Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I picked up this vintage 'P&D Genuine Ignition Parts Authorized Service' cabinet at a flea market on Sunday.
I have to admit I had never heard of P&D before (or at least it's not as familiar as vintage Delco, Champion, Niehoff, etc), but it was calling out classic American garage style to me and too authentic looking and cool to pass up.
It's in very good condition, with some color fading, and some minor surface rusting on the bottom of the doors that has not totally marred the appearance or any of the lettering. One of the two identical logos has a paint splotch or something on it. Other than that, I love the patina. It's missing two pull out drawers inside. The compartments in the drawers that are present have original P&D labels for different ignition parts series. No key for the lock, but that's a minor quibble.
The cabinet is deeper on the bottom, tapering up. Here is a photo before I even got it home with the rest of my haul, showing more of the shape.
View media item 79689
I plan on cleaning it, and carefully addressing the rust (without removing any of the lettering), and leaving it "as is."
My gut hunch on date is 1940's or 1950's. In my initial on-line searches I was astonished to see other identical or similar examples sold or for sale on several major markets (fleaBay, testy, CL, etc), all in the $250 - $400 range. But not much good definitive historical info in the ads. In fact, it's difficult to find a single concise summary of the company anywhere, so I had to some research of my own.
On July 10, 1934, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for P & D IGNITION REPAIR PARTS by P. & D. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., LONG ISLAND CITY, NY. Link here.
Seems to have been granted June 15, 1935. Link here.
P&D Ignition Parts were being liberally advertised by garages and service centers throughout the country throughout the 1940's and the 1950's.
By 1964 they were advertising themselves as "the largest exclusive manufacturer of ignition parts and systems," link here, and Bendix bought them out in 1966, link here.
But what I was more keenly interested in is dating my tune-up cabinet.
I found this ad in a 1936 newspaper. The logo looks exactly the same as the logo on my cabinet.
View media item 79733
And I found this logo, expanded from a snippet only view inside Motor magazine, Vol 90, from 1948.
View media item 79734
For contrast, see the thumbnail below for an image of a modern P&D tune-up cabinet. It's not dated, but the logo clearly evolved after 1948, and I am guessing this cabinet is at least 60's or 70's.
If anyone has any further information to add to this, please chime in. I posted it in the Garage Sale thread, also Drives' cabinets thread, but I am posting it in its own thread hoping to catch more interest and more info.
Thanks in advance.
I have to admit I had never heard of P&D before (or at least it's not as familiar as vintage Delco, Champion, Niehoff, etc), but it was calling out classic American garage style to me and too authentic looking and cool to pass up.
It's in very good condition, with some color fading, and some minor surface rusting on the bottom of the doors that has not totally marred the appearance or any of the lettering. One of the two identical logos has a paint splotch or something on it. Other than that, I love the patina. It's missing two pull out drawers inside. The compartments in the drawers that are present have original P&D labels for different ignition parts series. No key for the lock, but that's a minor quibble.
The cabinet is deeper on the bottom, tapering up. Here is a photo before I even got it home with the rest of my haul, showing more of the shape.
View media item 79689
I plan on cleaning it, and carefully addressing the rust (without removing any of the lettering), and leaving it "as is."
My gut hunch on date is 1940's or 1950's. In my initial on-line searches I was astonished to see other identical or similar examples sold or for sale on several major markets (fleaBay, testy, CL, etc), all in the $250 - $400 range. But not much good definitive historical info in the ads. In fact, it's difficult to find a single concise summary of the company anywhere, so I had to some research of my own.
On July 10, 1934, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for P & D IGNITION REPAIR PARTS by P. & D. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., LONG ISLAND CITY, NY. Link here.
Seems to have been granted June 15, 1935. Link here.
P&D Ignition Parts were being liberally advertised by garages and service centers throughout the country throughout the 1940's and the 1950's.
By 1964 they were advertising themselves as "the largest exclusive manufacturer of ignition parts and systems," link here, and Bendix bought them out in 1966, link here.
But what I was more keenly interested in is dating my tune-up cabinet.
I found this ad in a 1936 newspaper. The logo looks exactly the same as the logo on my cabinet.
View media item 79733
And I found this logo, expanded from a snippet only view inside Motor magazine, Vol 90, from 1948.
View media item 79734
For contrast, see the thumbnail below for an image of a modern P&D tune-up cabinet. It's not dated, but the logo clearly evolved after 1948, and I am guessing this cabinet is at least 60's or 70's.
If anyone has any further information to add to this, please chime in. I posted it in the Garage Sale thread, also Drives' cabinets thread, but I am posting it in its own thread hoping to catch more interest and more info.
Thanks in advance.
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