Boston Wrench Co. Quick adjusts

[mikeswrenches]

I picked up this 6 in. version  from Martin Donnelly back in July.  It is in nice condition with most of the nickel plating intact.  This was the first one I had ever seen and I just liked it, so it came home with me.

Then this week-end, at the Tupper Lake flea market I found the larger 8 in. size.  It also was in good condition, but has no nickel plating...at least none that is evident.  So the next question is, did they come in both plated and unplated versions?  Does anyone know if there are any larger or smaller sizes?

Cope does not have much info on this company and my Internet search didn't reveal anything.  If anyone has any additional information I would certainly be interested.

Also, are they fairly common?    (Sorry, I forgot the pictures...again)

Mike

[rusty]

Google books shows a few tiny hints, not much

Seem to exist 1881 - 1919.
Incorporated 1913,
... incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000, by Edwin C. Fisher, Amasa C. Gould and Isaac V. Brock. (Mill Supplies, Vol III)

Listed in the Mechanics Exhibition in 1881
They are among the Corporations sanctioned and dissolved by the MA legislature in 1919 for not paying corp licence fees, since they do not show up after that, they had probably failed by then.

Early, listed on Charlestown street, later on state st.

They printed a catalog, 1881: "Boston Combination, Cylinder & Nut Wrench ..."
(4 pgs,Not avl online)

Listed in brands index's as "Boston"

Assigned Patent 1250534, by F.E.Walden of Worcester - for a bottle cap (how odd)

1884 Sci Am is the only photo ad I could find, sorry, fuzzy

Datamp shows  more interesting patent(s): http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=832575&id=13855&set=2

PS: The other patent in datamp is by Stillson....Interesting connection
(The one in the picture below, not the quick adjust)

[mikeswrenches]

Thanks Rusty, Interestingly Cope suggests that maybe a different Boston Wrench Co. Made the quick adjust wrenches.

  It would have been nice if these wrench manufacture's would have been a little more considerate of us future collectors and used different names, rather than trying to confuse us with names that were the same:-)

Mike

[Lewill2]

I have both sizes in my collection too. Both of mine are the plated style. If you look at your two one has a solid adjustment lever and one has a flat bent wire adjustment lever. Both of mine are the flat wire version. The solid bar adjustment style seem to be harder to find. I don't have any of that style yet. Nice find on the little one.

[mikeswrenches]

Thanks Les, I saw one of the small flat wire versions in the current mvwc auction.

Mike