Florence Friday v10

My Grandma is well known for keeping the original packaging of office items (see here and here) and this is no exception. Most likely kept in a dark drawer, the bright blue box is in near perfect condition. The wear on the tabs is the only visible wear and probably came from opening the box over and over again. This a solid loose leaf punch with a square head. Quite the office supply treasure.

The punch was manufactured in Bristol, Connecticut by the Wm. L. Barrett Co. What I've been able to find is that the company was founded in Connecticut and operated for well over 75 years before it was dissolved by a relative of the founder. There's not much information on the company to be found. What I have discovered is that it remained a family owned and operated business out of Bristol. In a book titled The Iron Age Directory: A Classified  Index of Goods Manufactured by Advertisers in the Iron Age (circa 1909) it lists the company as makers of paper and photograph trimmers. On another item, a map of Bristol, CT circa 1907, the company is listed as manufacturing of Steel Wheel Glass Cutters on School St. They made a product called the Black Diamond glass cutter. I have no good information to gauge the age of this punch. It could be as old as the 30s but it could be as new as the 50s. I don't have the expertise to figure that out but I do love using another piece of my Grandmother's history.