Thread: McPherson's Proprietary ltd, A Hand tool catalogue

20210117_140814.jpg

This was part of my uncle's collection of woodworking literature

Hi Geoff,

I call it a catalogue but it has 572 pages of
everything apart from the kitchen sink. I will get some
pics of the Braces but there are some different ones
and the prices seem cheaper in mine.

thanks Martin.

Hi Geoff here are some of the Braces in the
catalogue plus some saws.

Martin.
IMG_20210117_172828[2816].jpgIMG_20210117_172823[2818].jpgIMG_20210117_172610[2814].jpgIMG_20210117_172606_1[2812].jpg

Oops one wrong picture there what a tool i am.

Martin.

Here are the Brace & Bit and auger pix from the McPherson's catalogue:

McP p8.jpgMcP p9.jpgMcP p10.jpgMcP p11.jpgMcP p12.jpgMcP p13.jpgMcP p14.jpg

Regards
Paul

Thanks guys,
Paul, the drill brace shown in your first (P57) pic doesn't show in the 1905 Melhuish catalogue, and according to Oldtoolheaven it was only made between 1912 and 1922. Your edition has quite a good selection of braces, one page more than in 1905.
The McPherson biography you posted was an interesting read. I seem to remember they had premises on Great Eastern Highway at Belmont on the left heading into Perth.

Martin, what is particularly interesting (to me) is the drill brace shown in your 1899 catalogue seems to be missing its ratchet selector but they've corrected that by 1905. The blurb accompanying that tool says "the wheel can be removed in one second" that may be so, but I'll tell you, it takes a lot longer than one second to reattach the wheel, especially when you've got an audience. I'm making the assumption that it's a Millers Falls, as mine is, but other manufacturers made them.
I've attached the 1905 catalogue (don't know whether I've contravened copyright here) the artwork for the drill brace shows the missing ratchet ring selector.

Melhuish's No. 15 Catalogue of Woodworkers' Tools, Machines and General Contractors' Appliances, Etc. : Richard Melhuish, Ltd. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Cheers,
Geoff.

Geoff

I don't think you are contravening copyright if you use an original catalogue and that is also the only way those catalogues can appear in the Int Tool library you have linked above. The issue is when a catalogue is republished in recent times as you are then bound by copyright. In fact those reprinted books do not appear in the Int Tool Catalogue library for that very reason.

I have acquired just recently some of these reprinted copies and I have some others.

They include:

Hammacher Schlemmer & Co No.630 (Date unknown)
Hibbard Spencer Bartlett No.69 Part 1 (date unknown)
Keen Kutter 1931
Rayles 1905
Sargent. 1894, 1910, 1911 & 1922
Jennings No.13. (date unknown)

I feel the Jennings catalogue would be of great interest if you do not have it.

If any of this is of interest, contact me by PM.

Regards
Paul

This may be of interest to some of you. It is a CD that is still available on the US Ebay. Although the listing describes Stanley, Brown and Sharpe and Starrett it in fact incorporates about 180 catalogues in all. Of course not all will be of interest:

Vintage Tool Catalogs and Brochures, Stanley, Brown & Sharpe, Starrett DVD E74 741533286508 | eBay

I have no connection with this seller other than having bought a disc some years ago. It will set you back around A$20 including currency conversion and shipping. The catalogues are listed in the description, but of course it does not include any re-printed catalogues as they are protected by copyright.

Regards
Paul

Paul, I just had another look through the Old tool catalogue archive and found Melhuish's Cat' No 21 It says it's from 1912.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Hi Geoff and all.
Another picture out of the 1899 cat forgot to upload it IMG_20210117_172551[2809].jpg

Hi all,
The catalogue i have is no 11

Hi Geoff Another page i forgot.IMG_20210118_113009[2819].jpg

One thing to be said in McPhersons favour is that they referenced the manufacturer in their pages, so many distributors used their own numbers or code words which probably simplified ordering at the time, but sure doesn't help these days.
Pauls post #21 the McPherson pages, the English braces look like those of James Chapman and the model numbers coincide with that maker. The brand names of other braces and tools are clearly mentioned, very helpful.
Martin the last couple of pics you posted are pretty shaky but still helpful, thanks.
Cheers,
Geoff.

Hi Geoff .

Will post again