Vintage decal/sticker thread

[ooba tooba]

I like old decals and stickers on boxes, sets etc.., factory or not. I bought this Mossberg set pretty much for the decal on the box. By the set I’m guessing it’s early mid 1920s. Post yours and what you know about it/them!

 

[d42jeep]

I often buy sets or boxes based on the quality of the decals.
-Don

 

[ooba tooba]

Nice!

 

[ooba tooba]

I often buy sets or boxes based on the quality of the decals.
-Don

Just saw this on the “found a deal on Craigslist thread. This old box is in New York.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a few more.
-Don

 

[ooba tooba]

First box I had when I moved out on my own in ‘91. A few years later the first wife and I drove 27 hrs out west for a vacation. I said I’d try to go out there again every few years but haven’t got past St Louis since. You never know if you’ll make it back. Some of these stickers remind me of that. The flammable ones I produced when I ran printing presses 25 years ago.

 

[bmwrd0]

I too love a good decal. Or metal tag, painted logo or stamping. Here are a few of my most recent ones:

 

[ooba tooba]

Excellent! Yeah, that’s what this thread should cover. All of those. Badges, decals, stickers and stamps.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a few more of mine.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I bought this Mossberg set pretty much for the decal on the box. By the set I’m guessing it’s early mid 1920s.

It can't be any earlier than 1927. That's when the Frank Mossberg Company merged with the Auto Parts Company (APCO) of Providence, RI. Even though the APCO name took the lead in the new moniker, Mossberg pulled most of the weight. Even in marketing. I have a larger set (No. 82) with the same logo, same wrench-wielding elf-mechanic, minus the APCO. I will post it later.

 

[Modern Garage]

Man, I'm liking that Stanley decal with the phrase (if I'm making it out correctly) "There is a liberal education, pleasure and profit in a set of tools".
I've never seen this before but I'd love to see a clearer pic of it that I could blow up and print into poster size.
Or I may just paint it on the wall of the garage right now... the outside wall for everyone to see!
Joe

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In alphabetical order, a little at a time, here are the A's in my collection...

Pic 1: Allen Wrench and Tool Company Universal Wrench Set No. 51 stamp with a NYC hardware store sticker, c. 1915, on the lid of a wooden box. Link to thread with more photos and details here.

Pic 2: Armstrong (the other one, of Bridgeport, not the Chicago arm-and-hammer logo...) tap and die set No. 2 in a cardboard box. 1945. Link to more here.

Pic 3: Armstrong midget set box. More here.

Pics 4 & 5: Athol was a brand name used by Heath & Pond in Birmingham, England. The decal is on the steel box for a 1953 military issue 9/32-inch drive 'Super Chrome' midget set. The sticker in the corner of the same box is a Ministry of Defense stock sticker. More here.

Pics 6 & 7: Very early (c. 1905) Auto-Cle Company wrench set box lid stamp. Impossible to read, but the same logo is on the ratchet. More here.

 

[Username already in use]

Here's a few of mine.

 

[ooba tooba]

Thanks for the info Lugz! Nice decals guys.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for the info Lugz!

You're welcome. I'll jump ahead to this "M" for you. See what I mean? Identical to yours, except no "APCO-" prefix. More info and pics of the set linked here.

 

[bmwrd0]

Some more. I will add to this thread as I go through my photo files.

 

[d42jeep]

How about Kennedy toolboxes?
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice decals. Here's a few...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Still moving alphabetically, here are some of my B's...

Pic 1: A "Bay State" wrench set No 19 decal, or what's left of it, from the 1920s. This is not the Bay State Auto-Kit with the catmobile logo, but a brand name that Allen Manufacturing (the hex key folks) used.

Pic 2 & 3: Bethlehem Spark Plug Company steel box wrench set decal from the 1920's. Check out the smoke stacks.

Pic 3 & 4: Boards.

Pic 5: Wood box tap and die set lid.

I'm already getting lazy on the links. More info and pics via the Sticky Index or Search.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

More B's...

Pic 1: Salesman's board from the mid 1920's.

Pic 2: Steel 9/32-inch drive midget set box lid, late 1930's. (I've got the same decal, which Bonney used through 1946, on a flip-top carry box, but I'm not going to post duplicates of any decals for any brand.)

Sticky Index/search for more pics/info.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice Duplex logo, Beemer.

Always liked that winged Crescent logo, Otg, but the only one I have ever seen in the wild was shredded.

And Unaiu, I know I've said it before on the TRUTH thread, but the founder's name in that logo is a built-in reminder of its small shop history.

 

[ooba tooba]

You're welcome. I'll jump ahead to this "M" for you. See what I mean? Identical to yours, except no "APCO-" prefix. More info and pics of the set linked here.

Very nice. Love that box with every tool in its place.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. You have a very unusual set there with your No. 13. In my first reply I said no earlier than 1927, but I would also argue probably not much later than 1927, either. The company named is more commonly seen/standardized as "APCO-Mossberg", with a hyphen. And your set still has pressed steel sockets! Note that my No. 82 set, although earlier than 1927 and earlier than your set (clearly prior to the merger with APCO), has hot-forged cold-broached sockets. I knew they were making sockets the old and new ways at the same time (I have written before in several threads about this transitional period in the industry), but it's just neat to see it so explicitly demonstrated in these two sets.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

A few more

 

[ooba tooba]

Thanks. You have a very unusual set there with your No. 13. In my first reply I said no earlier than 1927, but I would also argue probably not much later than 1927, either. The company named is more commonly seen/standardized as "APCO-Mossberg", with a hyphen. And your set still has pressed steel sockets! Note that my No. 82 set, although earlier than 1927 and earlier than your set (clearly prior to the merger with APCO), has hot-forged cold-broached sockets. I knew they were making sockets the old and new ways at the same time (I have written before in several threads about this transitional period in the industry), but it's just neat to see it so explicitly demonstrated in these two sets.

That is interesting.

 

[ooba tooba]

I’m seeing some decals I haven’t seen before, and other much nicer/complete examples of some I have seen. Thanks for posting guys, and feel free to post badges and stickers as well if you feel inclined.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a few more.
-Don

 

[bigredcornhead]

Im pretty sure this is my new favorite thread, preserved goodness!!!!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

More decals

 

[c1504]

Here are a couple I’ve got.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Awesome proto la. Don that fairmount hammer is sweet. Lugz great billings stuff. Here's more...

 

[Username already in use]

And Unaiu, I know I've said it before on the TRUTH thread, but the founder's name in that logo is a built-in reminder of its small shop history.

Thanks Lugz! Also a label that you just don’t see too often. I really dig those TRUTH tools.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Just went back and saw that truth label. Fantastic example. Congrats on that one!

 

[ooba tooba]

And for those of you considering buying something, but are hesitating because the decals condition? If they haven’t been already, they clean up nice. Oil and very fine steel wool is what I use.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Speaking of not seeing a decal too often, here are my C's...

Search the SK thread for more on Carb-O-Mang. Search Vintage Board on "Chapman midget" for more on that one and "Roaring 20's" for more on Chicago Mfg and Distr. No 50 set.

 

[Username already in use]

That Carb-o-Mang is one of my favorites!

 

[bmwrd0]

 

[Oldtuleguy]

More decals

 

[d42jeep]

This is a fun thread. Lots of cool decals and stickers.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

I love the art design from much of the period that these vintage tools cover. Really striking and clever. And lots of it!