Introduction

One drawback of Blogger is that posts are arranged by date, and they can't be sorted by topic later. To get around this, I have a site index to the right. The index's links will give you all posts on that topic. They are sorted alphabetically.

To give examples of how you will find information here that is not available elsewhere, I purchased The Directory Of American Toolmakers from Early American Industries Association. This is similar to Grace's Guide for the United Kingdom. The Directory Of American Toolmakers comes on a CD and the largest file is 1,182 pdf pages of American tool makers, with most entries having a few lines. "[M]ore than 250 volunteers sifted and compiled the data to produce the list of approximately 14,000 toolmakers." Examples of masonry tool makers who are omitted from this publication are W.H. Anderson (founded 1870-71), F.H. Crafts (founded 1896), and Damascus Steel Products (founded 1921).

This site has become one of the best sources of scanned American and English tool catalogs on the internet, and I am adding new catalogs on an ongoing basis. My scanned catalogs are now on Archive.org also.

Thank you to everyone who has shared information in comments or in emails on the people, companies, and tools covered on this site. Recently a young woman named Kellie sent me a 527-page catalog with concrete and stone tools and quarry equipment. Thank you very much.

I came across your blog while looking for information on the Anderson Tool Company/Detroit, MI.  
I didn’t know if you would be interested in an old catalog I have from this company.  It says “CONTRACTOR’S TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT” on the front cover.  “W.H. Anderson Tool & Supply Co.- Detroit, MI.  1919 Catalog.”  It was my grandfather’s and I came across it in some of his books- he was a blacksmith.  The binding is in rough condition but the inside pages with pictures are in excellent shape (I think) for being so old.  I didn’t know if it would be something you would want to look at and/or use for information on your site.  I didn’t want to throw it away as I find the old tools and equipment quite interesting.  Would you be interested in this? Looking to put the catalog to good use/ want nothing for it.  Am willing to mail it to you if you can use it.

Below is a Goldblatt Tool Co. photo sent with information from a Goldblatt family member.

Henry Goldblatt, Kansas City, MO 

Archive.org also has scans of old books on masonry construction:

The 20th Century Bricklayer's and Mason's Assistant
Cyclopedia of Bricklaying, Stone Masonry, Concretes, Stuccos and Plasters
Practical Bricklaying, 1924
The Story of Brick, 1922
Architectural Granite, c. 1925
Build Better Masonry With Atlas Mortar Cement, 1955
Natural Cut Stone for Fine Buildings, 1930
Concrete for Town and Country by Leigh Portland Cement, 1922