It was a dark and stormy night...

It was a dark and stormy night... No, really, it was. It was 1997 and I was attending the North American Print Conference in Worcester, Massachusetts. Pouring rain and Worcester signs meant getting lost. In Worcester, directions are typically given as "turn left at the big oak tree, then when you see the Texaco Station go about another minute and take a right at the yellow house with the green shutters." You are expected to do this at night, in the rain, with minimal street lights while surrounded by Massachusetts drivers.

What does this have to do with tools? Well, here I am, once again, shilling for the Early American Industries Association. The March, 2008 issue of The Chronicle, the quarterly publication of the Association, features an article near and dear to my collectors soul:

The Development of the Illustrated Tool Catalog. By Elton "Toby" W. Hall, who is both the Director of the Association, an avid Sailor, an avocational Letterpress Printer and an all around evangelist for all thing Early American Industries.

Chapter titles:

• The First Tool Catalog
• Catalogs in America
• Promoting American Toolmakers
• The Illustrated Catalog
• The Printing Process

Heavily illustrated, carefully crafted, this article was originally presented as a paper at the 1997 North American Print Conference. The presentations never made it into print, at least until now. If you like reading old trade catalogs, it is your responsibility to read this article.  The only way you are going to get to read this paper is to join the Early American Industries Association. Soon.

Till next,
Gary