Hinsdale Manufacturing Company
Hinsdale Manufacturing Company was started in 1919 and operated in and around Chicago for it's entire existance. This announcement from the August 5, 1919 edition of The Chicago Tribune names the following officers:
- Fred W. Miller (DATAMP Tool Related Patents)
- Albert H. Rancke (Google Patents)
- Charles H. Johnson
Throughout the late 1920s, advertisements abound offering tool kits for Ford, Dodge and Chevy by Hinsdale. Their tools can be found in the Western Auto Supply, Gamble's and Sears catalogs of the late '20s and early '30s.
A listing in The Aero Digest from 1942 still lists Mr. F. W. Miller as President and GM.
Opinions vary on when and how they met their demise but the final listing in an exhaustive search puts them in the Chicago Business Directory of 1951 at 1722 W. Walnut, listed as a Screwdriver manufacturer.
Hinsdale Manufacturing Co. (Chicago, IL)
Sub Brands / Trade Names / Trademarks
- Hinsdale (Hins [circle/target with H] Dale) 1/8/1924 - Renewed 1/8/1944 - First use reported 10/1919
- Bob Cat Cat head between Bob and Cat text. (First mention found - August, 1930 Popular Science) TM 10/7/1930 - Claimed first use April, 1930 // Reregistered 2/21/1950 (cancelled in 1956 Gazette)
- Hinsdale Vanadium (Wrenches)
- MultiHex (Wrenches)
Contract Production for
- Sears - Craftsman Vanadium (Wrenches, Sockets, Drive Accessories)
- Sears - (Bob-Cat Socket Sets - 1931)
- Sears - Craftsman HD DBE Series (Wrenches)
- Western Auto (MultiHex Wrenches)
- Gamble's Auto Supply Co. (Socket Sets - 1927, 8)
Key Tool Stamping Terms (stamped/forged into tools):
- Chrome Vanadium Steel
- Hinsdale Vanadium
Comments
bill300d
Tue, 01/05/2016 - 14:52
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Hinsdale Bob Cat Ads
1. Popular Science Aug 1930
2. Popular Science Sep 1930
3. Popular Science Apr 1931
Todd Werts
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 04:39
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Yes sir, thanks for the
Yes sir, thanks for the adverts! Thing is, all these Chicago companies, I believe, were in bed together, each making different parts for each other. We decided not to put the manufacturer in for these old sockets yet because they may have been made by anyone -- S-K, Blackhawk, MTF, etc....who knows really? We'll be kicking off a socket study for that very reason shortly, to see if we can determine makers by broaching methods/patterns, etc.
bill300d
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 05:09
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I see your point.
I see your point. It does get confusing sometimes.