Author Topic: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND  (Read 1220 times)

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Offline Ken W.

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PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« on: August 04, 2018, 11:01:18 PM »
I found this Billings & Spencer Pierce Arrow adjustable wrench at a yard sale today. It's a duplicate of a B&S wrench I found last week. And that Pierce Arrow was made in my area I thought it was pretty cool. This is the first Pierce Arrow adjustable I've ever seen. I found a box of DOE wrenches a few years back and gave them to a guy who said he would make sure they  got donated to the Pierce Arrow Museum here in Buffalo. I hope they made it.

Offline lptools

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2018, 05:02:35 AM »
Hello, Ken. Nice find!!!!  Regards,Lou
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Offline amecks

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2018, 07:43:27 AM »
Very nice! 
Al
Jordan, NY

Offline Papaw

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2018, 10:07:40 AM »
Great catch !
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Offline Yadda

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2018, 11:07:58 AM »
Sweet find!
You might say I have a tool collecting problem....

Offline leg17

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2018, 01:29:01 PM »
Is that wrench basically a bicycle wrench?

Offline Papaw

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2018, 03:23:30 PM »
Many will say yes, BUT-

Way back in 2011, our member, Bus Haury posted here about that-
Quote
Thirty years ago I showed what I thought was a Pierce Arrow motorcycle wrench to an older collector who had several Pierce bikes and motorcycles. I was informed in no uncertain terms that the bikes and motorcycles were not Pierce Arrow, only the cars were Pierce Arrow.
"The company that made the bicycles was originally the George N. Pierce Company of Buffalo, NY."

They were "built by the George N. Pierce Company of Buffalo, New York, who also made early Pierce Motorette automobiles. In time, the Pierce automobile became known as the Pierce-Arrow, while the Pierce bicycles and Pierce 1- and 4-cylinder motorcycles were built by the Pierce Cycle Co., a subsidiary of the original company. The Pierce Cycle Co. was headed by Percy Pierce, son of George, when receivers were appointed for it in 1910."

"The Pierce-Arrow was the automobile. The bicycle was simply known as "PIERCE," not Pierce-Arrow. Although the companies were originally related, the bicycle did not say the word, "ARROW", nor did the catalogues. An arrow SYMBOL was shown in the logo, but the word, "arrow" was never used in conjunction with bicycles made by this company..."

In fact, the name of this company officially was The Pierce Cycle Company. Furthermore, there was no such thing as simply THE Pierce-Arrow or even THE Pierce. There were numerous Pierce models each year for many years."
  All this was in contrast to our late member, Wrenchmensch, who said-

Quote
Bus,

Thanks for your input.  I agree. The Pierce Cycle Company of Buffalo, NY made Pierce bicycles and motorcycles, but they used the Pierce Arrow logo (the word Pierce with a horizontal arrow through it)on their products, wrenches and in their advertisements; the same logo was used on later Pierce Arrow car and truck wrenches.  Pierce bicycles and motorcycles were still being made in 1912.  Pierce Arrow cars were made by the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company from 1909 until 1938  in Buffalo, New York.  This company was formerly known as the George N. Pierce Company according to the editors of Automobile Quarterly.

A Pierce bicycle tool kit was pictured in one of the MVWC newsletters. It was similar to the pictured auto tool kit, but much smaller.

When all is said and done, the logo as seen on all wrenches for cars, motorcycles and bicycles seems to carry the day, and "Pierce Arrow" are the words which seem to fit for most of us who will never see a Pierce bicycle or motorcycle. 

Bob

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=198.0
« Last Edit: August 05, 2018, 03:25:43 PM by Papaw »
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Offline leg17

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Re: PIERCE ARROW BILLINGS WRENCH FIND
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2018, 08:49:17 PM »
Thanks Noel.
Amazing what one can learn hear from you and others.
Thanks.