Any Prentiss Vise Catalogs?

[micahd1997]

Howdy!

Do any members have physical copies of trade catalogues issued by the Prentiss Vise Company?

To clarify - I’m looking for company-issued ones pamphlets rather than mentions of Prentiss vises in larger, wholesale hardware catalogues. I’ve accessed the few scans available online on Internet Archive, but I know there are more Prentiss catalogues out there that haven’t seen the light of day.

Thanks!

Micah

 

[four.cycle]

Other than International Tool Catalog Library, sources are scant.

Check the main VISE THREAD here. Use the "Search" function at top right - select from the drop-down menu "This Thread". Search keyword "prentiss" by author "four.cycle" and you'll find a number of catalog pages.

Give me a few minutes and I'll add the most recent finds. 12/31/24 11:39 PST

 

[micahd1997]

I appreciate it, Four.

Agreed, sources are definitely scant. I’ve even reached out to the Smithsonian and Library of Congress with little success. The company-issued pamphlets are, hands down, the best source of information on the timing and manufacturing changes of Prentiss’ product line, so I’m interested in doing my best to rustle up any of those surviving catalogues. I was lucky enough to finally find an original a couple weeks ago (pictured). However, this is only one catalog out of at least 8 different catalogues that the Prentiss Vise Company issued over time

 

[four.cycle]

sorry my mistake.
catalog pages are uploaded in THIS thread, not the main "VISE" thread.

search "Prentiss" - search by author "four.cycle"

 

[micahd1997]

Much appreciated, Four. I’ve benefited from the hardware catalog pages you’ve posted on GJ many times. You find some amazing pages.

For my current purposes, however, I’m specifically looking for dedicated, company-issued catalogues as opposed to mentions in larger hardware catalogues. They’re certainly scarce, but I intend to find them!

 

[four.cycle]

^ You will do better posting your two-inch-jaw model in the main "vise" thread.

Catalogs are sometimes available on ebay, but asking prices can get a bit nutty.

 

[micahd1997]

To clarify, I would do better posting my vise in that thread for what purpose? Not quite sure what you’re referring to

I agree, and they’re few and far between.

 

[four.cycle]

I’ve benefited from the hardware catalog pages you’ve posted on GJ many times.

In many cases, those early hardware catalog pages are the only resource available.
Old catalogs were thrown into the trash when new issues came out, or when a retailer (or wholesaler) switched to a different brand.
As most everything went "online" in the 1980s and 1990s, more and more old paper catalogs went into the trash.
It's become more a matter of "take what you can get" (as opposed to "wait for what you want".)

To clarify, I would do better posting my vise in that thread for what purpose?

Increasing the odds of someone being able to identify the piece.
A lot of members do not venture out of their "regular" threads, so posting an item in a new thread might well not even be noticed, particularly when you are posting in "General Tools", which a lot of us ignore for the most part.
It is to your advantage to use the existing threads.