Fulton Peerless 26 vise

[Leshomorego]

Just joined the group to find out a bit more about my new (old) vise. It appears to be pretty old. It is stamped "Fulton Lowville, NY Peerless 26". I was hoping somebody could tell me anything about it since I can't seem to find any information. Although, I'm probably just not looking hard enough. EVERYTHING is on the interwebz! Thanks for any help you can give me. I'll post some pictures tomorrow. It's getting late.

 

[meatsis]

Pictures???

 

[neophyte]

Fulton should stand for E. W. Fulton, or Edwin Wayland Fulton. E.W. Fulton was an inventor who designed, patented, and manufactured several different types of vises, some of which had ingenious mechanisms.

The Fulton Machine and Vise company was founded in June 1905 in Lowville, NY. The manufacturing site burned down in May 1907, but was rebuilt and resumed business in October 1907. Fulton sold his interests in the Fulton Machine and Vise Co. in 1924, at which point they changed their name to the Lowville Vise Company. E.W. Fulton then became manager of the Oswego Tool Company. E.W. Fulton controlled the Atlas Vise Company Inc., and Velox vise Company Inc. both of Lowville, NY, and when he became manager, the Oswego Tool Company received the rights to manufacture the Atlas Nutyp and Velox vise designs Fulton had patents on.

Since your vise says Fulton Lowville it would likely have been manufactured between 1905 and 1927. There's a Fulton Lowville, NY Peerless number 25 vise on ebay at the moment. The design sort of looks like some Prentiss vises.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-FUL...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

One of Fulton's vise designs was the Sawyer Nutyp, rotating head type vise, that is now mainly manufactured in China, and which has been sold at one point or another by most vise manufacturers.

More history on E.W. Fulton.

http://www.fultonhistory.com/Proces... Oswego Daily Times June-Aug 1924 - 0508.pdf

http://www.onlinebiographies.info/ny/oswe/fulton-ew.htm

 

[drivesitfar]

Neo: Great post. I own several LMV vises and they were well built.

 

[bluebolt]

Waiting to see pictures! Here is some more Fulton and Lowville history I did a while back.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4694328&postcount=5

The Fulton (F. M. V.) and L. M. V. timeline is fuzzy but I think I just figured it out.

Timeline I have found.
1898 Lafayette Wetmore (1857-1910) acquired the Lowville Iron works.
1902 After a fire Wetmore built a new factory near the Lowville rail yard.
https://books.google.com/books?id=gH...20vise&f=false

1905 "The Fulton Machine and Vise Co. has been incorporated to manufacture vises, pumps, etc. The incorporators are Edwin W. Fulton and Mason M. Swan, both of Watertown N.Y.; Lafayette Wetmore, Lowville N.Y. and others. The capital is $30,000
https://books.google.com/books?id=ei...20vise&f=false

1907 the 5 year old plant burns down! "The company was organized for the purpose of manufacturing swivel vises of Mr. Fulton's invention. The entire plant was destroyed by fire, May 19, 1907, causing a loss of $22,000, of which $10,000 was not covered by insurance. Arrangements were immediately made to rebuild. A new two-story modern concrete factory was erected and equipped with the latest machinery and tools, and business resumed in the new plant Oct. 1, 1907. In June the capital stock of the corporation was increased from $30,000 to $50,000 in order to provide for the new plant and increased volume of business. The company is now (1910) making a large assortment of high-grade vises and pumps, and find a market for the product in all parts of the world."
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....ex/fulton.html

1924 Fulton goes to work for Oswego. My computer has a hard time downloading this PDF from the Aug 19, 1924 Oswego Daily times. The highlights are:
1. At the time he controlled the Atlas Vise Co, Inc and Velox Vise Co, Inc, of Lowville N.Y.
2. He was for many years with the Prentice Vise Co.
3. Up to 3 years ago he was with the Fulton Machine and Vise Co WHICH HAS RECENTLY REORGANIZED AS THE LOWVILLE VISE CO.http://www.fultonhistory.com/Process...20- 0508.pdf

1930 The Fulton, now Lowville, vice company apparently closes.
https://books.google.com/books?id=i1...20vise&f=false

So apparently Fulton was BEFORE Lowville.
And Fulton marked vises are from approximately 1905-1924, LMV from 1924-1930.
My head hurts. Time for a beer!

this research was given to me by BlueBolt and if there are any changes to be made or any more to be added to this post please let me know especially since i own these 2 L. M. & V vises.