Curious socket box

[daddyopoppy]

Found this New Britain/None Better socket set. It appears to have an almost varnish type of finish on the tools. I don’t know if they came that way or if my wife’s uncle’s dad applied the finish for protection. Very nice set. The curious thing to me is the box, the label on the front says Edwards and son Mendota Illinois. I haven’t seen any None Better sets in a box like this nor have I seen any information on the Edwards and Son company.

 

[d42jeep]

New Britain tools came with that anti rust protectant from the factory
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks like a craftsman box with a different logo

 

[four.cycle]

Edwards & Son started in 1865 as a tinmaker's shop[1]. They were still in business in 1953 when a centennial history of the town was published. Considering the condition of the tools, I would do everything possible to preserve that tag on the lid - that's your provenance.

[1] "Magnificent Whistle Stop - The 100 Year History of Mendota, Illlinois" 1953 - The Mendota Centennial Committee Inc.

 

[3baygarage]

That would be the original coating.
Very interesting. Are the tools branded?

 

[daddyopoppy]

Yes the tools are stamped None Better so New Britain would be the manufacturer. The tools don’t really appear to be original to the box. You can tell there was a bigger set in it at one time. But that’s just a guess.

 

[d42jeep]

Looks like a craftsman box with a different logo

Looks like the heritage label may have been replaced. The clips on the lid likely held a speeder The socket trays look like it was a 1/2” drive plus a 3/8” drive set. Might have come with Craftsman sockets but it’s hard to know for sure.
-Don

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I'd be willing the bet the other side of that logo badge says Craftsman.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

My shot at duplicating that finish. My camera wasn't doing well with color balance, I'd say it looks a little better in person than the pic, but the socket on end shows it pretty well

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I have some new britain tools with that coating, it was a rust inhibitor

 

[daddyopoppy]

Since fourcycle taught us that Edwards and son was a tin maker shop. I have to wonder if they had a contract to make boxes for craftsman.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Doubtful. More likely Sears contracted the boxes out to a big box manufacturer. Edwards & Son was a hardware store - one of the oldest businesses in Mendota, if I understood that chapter correctly. But certainly not a manufacturer.

 

[JjKk40]

I wouldn't doubt that that hardware store had a contract with NB and they sold them in their store just like that, missing some sockets obviously, speeder, etc...

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve never seen a box with that look that didn’t come from Sears with Craftsman tools in it. It seems unlikely to me that it would have originally come with None Better marked tools but anything‘s possible, I guess
-Don

 

[daddyopoppy]

It’s an interesting mystery. The box isn’t beat up but it does seem to be worn enough to have been used, but the tools do not seem to have much if any wear.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Hmmm, sears got them made somewhere, and they were not exclusive to mdf tools

 

[four.cycle]

I’ve never seen a box with that look that didn’t come from Sears with Craftsman tools in it. It seems unlikely to me that it would have originally come with None Better marked tools but anything‘s possible, I guess

I completely missed that, Don.
That's a Craftsman box - look at the grooves on the lid.
Repurposed box with a cherry NB set inside?

 

[Dieselclunker]

Cosmoline coating, bad speller I am............