Marples 1938 full catalogue available

[AndyT]

Back in this post I shared some quick snaps of pages in a rather nice 1938 catalogue from William Marples of Sheffield.

I am pleased to be able to say that it is now a new exhibit in the 'Museum' section of Gary Roberts' ever-useful 'Toolemera' website here:

http://www.toolemera.com/Trade Catalogs/tradecatalogs193.html

and also at Wiktor Kuc's excellent WK Fine Tools site:

http://library.wkfinetools.com/02_Catal ... dTools.asp

So have a look, and think back to those happy pre-war shopping days, when Marples would supply you with everything from a cheese taster to a stevedore's hook; saws planes and chisels in every size and shape; a tuft punch or an ironmoulder's upset.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Blimey - talk about a comprehensive range! 282 pages of sheer quality.

London octagonal boxwood handled bevel-edge firmers, 1/2" size - 22 shillings and threepence per dozen. How times change....

 

[AndyT]

Bevel edged did you say? Are they a new thing? ;-)

 

[MIGNAL]

Brilliant! 1938 eh? Right there on page 225 is the proof of all proofs. Members of the jury, I quote:

Shamrock tool grinding appliance, painted Red, with bright screw -

The use of this appliance simplifies the difficult task of grinding a true and level cutting edge on Plane irons, Chisels and other woodworkers tools. It is invaluable to all Amateurs.

Classic!!!

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Bevel edged did you say? Are they a new thing? ;-)

Clear and unequivocal proof that they'd escaped into the wild by 1938!

Er - got any 1888 catalogues?

 

[bugbear]

It's older than that; from Spons' Mechanics' Own Book, 1901 we have the following:

Fig: 366 shows a contrivance for resting the tool, and ensuring its being ground at the desired angle. The plane iron a is held by a clamp screw b in the frame c, while the wheel d revolves on the stone e, and steadies the whole. This rest is sold by Churchills, Finsbury, for 2s. The amount of angle or bevel given to the edge varies with different tools and with the fancies of different workmen. In the case of a plane iron it must always be more acute than the angle formed by the sole of the plane and its mouth. The bevel produced on the grindstone should not be quite flat nor rounding (bulging) but rather hollowed out, a result naturally following from the circular form of the grinding surface of the stone, and varying of course with the size of the stone. Many workmen object to the use of any form of rest for the tool during grinding, as tending to produce a hollow edge - the very thing desired by another class.

Sounds like this argument has run for over a century. In fact, since much of the book is reprints from earlier books and magazine, it's probably pre-1901 too.

BugBear

PS; book here for download

http://www.wkfinetools.com/mlibrary/Spo ... echOwn.asp

 

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the link Andy, I can spend hours browsing these old catalogues.
I have a (Buck & Hickman) catalogue for 1913, you could purchase a metal screw cutting lathe for £8 . 10s, also they have carpenters, gas fitters and electricians hand carts listed, the disturbing thing is, when I started work, there were local tradesmen still using hand carts. :roll:

Makes me realise that I really am an old git.

Take care.

Chris R.

PS £8 . 10s would have been a lot of money then, when you consider that was more than four weeks wages for the average tradesman.

 

[toolsntat]

Been looking for SOMETHING :wink: Andy ?

Thanks for the linky 8) 8)

Andy

 

[Trafalgar]

Really fantastic stuff. I'm a huge Marples fan. Boy, do they ever make the current crop of manufacturers look quaint by comparison. One could not possibly estimate the amount of fine hand-tool woodworking that was done with Marples tools.

 

[Fromey]

I don't know about you, but the photo for gardening tools looks like a horror movie to me. I can just imagine him pruning the roses outside the ladies bedroom window!

 

[Harbo]

Fascinating catalogue - did they actually make all of this vast range or was it mainly a "brand-name" ?

Rod

 

[Racers]

O/K chaps

Page 55 butchers killing hammer yep I get that, but page 140 Paviors Beetles and Monkeys, Beetle is the big mallet, but Monkey how do you use that?

Pete

 

[bugbear]

O/K chaps

Page 55 butchers killing hammer yep I get that, but page 140 Paviors Beetles and Monkeys, Beetle is the big mallet, but Monkey how do you use that?

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Back in this post I shared some quick snaps of pages in a rather nice 1938 catalogue from William Marples of Sheffield.

I am pleased to be able to say that it is now a new exhibit in the 'Museum' section of Gary Roberts' ever-useful 'Toolemera' website here:

http://www.toolemera.com/Trade Catalogs/tradecatalogs193.html

So have a look, and think back to those happy pre-war shopping days, when Marples would supply you with everything from a cheese taster to a stevedore's hook; saws planes and chisels in every size and shape; a tuft punch or an ironmoulder's upset.

The index pages are both out of order and incomplete

BugBear

 

[wastrel]

As it is 48" high, I reckon it is used with a hand on each handle to thump paving stones in place. The iron ring would help protect the bottom from splitting.

 

[Harbo]

I cannot find this hammer in there?:

Nearest according to Salaman is a Sheathing Hammer?

Rod

 

[AndyT]

O/K chaps

Page 55 butchers killing hammer yep I get that, but page 140 Paviors Beetles and Monkeys, Beetle is the big mallet, but Monkey how do you use that?

Pete

Note the size - it's 4 foot high! I think you stand beside it, lift it up by the two thin handles and drop it down again. Then wait, exhausted, until someone invents the vibrating plate whacker years later!

 

[Racers]

Seems logical, but what about the pig scraper on 208? its amongst kitchen tools.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

The index pages are both out of order and incomplete

BugBear

You are quite right BB. I expect that was my error not Gary's. I'll put it right but it may take a little while.


Meanwhile you should find that the text is searchable (within the limits of unproofed Tesseract OCR.)

 

[AndyT]

Seems logical, but what about the pig scraper on 208? its amongst kitchen tools.

Pete

Well I for one never do any pig scraping in the workshop! I don't want my bench to get all slippery!