Oldest known Parker Vise

[drivesitfar]

Bub: i've been following along and noticed that you mentioned pics of a 2 inch wide parker vise, but I didn't see any. do you have one of the little ones?

Fier: always nice reading your posts and seeing what you've found!

 

[bubinga2]

Bub: i've been following along and noticed that you mentioned pics of a 2 inch wide parker vise, but I didn't see any. do you have one of the little ones?

Yeah, it measures 2 3/16" across and weighs 6.3 lbs. No model number or any markings other than front jaw. Brass nut and brass balls on handle. Not broken or abused. Small amounts of black paint or japanning remain.

Correction: There is a hand stamped 35 on the tongue of the fixed jaw and the slide.

 

[Fierljeppen]

bubinga2...You've been holding out on us. That's a really nice pre-1867, Charles Parker no.0 vise, I believe.

I think it's pre-1867 due to the handle style, but the unmarked casting and stamped jaws also make me to believe it's from that era as well. At some point, could you re-post your photos at a higher resolution, I'd like to add it to my database for historical reasons.

 

[bubinga2]

Here are some larger images. I believe this Parker was made between the patent dates of 1854 and 1867. This is one of my favorite vises. Please provide my name as credit if they are posted in another forum or Facebook. Photos by Carl Matthews.

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http://www.mprime.com/images/parker1-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker2-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker3-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker4-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker5-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker6-1280.jpg
http://www.mprime.com/images/parker7-1280.jpg

 

[Fierljeppen]

Here are some larger images. I believe this Parker was made between the patent dates of 1854 and 1867. This is one of my favorite vises. Please provide my name as credit if they are posted in another forum or Facebook. Photos by Carl Matthews.

Absolutely, thanks for the excellent photos! That would be a top shelf vise in anyone's vise collection, especially mine.

 

[drivesitfar]

Bub: thanks for the pix. AWESOME

FYI. pics showed up on my cell and when I just opened up my laptop to see them larger they are all links/attachments I need to click on.

no wonder you like old Parkers cause even though i've never kept any that have come my way i'm pretty certain I wouldn't let that one go.

cheers

 

[GForceJunky]

A neat story about Parker vise's
My brother has been in the textile business forever.
I would tag along when he would go to factory sellouts.
One day we went to Scranton Lace in Scranton Pa. Employed 5000 people.
They was closing the doors forever. Selling everything.
To cut the story short I bought 100 Parker vises.
I ask why they only had Parker vise's. They said one of the Parker
family members worked there and give them a good deal on vise's
After a few years I googled the history between Parker and Scranton Lace.
This is what I found.

Are we just all going to ignore that you mentioned you bought 100 Parker Vises!? Holy cow. Still got some left? You have my attention! Very fascinating story too!

Back on to the main topic, those are some beautiful vises posted recently. I've never seen the unmarked Parker vises before and would probably have passed one up if I just saw it sitting out for sale unless it was super cheap. Interesting that they marked the other one on the jaw considering that's technically a wear item.

 

[JYoung]

Hello, I have been searching for information on a Parker trojan 704.
My search leads me to this forum, there seems to be a ton of info on Parkers but not the 704 model. Looking for rough age.
Can someone help out or post a link for me to investigate more?
Markings on vise are:
C.Parker Co. Meriden, CT. U.S.A.
Trojan 704
Thanks.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Hello, I have been searching for information on a Parker trojan 704.
My search leads me to this forum, there seems to be a ton of info on Parkers but not the 704 model. Looking for rough age.
Can someone help out or post a link for me to investigate more?
Markings on vise are:
C.Parker Co. Meriden, CT. U.S.A.
Trojan 704
Thanks.

So your internet search for a Parker Trojan model 704 vise lead you to The GarageJournal, that's weird.

My notes from old mfg. directories show the Parker Trojan model vises were offered from (1910-1921). They were listed as a medium priced, but well built vise.

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[JYoung]

Thanks for the info.

 

[KMScott]

Thanks for the info.

Post some pics. I would love to add your vise to the Spreadsheet.

Has it been confirmed if bubinga2 vise is a 2"or a 2-1/2". I will message him if no answer.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Post some pics. I would love to add your vise to the Spreadsheet.

Has it been confirmed if bubinga2 vise is a 2"or a 2-1/2". I will message him if no answer.

He's got the pre-1867 Parker vise jaw width listed as 2-3/16". The 1870 catalog ad lists the Parker no.0 jaw width @ 2-1/4".

It's a damn nice vise! The only thing I don't like about this vise is that it's not in my collection.

 

[Outlawmws]

Dr Scott, do you have a listing for the Parker No 3? 1867 patent dates (3) 4-3/4" jaws, 59-1/2 L bs? the last catalog date I know of was 1894. appears to have been gone from catalogs by 1901

 

[KMScott]

Dr Scott, do you have a listing for the Parker No 3? 1867 patent dates (3) 4-3/4" jaws, 59-1/2 L bs? the last catalog date I know of was 1894. appears to have been gone from catalogs by 1901

Yes, I have your Parker listed on the spreadsheet. Nice vise.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4521714&postcount=23734

 

[ejot]

This Parker that looks to be of that earliest period sold local-ish to me last night/this morning. Seller and I had agreed I could come see it this evening, then he replied again short time later that it was gone.
Been hoping at least someone on here got it. Not in perfect shape, but still quite a special, historical vise. Just to see it I'd have considered quite an opportunity.

 

[bubinga2]

The jaws are 2-1/8" and there is no cast model number. It does look very much like the No. 0. I hope that helps. ......Carl (maker of the Iron Hand website)

 

[bubinga2]

ejot,
Do you know if it had any patent dates or other markings on it?
Very nice vise of the age. What was the asking price?
Thanks a bunch......Carl

This Parker that looks to be of that earliest period sold local-ish to me last night/this morning. Seller and I had agreed I could come see it this evening, then he replied again short time later that it was gone.
Been hoping at least someone on here got it. Not in perfect shape, but still quite a special, historical vise. Just to see it I'd have considered quite an opportunity.

 

[ejot]

Carl, no markings that the seller could find or that I could see in pics. Of course they might be hidden under heavy patina. I attch the other two pics that were posted. I've zoomed in on them but not great resolution. This one was 4" jaws, Model 3. Asking price was what one might reasonably pay for a good common user of this size. Someone got a deal or seller reconsidered the sale.

By the way, your vise is utterly spectacular. Congrats.

 

[454ragtop]

Bubinga, I have one of those early model 0 vises, some (poor) pics here in the vise mega thread https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7148391&highlight=Parker#post7148391 I can get some better pics if you need them.

On edit, better pics here https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7153576#post7153576

On further edit, now that I knew where to look, I wire wheeled the top of the jaw inserts and the ball on the handle. The jaw is stamped Parker (tiniest stamping ever) and the handle balls are brass.

 

[Outlawmws]

I have a model 3 and it has all he typical markings including the four patents:

59-1/2 lbs

patent dates:
June 20, 1854, Patent No 11137 - steel Bars in slide;
May 28, 1867, Patent No 65114 - Handle Tensioner;
Nov 26, 1867, Patent No 71498, - Collar;
Dec 17, 1867, Patent No 72327 - Handle Tensioner;

last known catalog (to me) 1894 - gone by 1901

 

[Dlavallee22]

Man I’m way too excited about this. I think I found one of these extremely old pre-1867 Parkers but this one is a 4” jaw Filers vise with absolutely amazing jaws Iv never seen before! It also has the remnants of the patent stampings on the dynamic jaw like the little 2” jaw vises shown previously in this thread. I’m working on cleaning it up very delicately and leaving all the patina it has earned over the last 154-167 years. I’ll post up some pictures once Iv cleaned it up with my wire brushes and dremel over the next week. Any chance anyone knows anything about this or can maybe find a catalog page? I struck out myself but I’m never any good at finding that stuff. Only damage is a small piece of the dynamic support broke off the front edge. The pic of the jaw wire wheeled shows “CT“ to the left middle, what looks almost like “VISE” in the middle, and then “854” to the right toward bottom for the year of the 1854 Parker patent

 

[ejot]

Was chipping and slicing some old spilled paint off the the jaws of this No1 and also found something like a stamped, paint-filled (1?)854. Maybe there is more to uncover.

 

[waldo59]

I have a Parker #6, 8" vise pat. date of June 20, 1854. 237 lb.s. Will add pictures soon.

 

[crazylunker]

if anyone is interested in a #3 I have one in southwestern CT for $75 I'm sorry but no shipping.

 

[M635_Guy]

Was chipping and slicing some old spilled paint off the the jaws of this No1 and also found something like a stamped, paint-filled (1?)854. Maybe there is more to uncover.

Wouldn't using a stripper (heh) give you a better chance of preserving/finding stuff like this? (I don't know **** about restoring vises - not trying to be snarky)

 

[ejot]

No that's a good question. I'll get the stripper (heh) but only if it's going to get completely bare. I mean get the vise completely bare. As in the metal, bare metal. Bare **** stripped oil rubbed metal. Sorry, where were we?

Right, the Parker. I was just hunting for stamps not trying to get jaws totally cleaned. Went quite carefully to avoid scratching or cutting into the aged surface. The jaws may get a full clean up eventually but I am sleeping on it. As for the cast surfaces, I dig it wearing the whole century and a half of aging, paint splatter and all. The slide will get repaired though.

 

[Dlavallee22]

I just wanted to post the pics of the old Parker Filers vise no.42 cleaned up!

 

[Outlawmws]

Looks GREAT!

 

[Mgag757]

Hey Guys,
Who has a really old Parker Vise? The USA movement was around 1915. This is when manufactured goods began to say USA. Prior to that USA was not cast into many products. I think it would have to be before 1900. Anybody have one?

Hi. We have one passed down #39. Year and patent 1906

 

[Outlawmws]

That's a nice family heirloom to have. but Parker was in business making vises in the Mid 1800's (C. Parker was also behind the Parker the Shotgun.)

 

[pelletman]

A friend of mine has this number 2

 

[neophyte]

Sorry, I don’t know if this has been mentioned.
US patents in the past were only supposed yo be marked on an item if the Patent was still in effect.
The length of a Patent from 1790-1835 could vary in length based on what the Patent was for, but could not exceed 14 years.
From 1836-1860 the Patent length was 14 years, plus a possible 7 year extension, making the maximum Patent length 21 years.
From 1861 to 1994 the maximum Patent length was 17 years.
Since Patents that were no longer in effect were required to be removed from manufactured items, an item with a Patent date from the 1854 should not date later than 1868 or possibly 1875, etc.
I forget when this requirement to remove no longer active Patent information was nullified.

 

[tool_scrounge]

.
I forget when this requirement to remove no longer active Patent information was nullified.

Solo cup got sued for it in 2010. I like that the desired “damages” was $500 per cup (5.4 trillion dollar total). I remember about this time frame having to scramble to confirm our patent marking on products only included non-expired patents.

https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/in...marking-if-done-with-intent-to-deceive-public

 

[Outlawmws]

That law was routinely ignored...

 

[M635_Guy]

I still want to hear from the guy who bought 100 vises...

 

[M635_Guy]

Here are some larger images. I believe this Parker was made between the patent dates of 1854 and 1867. This is one of my favorite vises. Please provide my name as credit if they are posted in another forum or Facebook. Photos by Carl Matthews.

What an amazing piece of history. I'd humbly suggest you get a penny from the era to display with it. The 1854 Liberty Head was larger than modern penny, though the Indian Head penny that was released in 1859 was roughly the same size as modern pennies.

 

[uncle charlie]

Hey Guys,
Who has a really old Parker Vise? The USA movement was around 1915. This is when manufactured goods began to say USA. Prior to that USA was not cast into many products. I think it would have to be before 1900. Anybody have one?

I have the oldest. Got it 2 days ago

 

[uncle charlie]

Hey Guys,
Who has a really old Parker Vise? The USA movement was around 1915. This is when manufactured goods began to say USA. Prior to that USA was not cast into many products. I think it would have to be before 1900. Anybody have one?

I have one!

 

[uncle charlie]

The oldest C Parker vise. Just got it. Still in the back seat of my car.

 

[Maui]

Can anybody hazard a guess as to the manufacturing date of this Charles Parker Model A bench vise? It does have a patent date of 1867 on the collar, but that is all.