PLUMBING MANUFACTURERS TRADE CATALOGS
Beginning around 1980, I started to actively buy early plumbing trade catalogs. I bought from antiquarian book sellers, as well as individuals. I sometimes bought groups of catalogs, but mostly built up my collection one volume at a time. The focus was never to buy the oldest catalogs made, but rather to buy books published during the era that encompasses my primary interest; roughly 1893 to 1910. I enjoy looking at catalogs that depict the era of highly ornamental fixtures, that are still useable today. Generally, the fixtures made before 1890 are not practically useful on a daily basis today. They are certainly enjoyable to marvel at, and often unbelieveably ornamental, but they are more suited to a museum setting. On the other hand, fixtures from the 1890s and into the 1900s are still functional today, albeit far more high maintenance than modern fixtures. Those are the fixtures that I have always tried to buy and those are the fixtures that I wanted to see in the catalogs. So, I really covet the books from the great makers of the turn of the century, such as Mott, Douglas, Crane, Standard, Wolff, Kohler and many of the less well known companies, most of whom succumbed or were absorbed by other companies during the Great Depression.
The old manufaturer's trade catalogs were the means by which the 19th century upper- class American public decided how to outfit the bathrooms of their homes and mansions. Plumbing manufacturers would issue profusely and in some cases beautifully illustrated catalogs of their current lines of goods to plumbing companies. The plumbing companies' sales people would show them to their clientele. These catalogs would show much of the current lines of products as well as bathroom concepts depicting popular designs. It would not be uncommon for a client to specify a bathroom outfitted exactly as it was depicted in "Design 1" for instance in a certain catalog. In some cases, many of the design illustrations as well as some of the key water closet and bathtub illustrations are full color lithographs and are true works of art.
On the other hand, many of the catalogs contain a foreword that describes how the company was prepared and willing to create most any fixture exactly as the client wanted it, even if it was not what they normally would make. Most any type of exotic wood available anywhere in the world could be used in the cabinets and water closet tanks, if the client so specified. The top companies like Mott, Meyer-Sniffen and Douglas routinely offered exotic woods such as birdseye maple, honduran mahogany and burled black walnut in their cabinetry. Straight grain golden oak and even quarter-sawn golden oak was entry level hardwood for the better companies.
The major companies would also create custom-made bathtubs and showers in any design or configuration that the client was willing to pay for. This is the reason why those of us who collect these fixtures often find certain pieces that are not depicted in the catalogs of that company. A design was specified that contained a little of one stock piece and a little of another stock piece.
In the past, these catalogs were somewhat easier to find and reasonably priced. Over the last five years or so, it seems like they have become almost impossible to find, and many are priced very high when offered by trade catalog dealers. As an example, the last copy of Mott's 1888 Catalog G that I saw offered for sale was over $3000. I will want to get serious money for these books, but I can be reasoned with. Let's hear what you are interested in.
Below I have listed most of the catalogs in my collection. I have decided that I will sell some or all of these books off to allow others to enjoy owning them. If anyone is interested in buying a catalog, please write to me let me know what you are interested in. Perhaps we can make a deal.
Updated - January 1, 2012
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Trade Catalogue Collection
1980- present
1905(?) Adee, Fred Co., #34., N.Y.
1914 Ahrens & Ott- Standard , "F" Louisville, KY
1914 Ahrens & Ott- Standard, "F", Louisville, KY (new)
1905 Bailey- Farrell Mfg, Pitts
1905(?) Barrett, James Co. "2", Boston. (pkt bk)
1926 Brasscrafters, Handbook N (soft bklt)
1926 Brasscrafters, Handbook N “ “
1936 Brasscrafters, Handbook O (soft bklt)
1939 Brasscrafters, Catalog 39 (soft bklt)
1900? Central Supply Co. D, Indy, IN
1921 Central Supply Co. Indy, IN
1894-5 Clow, James Co. Chicago.
1908 Clow, James Co. Chicago.
1929 Clow, James Co. Chicago
1898 Crane- Churchill Co. Chicago
1908 Crane Mfg. Co, Portland, OR (case bk) bent covers
1915 Crane Mfg. Co. "B", Indy, IN
1925 Crane Mfg. Co. "C", near mint
1928 Crane Mfg. Co.
1897 Cuyler-Mohler Co., Baltimore (romaine)
1902 Douglas, John Co. "H2O Closets", Cinn
1910? Douglas, John Co. Supp to Catalog D, Cinn
1915 Douglas, John Co. "School Fixtures", Cinn
1925 Douglas, John Co.
1904 DuBois, F.N., "B", N.Y. (pkt)
1904 DuBois, F.N., "B", N.Y. (pkt)
1904 Federal Company, Chicago
1914 Federal-Huber, Chicago
1899 Fleck Bros, Philadelphia (rebind)
1906 Good Mfg Co., NY
1906 Haines, Jones, & Cadbury Mfg., "M", Phila
1913 Haines, Jones, & Cadbury Mfg.,Phila, PA
1908 Harris Pump & Supply Co. "T", Pitts
1893 Huber, Henry N.Y.
1897 Hoy & Co, Albany NY, pamphlet
1900 Ideal Mfg. Co. "H", Detroit, MI
1915 Johnson, J.D. Mfg. Co. New York, NY
1904 Kellogg, Mackay & Cameron, "A", Chicago, IL
1914 Kohler Co. "K14", Kohler, WI
1928 Kohler Co. "K28", Kohler, WI
1941 Kohler Co. "K41", Kohler, WI
1948 Kohler Co. "K48", Kohler, WI
1907 Laib Co., "W", Louisville, KY(rebind)
1924 Maddock's Sons, Thos Co. "K", Trenton, NJ
1898 McCambridge & Co. Ltd. "C", Phila, PA
1896(?)McDonald, A.Y. Mfg. Co. Dubuque, IA
1900(?) McElwaine-Richards Supplemental to Cat. M, Indianapolis, IN
1890 McNab & Harlin Mfg. Co., New York
1900(?) Merkel Bros Co. “F”, Cinn OH
1903 Millar, Chas & Son, "M", Utica, N.Y.
1903 Monument Pottery Co. "A" Trenton, NJ
1888 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, "G", N.Y. (romaine) disbound
1888 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, "G", N.Y. (romaine) (rebind)
1896 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, "G" Supplements, N.Y.
1901 Mott, J.L. Iron Works, Imperial Porcelain Lavs(sft bklt)
1902-4 Mott, J.L. Iron Works, "R" Supplements
1905 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, Enamelled Fixtures(sft bklt)
1908 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, "A", N.Y.
1908 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, Sect 2 of Cat “A”
1924 Mott, The J.L., Iron Works, "D", N.Y.
1907 Nason Mfg Co. NY [$225]
1902 National Supply Co., "10", Toledo, OH (pkt)
1908 Nelson, N.O. Mfg. Co., "N", St. Louis
1914 Nelson, N.O. Mfg. Co., , St. Louis
1938 Nelson, N.O. Mfg. Co., "N", St. Louis
1910 P&H Sanitary Fixtures (Kohler)
1893 Peck Bros, Plumber's Edition, New Haven (romaine)
1893 Peck Bros, Plumber's Edition, New Haven (romaine)
1905 Pierce, Butler&Pierce Co., Syracuse, NY (papr bound)
1913 Pierce, Butler&Pierce Co., #7, Syracuse, NY
1910 Pottery, History of Sanitary Earthenware
1904 Robertson, James, "E", Montreal, Quebec
1906 Rumsey, L.M., No.2., St. Louis, MO
1892(?)Rumsey- Sikemeier, "25", St Louis, MO
1901 Rundle-Spence Mfg Co., Milw WI
1909 Sanitary, US, Pitts (pkt)
1893 Simmons, John Co., New York
1893 Simmons, John Co., NY (recover)
1897 Sloan, Samuel &Co., Rochester, NY (rebind)
1894 Smith & Anthony Sanitas Plumbing appliances, Boston (paper)
1894 Smith & Winchester, Boston
1927 Speakman Pipe & Supply "K", Wilmington
1886 Stambach & Love Mfg., Philadelphia
1893 Standard Mfg. Co., Pitts, PA (romaine)
1898 Standard Mfg. Co., "S", Pitts, PA (romaine)
1902 Standard Enameled Baths, Pitts, PA (soft bklt)
1904 Standard Mfg. Co., "P", Pitts, PA rebind
1909 Standard Mfg. Co., Brass Goods (mint)
1911 Standard Mfg. Co., "P", Pitts, PA
1911 Standard Mfg. Co., "P", Pitts, PA
1911 Standard Mfg. Co., "P", Pitts (recover)
1914 Standard Mfg. Co., “F” Pitts
1915 Standard Mfg. Co., "PF", Pitts
1920 Standard Mfg. Co.
1920 Standard Mfg. Co.
1901 Standard Modern Bathrooms (soft bklt)
1908 Standard Modern Bathrooms (soft bklt)
1916 Standard (soft bklt)
1935? Standard (soft bklt)
1937-9 Standard Sanitary & Am Radiator
1912 Sternau Mfg. Co. #25
1908 Trenton Pottery Co., "K"
1917 Trenton Pottery- Baths of Character, (soft bklt)
1911 United States Sanitary Mfg. Co. Pitts, PA
1907 Walls, Owen & Stambach, "W", Phila, PA(as new)
1924 Walworth Mfg. Co., Boston
1888 Ward, W. Co. Boston (soft)
1900 Webb, F.W. "B" Boston (rebind)
1900 Webb, F.W. "B" Boston
1911 Webb, F.W. "D" Boston (mint)
1897 Wolff, L. Mfg. Co., "E" Chicago (H2O damage)
1904 Wolff, L. Mfg. Co., "F" Chicago
1904 Wolff, L. Mfg. Co., "F" Chicago
1906 Wolff's Baths, Chicago (softbound)
1908 Wolff, L. Mfg Co., "H" Chicago
1897 Western Brass, St. Louis (pkt bklt)
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