Do you see "Proto" AND the flying lady logo? Or just the flying lady logo? Because contrary to popular association with Proto, she was actually introduced on the cover of Catalog 19, which was published sometime in 1942, and no later than 3/1943.
Thanks. It's a good thing I didn't take bets!
It's a 49'er! It can't be any earlier than July 1948 (when the Proto TM was granted), and the first ad shows up in October 1948, but the full brute force of their entire last gasp effort to beat Plumb 'Proto Tools by Plomb Tool Company' campaign really takes place in 1949. How effin' cool is that?!
Because they couldn't grind it off! I'm not kidding. On January 13, 1949, Plomb lost an appeal against Plumb (court case 171 F2d 945), and Plomb was given until March 1950 to fully comply with the previous March 1947 court order to cease and desist using “Plomb” as a trademark. The whole dual-marked fiasco failed. In mid- to late 1948 Plomb though they (and let's face it, he, in the form of Morris Pendleton) could get away with the switch to Proto in advertising and packaging, without changing the tools. In November 1948, when Plumb hit them with a contempt order, Pendleton's next scheme was dual-marked tools, which they started making in early January 1949. When they lost the appeal, they were given until March 1950 to finally get rid of Plomb altogether. They re-tooled, but for all the goods (like Rags' fix-it kits) still in the warehouse or already out on shelves, the more expedient method was grinding tools and redacting packaging with tape.
Ooh, you lucky duck!
The 1-3/4" and if that last one is a 2" that would complete a set up to 2" for me.
Thank you. The 1133 was wild found at a pawnshop. The 1132 was sourced on the bay. I should take a group shot of the Plomb speciality tools. I have been digging through catalogs and found there is a very large amount of automaker speciality tools Plomb produced.
