! HAHA. Thanks for doing this, I will link it up.

And PLEASE "AD" more! They are fantastic!

[porphyre]

These are great. Here's a quick 1920's dollar conversion chart....

Source:
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

What cost $1 in 1920 would cost $10.62 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1921 would cost $11.89 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1922 would cost $12.69 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1923 would cost $12.46 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1924 would cost $12.44 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1925 would cost $12.14 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1926 would cost $12.02 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1927 would cost $12.25 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1928 would cost $12.41 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1929 would cost $12.41 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1930 would cost $12.73 in 2009.

Dunno about that deflationary period in the mid '20's, but whatever.

I think it's interesting I paid $30 for my vise, which is probably of this vintage (WWI - 1920's). I bet the original owner paid around $30 too!

[Lump]

Originally Posted by porphyre

These are great. Here's a quick 1920's dollar conversion chart....

Source:
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

What cost $1 in 1920 would cost $10.62 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1921 would cost $11.89 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1922 would cost $12.69 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1923 would cost $12.46 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1924 would cost $12.44 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1925 would cost $12.14 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1926 would cost $12.02 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1927 would cost $12.25 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1928 would cost $12.41 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1929 would cost $12.41 in 2009.
What cost $1 in 1930 would cost $12.73 in 2009.

Dunno about that deflationary period in the mid '20's, but whatever.

I think it's interesting I paid $30 for my vise, which is probably of this vintage (WWI - 1920's). I bet the original owner paid around $30 too!

Wow!! I hate to think of that #60 vise being multiplied by a factor of 95 X $12.02. Holy sh***!

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

I would LOVE to have a Parker No. 60. I have seen a picture of one it and it is one mother of a vise.

Thanks for uploading those pictures, it was a very interesting read!

[old salvage]

Interesting that even as early as 1921 both Morgan and Columbian had cylindrical hubs for the screws.
Thanks for posting all this.

[lwlobo]

I love seeing the old catalog pages, thanks! I've definately got my eyes out for an old beefy vise.

[DavidB]

Great scans of the catalogs! Do you have any with Prentiss vices? Specifically anything with a Bulldog 515/525 if you have it.

Thanks!

[toolnut]

After all the years vises have been around you would think that there would be a million of them available at a decent used price. What happened to all of them? Just get tossed to the scrap yard? By the way - like the adds!

[Packard V8]

After all the years vises have been around you would think that there would be a million of them available at a decent used price.

In the industrial environment for which the larger units would have been purchased, vises are a consumable. Workers saw, burn, hammer and otherwise abused them, sometimes three shifts a day.

thnx, jack vines

[DavidB]

I'm not going to post pictures but if you go on ebay and search for "vise ad" you'll get a whole lot of results from folks selling paper ads. A lot of them can be enlarged to be clearly readable. I found a couple ads of Prentiss, Bonny, Columbian, Sargent, Reed, Charles Parker, and more.

David

[Mickey O]

[sawatch]

Originally Posted by toolnut

After all the years vises have been around you would think that there would be a million of them available at a decent used price. What happened to all of them? Just get tossed to the scrap yard? By the way - like the adds!

Probably got melted down for the WWII effort.

[Joe B.]

Originally Posted by toolnut

After all the years vises have been around you would think that there would be a million of them available at a decent used price. What happened to all of them? Just get tossed to the scrap yard? By the way - like the adds!

It seems to me that there are a lot out there. They don't come up super often but there are plenty out there that go for a fraction of their price new. I guess it help if you live in a place that had a lot of industry 70 years ago.