P & C Tools find

[L5wolvesf]

I recently picked up a small box of miscellaneous tool via Craigslist. I got it for $25 and there are a few items in it that are worth that expense for me. There are also a few items I will sell because they are duplicates of things I already have. But there is one item that I got kind of curious about and did a bit of research on – a 9 inch level. It isn’t or wasn’t a big deal really but it looks a bit old and I had never heard of the brand before now – P & C. I googled the name and of course found a few links to GJ along with the following history of the company, with pictures and past catalogs, including the acquisition by Plomb.
https://www.pnctools.com/pc-factory/pc-under-john-charlie/

So I got curious, part number #1926 appears on a 1965 price list as a – 9” Alum Torpedo – with a suggested retail price of $3.25. No levels are on the 1960 or prior price lists.

So, now I’m a bit curious as to what an old level might be worth? Does anyone collect P & C tools?

 

[shanny19]

P&C is good stuff! It is rather under-appreciated these days, especially back east. Some of the Pendleton era stuff is on par with Proto for quality.

Having said that, I'm not sure there is a big collector's market for your level. I'd clean it up and use the heck out of it if it was mine!

 

[Lelandwelds]

Looks kind of like Flange Wizard. There used to be a lot of independent US mfg.

 

[Rileysan]

So, now I’m a bit curious as to what an old level might be worth? Does anyone collect P & C tools?

You're in the right place to find those of us who collect P&C tools! As for your level, it's not rare, but not common either.

There is a dedicated P&C thread in the vintage tool discussion forum.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106052

P&C was a regional brand located less than a mile from where I live in the Portland suburb of Milwaukie, Oregon. P&C was purchased by Plomb (Proto) tool in 1942 and remained in production until the late 1960s, when Proto discontinued the P&C name.

There are a great many tools that were rebranded to sell with the P&C logo. Woodworking tools (including levels) are the least common of these tools imo, but there's not a lot of us who collect P&C. As such, your level might be worth $5-$10 if you got a couple collectors fighting over it at auction. To most everyone else, it's a $1-$2 torpedo level.

Feel free to send me a PM if you want to part with it!

Brian

 

[Empty Pockets]

Here on the east coast, P&C tools are tough to come by. In fact, I have only found one socket in the wils in the last year or so

 

[L5wolvesf]

Thanks for the info guys.