Oliver Machinery Co. Catalog Study

Modified on 2008/04/01 22:41 by Dan McCallum — Categorized as: History, Manufacturer Information

Oliver Machinery Co. Catalog Study

by Chuck Hess, Hess Custom Woodwork Inc.

e-mail: hessco@hawaii.rr.com

Copyright 2004 © by Chuck Hess.

Reproduced here with the permission of the author.


The following study of Oliver catalogs was put together over some years, and will be updated as more little mysteries are solved.

NumberPagesDateProductsComments
#164481910Double arbor saws 60, 64, 90. Rip Saws 11, 148, 145, 45 & 65. Swing saws 97, 36 & 43. Band saws 15, 16, 103 (42”), 35, 17.Oliver Machinery Co. #16 on spine, hard cover, Dikinson Brothers, Engravers - Printers, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Date of 1910 clearly marked on page 1 and August 1st 1910 on p. 3. Branch Offices listed NY, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles & Manchester England. Describes plant as having 76,000 sq. ft. of floor space on p. 4. Page headers are OLIVER MACHINERY COMPANY; no logo.
#19317Ca. 1916Double Arbor Saw deleted 64. Rip saw deleted 148, 145 & 65. Rip Saws added 32 & 70. Swing saws deleted 43. Band saws added R-15, Band saws deleted 103 (42”). #29 Patent Scroll saw listed as 8000 in daily use. Circular Safety Cylinder pat Jan 21, 1908; 6500 cylinders in daily use. #102 Wood Milling Mach. w/ 23 ft. bed p. 210. Emmert vises p. 291.OLIVER on spine, soft cover, printed by White Printing Co., Grand Rapids Michigan. Photo of J. W. Oliver p. 129, catalog no. 19 on p. 1, mention date 1914 on medal on p. 3. Lists 7 Branch offices. Branch Offices added Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Berkley, Ca. Branch Offices deleted Seattle. P. 5 describes plant as having 102,000 sq. ft. of floor space surrounded by 50 acres of parks. Page headers are Oliver Machinery Co. Grand Rapids Mich. with early eagle logo. P. 9 & 12 show early brass tag.
#203041917Emmert vises p. 269OLIVER on spine, soft cover, printed by the Dean Hicks Co. , Grand Rapids, Michigan. Date 8-1-17 on last page. Photo of J. W. Oliver p. 122. Lists 10 Branch offices. Branch Offices added San Fransisco, Seattle, Denver & Phoenix. Branch Offices deleted Berkley, Ca. P. 5 describes plant as having 102,000 sq. ft. of floor space surrounded by 50 acres of parks. Page headers are Oliver Machinery Co. Grand Rapids Mich. with early eagle logo.
#213041918 - 1920Emmert vises p. 269OLIVER No. 21 on spine, soft cover, printed by A. B. Morse Co, St. Joseph Michigan. Date July 24, 1917 shown on certificate p. 98. An old post on OWWM says his catalog is dated 5-15-18 on the last page: the one I have is not. Photo of J. W. Oliver p. 122 w/ 26 lathe. Lists 10 Branch offices. P. 5 describes plant as having 102,000 sq. ft. of floor space surrounded by 50 acres of parks. Page headers are Oliver Machinery Co. Grand Rapids Mich. with early eagle logo. #29 Patent Scroll saw listed as 8000 in daily use.
Bulletin #716Ca. 1920Oliver vicesBulletin # 7 Cataloging “Oliver” Portable Machinery, soft cover. No date but has early logo headers and shows Oliver vises Instead of Emmerts. Lists 10 Branch offices.
#223201922+Saws added 80, 193, 65. Saws deleted 11. Band saw added 192. #29 Patent Scroll saw listed as 8000 in daily use. Oliver patternmaker’s vises p. 276. New appearances knife puller, sectional infeed roller. P. 133 shows lathe w/ 62’ bed 10-17-1919 wgt. 19,760 lbs.OLIVER No. 22 on spine. Hard cover, printed by Dickinson Bros. Grands Rapids. Mentions 12 yrs ago safety cylinder pat 1908 = 1920 p. 110. Page 314 shows date of 1922 in list of machines purchased. No more J. W. Oliver. Lists 15 Branch offices. Branch Offices added Minneapolis, Detroit, Boston, Berkley, Cleveland, & Canada. Branch Offices deleted Phoenix. Describes its operation as now having 3 plants. Page headers are the new Oliver Machinery Company Grand Rapids Michigan USA. with new eagle logo.
#102 Brochure.1953.#102 Pattern Milling Machine Brochure lists 13 Branch Offices and shows three plants “under one ownership & management”. Branches added Atlanta, Pittsburg. Branches deleted Canada, England, Boston, Berkley.