Brink & Cotton Manufacturing Co.

woody 73 · Aug 22, 2015

This next story has so many twists & turns that a persons head will start to spin. I am lacking so much information that I am digging down in the obituary posts and wedding announcements just for any clues about this company.

As a side note I hope the married couple never see this in print I can just hear the stories on that one!

Ok I could not find a starting date for this company but I think I can make a good guess so let me explain how I came up with a starting date. I found one record that had a filing date of Jan. 29,1969 and it said the company age was 46 years, 7 months so I subtracted 49 from 1969 and came up with what I think the starting would be and that is July 1923?

Now the next clue that I found told me the company must have started sometime in the 1920's because they survived a fire back in 28 so 1923 sounds about right. The only name I could find was Frederick Brink on an old Patent still not sure about the cotton connection?

At one point in time Eugene Maxwell Moore Jr. acquired the company in Bridgeport in 1968 were he served till 1982; at which time his son must have taken over Mr. Michael Dent Moore, mind you all of this is a guess on my part?

They were bought out by the Warren tool group in 1987, then Warren sold to Wilton in 1994 then again the company was sold to the Walter Meier Corporation in 2002; At which time I am not sure anymore about the company ?

I will leave you with several links and a few pictures please if anyone has any information about the company in question then please add it.

http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2012/10/vanished-tool-makers-brink-cotton.html

http://www.bizapedia.com/ct/BRINK-AMP-COTTON-MANUFACTURING-COMPANY-THE.html

http://www.trademarkia.com/brink--cotton-73702798.html

http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/xrefCompany.php?id=4175

http://www.google.com/patents/US172...Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=brink cotton vise&f=false

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ctpost/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-maxwell-moore&pid=123015224&

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/29/style/miss-kelly-bride-of-michael-moore.html

drivesitfar · Aug 22, 2015

Woody: thanks for starting another thread on the history of a great tool company. would you mind also making this post on the clamps 101 thread? i'll read all the research when i have time, but pretty busy this summer so might be a winter read.

nice work

Alan Douglas · Aug 22, 2015

Trade mark registrations usually include a date of first use, but I don't find any applications or issued trademarks to Brink from 1922 to 1927. I didn't look under Cotton.

Leviton · Dec 22, 2020

I always appreciate Woody's informative threads.

Several of my Brink & Cotton clamps have a mark that looks like an "M" inside a larger "C". Anyone know what this mark means?

Private Lugnutz · Dec 22, 2020

That is probably a foundry mark.

woody 73 · Dec 22, 2020

Yes I also think that is a foundry mark of some kind. My memory is a little slow but I seem to recall a phone conversation with a different foundry and they told me those marks were a special way for them to tract production.

Roberts210 · Dec 22, 2020

In the 1980's I bought a whole slew of 4" and 5" Brink & Cotton C clamps, marked, Made in U.S.A. All had machined acme threads. I'm not sure, now, who I ordered them from. It may have been New Mexico Woodworker's Supply. In the 1990's I bought some more, but these had rolled threads, and the tolerances weren't nearly as good. I still have 'em and use 'em, but the ones with rolled threads haven't held up as good as the ones with machined threads.

ken w. · Dec 22, 2020

I've had a few Brink & Cotton vises that appeared to be made in Asia. I've seen small clamp on and one swivel bolt on. They didn't seem to be good quality .

davethorik · Dec 22, 2020

Most B&C stuff I've seen is kind of lightweight and cheap looking. I have a few of their c-clamps and they are built small for their size. I have a USA marked 3" clamp-on vise and it should say India or China, given how low quality it is. Definitely a vintage brand not worth collecting.

TailGunner3000 · Dec 22, 2020

Thanks Woody. Love your stuff.

Lassen Forge · Dec 22, 2020

The foundry marks were generally a way to tell who forged or casted what under a certain contract. Back in the 1920's, there was a huge market in forged (AKA "Spurious") parts for a model T - apparently it was such a concern that they put out a warning that only approved crakshafts with the correct forging marks would be allowable for return credit. Ford was extremely stringent on both the composition of the steel used and the methods in which his parts were made, and put out a list of approved casting marks...

It was the first time I realized that (a) Ford wasn't making all the parts for his cars, that someone else was making them for him (other than the Dodge Brothers), and (b) IF you had the "secret decoder" you could tell WHICH foundry made the parts...

This is the same issue we have here. The Horseshoe "C" surrounding a "M" looks familiar as heck to me, but I have no idea who the forger or caster was for these. I did a quick and rudimentary search of some of my resources and could find no solution (yet - the problem still nags at me), but the answer is out there. IIRC most of them were registered AND/OR had a copyright on their use, but I just can't find who it is yet.

Regardless, it's a fascinating sub-hobby, figuring who was making what for whom and when. It could well be a casting mark FOR Brink & Cotton... someone somewhere has the answer.

Downwindtracker 2 · Dec 22, 2020

This is not an addition to the company history but a user's perfective. I found them to be the same quality as Jorgensen, interchangeable, except for their pipe clamps, they used a toothed cam which dug in and caught. I liked the Jorgensen "Pony" ones better.

Leviton · Dec 23, 2020

Lassen Forge said:
The foundry marks were generally a way to tell who forged or casted what under a certain contract. Back in the 1920's, there was a huge market in forged (AKA "Spurious") parts for a model T - apparently it was such a concern that they put out a warning that only approved crakshafts with the correct forging marks would be allowable for return credit. Ford was extremely stringent on both the composition of the steel used and the methods in which his parts were made, and put out a list of approved casting marks...

It was the first time I realized that (a) Ford wasn't making all the parts for his cars, that someone else was making them for him (other than the Dodge Brothers), and (b) IF you had the "secret decoder" you could tell WHICH foundry made the parts...

This is the same issue we have here. The Horseshoe "C" surrounding a "M" looks familiar as heck to me, but I have no idea who the forger or caster was for these. I did a quick and rudimentary search of some of my resources and could find no solution (yet - the problem still nags at me), but the answer is out there. IIRC most of them were registered AND/OR had a copyright on their use, but I just can't find who it is yet.

Regardless, it's a fascinating sub-hobby, figuring who was making what for whom and when. It could well be a casting mark FOR Brink & Cotton... someone somewhere has the answer.

I'm excited to see if anything further comes up.

Here is a pair I bought at a garage sale, even thought they are both 144's, one has a "3" after the mark and one has a "4".

Provincial · Dec 23, 2020

I bought a pair of B&C 4" c-clamps in the early 1970's from the local hardware store. They were the best cast clamps I have ever found. From the description in Roberts210's post, they were the earlier production.

I have since found a few more at garage sales, and all were the good version.

Forged Williams and Armstrong clamps are my first choice.

Neighbor · Dec 23, 2020

Leviton said:
one has a "3" after the mark and one has a "4".

I like Brink and Cotton clamps. I have several of the red adjustable bar clamps. I agree the M/c is a foundry mark. Just a guess, possibly Mansfield Casting??? I'm quite certain the 3 & 4 are pattern impression numbers.

RTM · Mar 25, 2021

Here is a late add to Woody’s original story.

Some slightly late info, published in 1962, talks of Frederick Brink, and his partner John Cotton and their company, founded in 1925, talks of school, marriage, etc. (Go Woody!)

https://archive.org/details/historyofconnect03bing/page/307/mode/1up

Fred Brink was one of the company officers of the Brink & Cotton company. Last entry in New England, right above the Pittsburgh header. Note the April 1925 date. I’ve seen these trade magazines lag a few months, but not years behind the event. The article below mentions that they were putting equipment into 1862 State Street.

https://www.google.com/books/editio...ton"+bridgeport&pg=PA1178&printsec=frontcover

Digging back through history, that address shows being occupied (through trade directories) by:
Harvey Mfg company in 1921-22 (one shows them still there in 1929??)
Bridgeport Lea(ther) Spec in 1924
Cedar tool and Gage Corp in 1925
These directories have frequently lagged by a year (in my brief looking, vs city directories)

This location, per google satellite view, is a trapezoidal property, currently fenced and razed to the ground, but showing a squarish foundation, backing up to Railroad street, which runs parallel to the railroad tracks, so easy freight access.

1941 put them at 62 Cherry Street, Bridgeport (opposite side of the tracks, about 3 spaces away)
1951 showed them at 23 Poland Street, Bridgeport5. (about 2 miles south, but on the water, away from the tracks)

Going to say done to this post. More later if I find it.

d42jeep · Mar 25, 2021

I think that this is my only Brink & Cotton clamp.
-Don

RTM · Apr 6, 2021

Just found a 1932 list of CT factory inspections, puts them at 62 Cherry street .

1958 puts them at 67 Poland street, from a standard advertising register.

RTM · Apr 7, 2021

Here is some info from The National Cyclopædia of American Biography, 1973 edition. I suspect this is sort of a vanity publication, as they are called now by some people, where you can pay to get your name in, or someone else's name too, since this is posthumous.

Here is a bio of Frederick Brink

See it live here, at archive dot org (photo is above)

https://archive.org/details/nationalcyclope54newy/page/665/mode/1up

You can see a photo of Frederick Brink here, for those who need a bit more excitement in your life (save others the bandwidth)

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Misc-Images/i-Kcw8KLr

RTM · Apr 7, 2021

And to close out this chapter, this appeared in the Connecticut Law Journal Volume 30 p19 (again snippet view) ...The Brink & Cotton Manu this 5th day of May , 1969 ....

clicking through, turns out in tiny print to say

Notice of Dissolution
BCM Liquidating Company
Notice is herby given pursuant to the Section 33-379 of the Connecticut General Statutes (formerly the Brink & Cotton Manufacturing Company) a Connecticut corporation having its principal place of business in the city of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and state of Connecticut has been dissolved by resolution duly.....

Using BCM Liquidating to search, on Monday, May 12, 1969, (guess at this due to bad OCR, and I don't have a newspapers.com subscription)
The Bridgeport Post announced that

Dissolution by the BCM Liquidating Company Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Section 33-379 etc etc. Lots of gibberish.

IF someone has access to either of the snippet or paywall information, and wants to fill in the blanks.

I can't find the date of Eugene Moore's 1968 purchase, but it is listed in a 1969 version of The industry leader HARDWARE RETAILER p219 (again locked behind snippet view).

I wonder if BCM liquidating was created to clean up the books after Brink's death, and before Eugene Moore bought them out. I had expected to see a subtle name change when Moore took over, but didn't.

If someone has access to any of the snippet or paywall information, and wants to fill in the blanks.

And all this because I wanted a catalog to see if my tiny vise was there. Now to dig into the other names others have suggested, Littlestown, PSW.....

four.cycle · Apr 7, 2021

RTM said:
I wanted a catalog to see if my tiny vise was there

I just checked my "vise" folder and I have nothing for this manufacturer.

You might want to check International Tool Catalog Library

RTM · Apr 7, 2021

four.cycle said:
I just checked my "vise" folder and I have nothing for this manufacturer.

You might want to check International Tool Catalog Library

Been there, done that. My vise isn’t there. The Brink & Cotton has a beak, mine does not. But couldn’t leave a history hole gaping open for others to fall into.

JohnBoston · Jan 21, 2023

woody 73 said:
This next story has so many twists & turns that a persons head will start to spin. I am lacking so much information that I am digging down in the obituary posts and wedding announcements just for any clues about this company.

As a side note I hope the married couple never see this in print I can just hear the stories on that one!

Ok I could not find a starting date for this company but I think I can make a good guess so let me explain how I came up with a starting date. I found one record that had a filing date of Jan. 29,1969 and it said the company age was 46 years, 7 months so I subtracted 49 from 1969 and came up with what I think the starting would be and that is July 1923?

Now the next clue that I found told me the company must have started sometime in the 1920's because they survived a fire back in 28 so 1923 sounds about right. The only name I could find was Frederick Brink on an old Patent still not sure about the cotton connection?

At one point in time Eugene Maxwell Moore Jr. acquired the company in Bridgeport in 1968 were he served till 1982; at which time his son must have taken over Mr. Michael Dent Moore, mind you all of this is a guess on my part?

They were bought out by the Warren tool group in 1987, then Warren sold to Wilton in 1994 then again the company was sold to the Walter Meier Corporation in 2002; At which time I am not sure anymore about the company ?

I will leave you with several links and a few pictures please if anyone has any information about the company in question then please add it.

http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2012/10/vanished-tool-makers-brink-cotton.html

http://www.bizapedia.com/ct/BRINK-AMP-COTTON-MANUFACTURING-COMPANY-THE.html

http://www.trademarkia.com/brink--cotton-73702798.html

http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/xrefCompany.php?id=4175

http://www.google.com/patents/US1720464?pg=PA2&dq=brink+cotton+vise&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XQGLUaLaDtS04APnvIGIDA&sqi=2&pjf=1&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=brink cotton vise&f=false

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ctpost/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-maxwell-moore&pid=123015224&

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/29/style/miss-kelly-bride-of-michael-moore.html

Woody,
Not sure how helpful this will be but my Grandfather, John Edwin Cotton (10/21/1882 - 11/13/1943) founded this company with his business partner, Brink. I met the brinks when I was a small child but don't recall his first name. Anyway, the partners invented several tools during the early years of the great depression. Because most people could not afford to hire people to do repairs for them during this era they typically spent any money they could save and purchased tools so they could do the repairs themself. As a result the company thrived during the years of and following the great depression. When the company was founded they made an agreement that when either of the partners died, the company would go to the surviving partner. Unfortunately my grandfather John E Cotton died of cancer at an early age. His wife, May Bell Cotton continued to live on Fairview Ave, Bridgeport CT for a few more years. The same city in which the company operated. A few years later my grandmother moved in with her daughter and her husband (my parents) where she lived until her death 02/3/1981. John E Cotton was born in Cromwell, CT.
My father was also a tool and die maker in Bridgeport and Stratford, CT as was my oldest brother who would have a much better recollection of the history of the history of the company later owned and operated by the Brinks. Most of what I read on the sale dates sounds about right from what I remember.
Perhaps some of this will information will help.
Regards, John

four.cycle · Jan 21, 2023

Thank you very much and welcome to the site! :thumbup:

Boilerhouse · Jan 21, 2023

These are my B&C C Clamps, which I bought new, about 40 years ago. Still using them.

d42jeep · Apr 8, 2023

I found a couple of B&C clamps at a local garage sale yesterday. It looks as if the lower one may have been over tightened.
-Don

genog · Apr 9, 2023

Here's my Brink & Cotton
It's mounted on my work bench and works for a living (It's not on display)

I will check my C Clamps to see if I have more B&C

genog · Apr 18, 2023

Found four

skmbabon · May 1, 2023

genog said:
Here's my Brink & Cotton
It's mounted on my work bench and works for a living (It's not on display)
I will check my C Clamps to see if I have more B&C

Here's a catalog page showing your model No. 149.

jawstight · Mar 21, 2025

Does anyone know the model number of this vise? Or the approximate date/timeline of its production? It's not listed in the Vise Spreadsheet. I've searched this thread, and while I found quite a bit about the company including the fact that one of the members here is the grandson or the co-founder, it seems that their clamps and clamp on vises were much more common, and I didn't see mention of this particular vise. They're not uncommon by any stretch.

This one is mine. It's USA made, pretty sturdy, and seems to be of pretty fair quality also.

Thanks!

RTM · Mar 21, 2025

If suspect later, after the Warren takeover of the brand. Looks really new from here.

This thread may help

Brink and Cotton Vise

Anybody know where to find the above name brand Vise. They are US made and are of the highest quality. I had purchase a 4 1/2" from home depot some 10 years ago and they are nowhere to be found now. Paid around $45 for it. Anyone knows where to pick one up from?

www.garagejournal.com

Apologies for the Wilton instead of Warren, if anyone happened to see it.

jawstight · Mar 22, 2025

Thanks for trying, though there were no answers to the same ones I have in that thread. The patent was for a clamp on vise, while this one is screw down swivel base vise. I don't think it's a current design, but I have nothing to support that as yet.
I have seen one on eBay that is identical but has another name on it. So rebranding may be at play here.
It's quite stout, and until I bought a Craftsman 3-1/2 I was using it in my workshop for light work. I plan on keeping it still, but was hoping to learn more about it. I cleaned it up and mounted it to a piece of butchblock so that I can move it from place to place. Being heavy, along with the weight of the wood base allows it to be used for light work without the need to clamp it down.

jawstight · Mar 22, 2025

This is how I have mine mounted now. Makes it portable. Same with the Craftsman 51800 in the background. If need be I clamp them to the bench.
I have a pair of jaw liners with rubber faces mounted on my Brinks. And the Craftsman. But it's the Brink I'd like to know more about.

Brink & Cotton Manufacturing Co.

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